Chapter 22 Serafina
SERAFINA
Vanessa stands between me and where Zeno last was, as though trying to pick a side.
Where does Lev fall?
Why does Ursin Volkov continue to ruin my family?
Why is this happening? Why couldn’t I have a normal time at school?
Vanessa’s fierce expression, the firmness of her tone she used on my brother—an admirable feat—breaks with an exhausted sigh. She drops onto the couch between mine and Lev’s place.
“What a mess.” She nudges stray hairs from her face. “Are you okay?”
Okay? Not even close.
For one, Vanessa Volkov, my recently discovered half-sister through Ursin Volkov’s actions, is sitting in my dorm room.
She’s impeccably dressed in tight jeans and a leather jacket, with an expression to command everyone at this school if she wanted to.
Whereas I’m a mess in sweats and a shirt double my size because it’s comfortable and reminded me of Lev.
She commands an empire while I’m subjected to Zeno’s rule.
“I was.” My arms cross over my chest, attempting confidence but weighed down by despair. “Until Zeno started demanding I leave. I get it, but…” But nothing. I’ll have to do this because Zeno won’t budge.
“I see both sides, Serafina, I really do. He’s trying to ensure you’re safe, but your frustration is understandable. With the Vitales’ game up, it’s a matter of ensuring this doesn’t come back onto you.”
“At least you get it. Can you use your magic and make him see?”
“If I had magic, a whole lot of things would have gone differently. Come sit.” She inches toward Lev’s side, patting the couch beside her. “You look like you’re about to fall over. After last night, you probably shouldn’t be standing.”
Last night seems so far away. With a resigned noise, I drop onto my side of the couch, pulling my legs up. It makes my bruises ache, so I quickly stretch them instead.
Observant, she notices me flinch. “You’re in pain.”
“He bruised my thighs.”
Her nostrils flare as she twists to face me, one leg coming beneath her.
“Lev said he didn’t get far enough, but was that the truth?
” She pauses, my own eyes roving my face—Ursin Volkov’s eyes, as I’ve learned.
The one feature her and I share. “If you lied, it’s okay.
I’ll discreetly get you a doctor, and neither of them will be the wiser. ”
If she’s on Zeno’s side over me leaving school, at least with this, something unfurls.
A bridge connecting us, like true siblings, that she walks across for me.
It makes everything happening feel heavier but also impossible to process.
She’s basically a stranger yet being as kind as if we’ve known one another our entire lives.
A sister when I’m still not sure what that means.
“Lev got there in time.” It feels strange to talk about him to technically his boss. “Thanks, by the way, for letting him come here.”
“He’s not someone I let do anything, but you’re welcome. He’s been decent to live with? Hasn’t driven you crazy?” She glances at his laptop resting nearby, a charging cord connecting it to the wall behind us.
“He’s been great.”
She only smiles, glancing towards the two bedrooms. She stares so long, I’d believe she sees the fact I made his bed my own last night.
Her lip gets pulled under her teeth, and she chews on it for a while.
“Zeno’s concerned because Rome is near the Vitales’ territory, but what if you transferred schools? ”
“And went where? I doubt any school in this country would be good enough to pass Z’s standards.”
“Moscow.”
“Russia?”
“Why not? Vitale won’t think to look for you there, and even if they caught wind, they won’t be stupid enough to launch an attack on me.”
“If they do?”
“Then they’ll lose.”
“You’re suggesting I transfer to another school in a whole other country?”
Could I? Would I want to? It’d mean not giving up my degree, but I’d be leaving everything I know. Home. Language. Culture. Madre.
“It’s the best middle. Zeno won’t risk you staying, but you want to continue school. We—the Bratva—me—will hide you in Moscow. A few phone calls, and I’ll have you enrolled within the week to one of our English schools. You can stay at the mansion. We’ll drive you into the city for classes.”
Burden. You’re a bother to another sibling who’ll change routines just for you.
Not a burden. I could nearly hear Lev chiding me. Vanessa’s offering.
It’s all so fast, and my head’s going through all the possibilities.
It’d mean visiting Russia.
As strange as it might seem, I’ve always wanted to—and my kidnapping didn’t count.
For better or for worse, Russia was bred into my blood.
Through pain and violence, but it’s there.
My history, my heritage. Moscow means getting to know Vanessa, which sounds terrifying, but it’s something I sort of want as well.
This is an opening. A chance. An opportunity. It’s also a kindness she damn well doesn’t have to show me.
“How would living in the mansion work?”
She smiles like she’s happy I’m considering this.
“We have spare rooms, so you’ll get your own.
Free run of the mansion and grounds, of course.
