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I tried to figure out what I could. This is our empire, after all. No longer solely his. I should be involved in whatever long-term decision making he has plotted in his head. Instead, all I have is a first name and no idea what’s going on.
I hate this. I hate being treated like a child. I hate being in the dark. I hate that things are changing. All of it.
“They’re moving in tonight.”
I choke on my own spit, grabbing my napkin to wipe my mouth.
“I’m sorry, they?”
I had resigned myself to living with the woman. Mary, or Meredith or something suburban like that.
She sounds nice. Normal.
I’d be willing to bet my inheritance that she has no idea who my father is or what she married into. Stupid woman.
Keeping the women in the dark is to be expected to some degree. It’s not like the old days.
Wives don’t typically play a role larger than arm candy unless they are a political match to secure territory or end a dispute.
It’s not uncommon for them to be unaware of the extent to which their husbands go to support their lives. But they are brought in enough to know the basics. If this Mary/Meredith character isn’t even part of our world, I can’t begin to fathom what her purpose is. Why her? What about her has my father all in knots?
“They. She and her daughter are on their way with the movers now.”
I squeeze my hands into fists. Another complication. Something I definitely don’t need. Not this close to graduation. And if she’s a mother, that means another sibling. Another player in the empire.
At least it’s not a son. I cringe at the thought. Killing my stepsibling would be a terrible wedding present.
Not that a girl is much better. Our house is large, but with the number of guards it takes to keep us safe, there’s not exactly room for another sibling. Enzo and I have converted the bedrooms on the third floor into a combined apartment for us. There’s just not room.
I don’t see father allowing the newest Venitti to sleep with the soldiers on the second floor.
Fuck. I swear to God if he thinks he’s going to move her in with us….
It was annoying when Enzo moved in, but we grew close. We had things in common. We had time to build a relationship.
A stepsister.
What the fuck am I supposed to do with that? I’m on the precipice of becoming Don. I don’t imagine that I’ll have a lot of patience for playing princess and painting nails.
It’s not like I can load a clip and take her with me to my first hit.
She’s going to be a liability. We’re going to need to handle her.
“Enzo,” my father says, an edge of warning lacing his tone. “You'll need to move your things out of your room and into Nico’s temporarily. This will allow you to continue your protection duties. Christina will have your room until we find a suitable match for her to marry.” He waves a hand like it’s insignificant.”
Christina.
I bet she’s spoiled. Marrying her off is going to be a chore. Who’s going to want to marry some spoiled little girl?
Someone, hopefully. So I can have my fucking life back.
My irritation with this entire situation finally overflows and I slam my fork onto the table, drawing my father’s gaze.
“Any other surprises you want to tell us about, Father? So far, we’ve got a new mother and a new stepsister, what’s next? Are you going to tell me you’ve knocked the whore up? Put me on babysitting duty?”
My father’s eyes turn flinty, and he takes a long sip of his wine.
“Boy, you’ll watch yourself when you talk to me.” His voice is steely, and I take a deep breath, calming myself.
