Reign (The Syndicate_ Crime and Passion Book 2)(27)

And I wouldn’t let it happen, wouldn’t let Santo destroy himself, who knew how many others, all to protect his ego.

“Have you been taking your medicine?” I asked when he grimaced as he shifted on the oddly delicate Queen Anne sofa that was so out of place in this home.

He shook his head. “I had Davey sell them. Can you fucking believe that, Daniela? Me, selling pills for twenty each. Fucking disgusting.”

I could believe it.

“Why?” I said, looking at him, his features now twisted in pain.

“Because the pills take the pain away. And I need that pain. Every twinge, every ache, every stab is one I want to remember, because I’m going to return every one,” he said.

As he spoke, his voice got deeper, threaded with an unsettling mix of calm and mania that almost made me tremble with fear.

“Are you planning something, Daddy?” I asked. I could feel the way my face twisted, knew he could see it as well, but I needed an answer.

“Why do you ask, Daniela?” he said, eyes on me, now focused fully, daring me to question him.

I swallowed, paused, wished I had something to fill my hands so that I could resist the urge to ball them up, do some other nervous motion that would only be like blood in the water for Santo. Somehow, I managed to keep them hanging limply at my sides as I spoke.

“I did as you asked. I married him for peace,” I said. I’d found more, hoped I had, anyway, but that wasn’t important now.

He laughed then. Loud, so hard that his body shook, and then he cut off quickly, undoubtedly because of the pain. “You really are your mother’s daughter,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“She was like you. Stupid. Naive.”

My fear receded and instead anger sparked. “I’d appreciate it if you’d not talk about Mother that way.”

It was a mild admonition, but it got Santo’s attention.

“You always were protective of her. She plucked you out of that trashy hellhole you were born in, treated you like her own,” he said. Then he shrugged. “A shame she could never give me children of my blood. Imagine what she could have done with our own, not castoffs like you and that ungrateful sister of yours.”

His words stabbed me in my heart.

They shouldn’t have, not after all this time, but they still did. I had spent my entire life trying to prove I was worthy, that I deserved the love Mother had given me, the protection Santo had. That Giovanna had too, no matter how she’d rebelled.

And in the space of two sentences, he had again managed to make me feel like I was nothing.

I stayed quiet for a moment, determined I wouldn’t show him how much his words hurt. He wouldn’t care, but there was my pride to consider.

“Santo, please don’t tell me I did this for no reason,” I said.

“Daniela, you didn’t do this for no reason,” he said.

His words should have been reassuring, but they weren’t.

“Promise me you won’t strike out against the Syndicate,” I said.

Sometimes his word meant something. Other times it didn’t, but trying to get a promise he meant was the only hope I had.

“The Syndicate,” he spat. “That should have been mine.”

I knew nothing of that, but I didn’t have time to consider it, not with the look that was on his face.

“Daddy…” I said, the word nearly choking me.

He lifted abyss-black eyes toward me. “After what they did to me,” he said through clenched teeth.

“They let you live.”

His expression twisted and he looked around the surroundings. “In this shithole and not the house I built? Took my business from me, my home, my daughter. Humiliated me. And you want me to do nothing?” he asked.

He stood then, and his rage was so potent I doubted he even felt pain.

“I know it’s terrible, Daddy, but you made a promise. Besides, there are other things to consider,” I said, speaking as calmly as I could.

“Like what?”

“The business. The men. All that could be gone in the blink of an eye if you go back on your word. All that you built,” I said.

“All that I’ve built? I have nothing,” Santo said.

“That’s not true,” I said, trying to reassure him. “It’s only been a few days. The business is still there. And if enough time passes…”

“What? You think something will change? That they’ll give me back what’s mine?” he said.

“Sergei…” I said, and then I trailed off, choosing my words carefully. “He’s fair. And ambitious. He won’t want to be here forever. And if you could—”

“You’re so fucking stupid, girl. You think if I’m nice enough and play good, he’ll just forget everything, give it back to me?”