I’ll have extra men on lookout at boarders and airports in case Vitale tries to slip in.
One of us will drive you to classes and return at the end of the day.
I’m certain Zeno will want someone assigned to you, and I have quite a few trusted men who’ll fit with school. ”
“Lev.” Even without the consideration of what the hell I’m talking about, he’s the only one I could picture with me.
After only a week, he’s imbedded himself into my school experience, and anyone else would be wrong.
I should use this opportunity to release him back to his real job, to ease that piece of my guilt, but it’s selfishness driving me.
Selfishness and fear. Lev took the bullet for me.
He helped me the night of my date gone wrong and definitely saved me last night.
Maybe I’m trauma bonding to him or something, but I can’t picture anyone else more worthy.
I’m safe with him, and I’m not sure that’d be the case with any of her soldiers.
“We can ask. I’m sure it’ll be an easy sell.”
“Why did you suggest this?”
She tips her head, black hair falling straight.
“Why wouldn’t I? Past aside, I care about you and understand more than anyone how frustrating it is to have a man control what you can and can’t do.
Let me help you. It gives Zeno the space to neutralize the problems, and you don’t have to quit school. ”
It’s so much, so fast, and yet, my answer is an easy one. “Sì. Please. Thank you.”
She smiles, and it seems genuine, almost secretive. “Ah, don’t thank me until we convince Zeno, but leave that to me.”
Ten minutes later, Zeno and Lev are back inside the dorm, and Vanessa wraps up her plan while I pray Zeno goes for it.
He stares at her. Me. Then the window at my back. “Alright, I can agree to this. As long as you’re both fine with it.”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.” Vanessa crosses the room to kiss his cheek. She pinches his chin to pull his face towards hers. “Besides, no was never an option.”
Zeno briefly kisses her back, his gaze softening. After a silent conversation between the two, he glances my way. “Your thoughts?”
“I wouldn’t have agreed if I wasn’t,” I echo Vanessa’s words.
“Alright,” he repeats, glancing around the room and pausing on the furniture he purchased, expecting me to have been here for longer.
“I am sorry, Sera, but this will work out for the best. Once everything with Vitale is dealt with, you’re free to return.
For now, I’m going to have an impromptu meeting with the dean.
You should pack so we can leave right away.
We’ll swing by Ostia first. Madre will want to see you, and you can grab anything else from your room. ”
And I her, but right away? It’s so soon, though I understand. While Zeno and Vanessa are here, there’s no point in lingering, and every second on campus is another Alessio can return.
It all feels unfinished. And Amara still hasn’t answered her phone.
I can’t leave with saying goodbye and figuring out what is going on with her.
After two years of friendship—since she only transferred into my scuola superior—high school—before senior year, I know her enough to know this is not her typical behaviour.
While it’s not unusual for us to split up at a party, she’d be the first to check in, and we’d usually leave together.
Zeno, unaware of my thoughts, disappears out the dorm, Vanessa on his heels. “I’ll be outside, making calls to universities in Moscow and then to Ana to prepare a room for you.”
Then it’s only me and Lev left, who’s watching me like he did the first time we met.
The distance between us feels greater than ever, like the past week—especially last night—never happened.
He’s back to being a stranger, an ally to my brother, all because Zeno and Vanessa disrupted the peace we’ve made for ourselves.
“You okay?”
“Everyone keeps asking me that.”
“Russia will be a whole new place. You’ll be leaving what you know, your mother, and moving into a mansion, attending classes at another school.”
“You’ll be there.”
His finger taps his routine pattern along his thigh, suggesting my comment wasn’t the right thing to say. Fuck.
“Every step of the way.” His rumble is so soft, it barely registers.
“Even school?” I’ve already made an ass out of myself, so what’s another instance?
It’s selfish to ask, but unfiltered words tumble out.
“Zeno won’t want me there alone, and you and I started this thing, so it’d be wrong to have someone else.
I wouldn’t buy coffee for just anyone.” My half-smile is pitiful at best, a sign to probably shut up.
“I’m also aware it’s different here. In Moscow, you’ll return to your life and duties, and you’ll be busy and won’t want to join me, and… please stop my rambling any time.”
His slow smirk patches up the bit of my self-consciousness that believed I was wrecking our non-friendship. He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, I’ll continue attending classes with you. Can’t have you getting hurt again.”
With his agreement, breath whooshes out of me. Turns out, I was clinging to the possibility of it being a no. “Grazie.”
Lev turns for his room. “Start packing, and I’ll do the same. When I’m finished, I’ll come help.”
He disappears into his room, shutting the door, so I rush into mine, wondering at what point the insanity of all this will truly hit.