Page 78 of Fractured Empire

For now, Katya and I will do our best to surround them with love and attention. We’ll try to balance being supportive and there for them with helping them create healthy stability that doesn’t rely directly on either of us. We’ll do our duty as parents, and as members of the Moretti family.

“Yeah,” I finally agree, dipping my head once. “I think we can make it work too. Still, call me if anything goes wrong.”

“I will.” Katya smiles softly. “And you don’t have to apologize for watching me on the camera when you come home this time, husband. I like knowing you’re looking out for us and that I can hold your attention.”

It takes every bit of self-control in me not to bend over the couch and capture her face in my hands to pull her up and demand she repeat herself. She’s a sweet woman, my wife. But I’m quickly learning that there’s a fire burning inside her, and that fire calls to my own. Sometimes I think that she’s a siren, waiting to lure me into her waters. Other times, an angel dropped down from the heavens to fix every problem I’ve ever had.

Perhaps she’s both.

I decide saying nothing is the only way I can leave this house without doing something that will keep me in it.

Kissing her…touching her…if I even began to engage in either I would never make it out of this house in time to meet Gino and to deal with my enemies.

“Bye,” Katya says, giggling to herself as I all but run away from her.

The cool touch of night air does nothing to quell the burning temperature of my blood as I disappear into the twilight.

“What do we know?” I ask twenty minutes later, striding into one of my more secluded buildings. From the outside, it appears to be some kind of abandoned warehouse, but on the inside, it’s a fortress of death.

My question is heard, but it isn’t Gino who opens his mouth to answer me.

“Brother,” Apollo says, emerging from the shadows of the large room. His shoes tap loudly against the cement floor as he closes the distance between us. “You look thirsty for blood, good. We have traitors to hunt.”

“You’re here,” I note, keeping my surprise contained by my tone.

“You didn’t think I’d let you have all the fun, did you?”

Gino chuckles, shaking his head at my brother’s quip.

“And Nico? Should I expect to find him lurking around here somewhere?”

“Not this time,” Apollo replies, smiling crookedly. “He’s attending to another task for now. Besides, Gino here tells me you want to take heads. That isn’t quite our little brother’s style.”

No, Nico would want to play with his food before beheading it.

“I want to send a message,” I confirm with a barely restrained growl. “People can say whatever the fuck they want about me, but implying Katya would be some kind of mistress and shield a child from the family is treasonous. Talking about my son at all can’t be allowed to go unanswered.”

“Well, we disagree on one thing.” Apollo tilts his head, assessing me. “People can’t go around saying whatever they want about you. You’re Dante Moretti’s second-born son, Underboss, and my fucking brother. We’re sending more than a message about vile rumors concerning your wife and kids. When we’re done today, no one will dare speak a bad word against you ever again.”

“And if they dare?” I challenge, lifting my brows at his intense declaration.

“Then we’ll burn them alive rather than mercifully relieving them of their heads.”

“Only you would call an execution mercy,” I tell him, unable to keep the fondness from my words. “Did you come alone?”

He nods once. “Rayna and Vaughn are spending the night at the big house. She considered joining me to visit your kids, but she wanted to give you and Katya more time alone first. She’s convinced that the two of you are perfect for one another and is expecting love to blossom quickly in your house.”

Of course Rayna would declare such a thing.

Shaking my head, I force a faked chuckle. “Becoming a mother has softened her. I’ve never known her to be a matchmaking meddler.“

“She couldn’t be bothered with meddling where anyone else is concerned. You’re the only one whose happiness she cares about enough to get involved. She considers Elio and you to be her first friends here, you know? And she refuses to ask Elio about his…unusual relationship with Sienna.”

“He has an unusual relationship with Sienna?” I echo, eyebrows drawing in. “Since when?” And what exactly does he mean by unusual?

“I have no idea what’s going on. Elio and Sienna both claim nothing is happening between them at all but Rayna assures me that they’re flat out lying. As far as I can tell, Elio has been looking out for Sienna for years and now that she’s not being hidden away, the two of them don’t know how to act around each other. At least not while other people are around to see it.”

“I’ve never known Elio to be coy about important things,” I muse with a small hum. “Maybe nothing really is going on and they’re just awkward friends. I might be awkward around people too if I went through the shit her family put her through.”