“Yes.”
“And you were there.”
“Not for the beating. It was a meeting with only the heads of the family present.”
Her shoulders slump and it looks like she might slide out of the chair. “They beat her.” The pain in her voice nearly destroys me.
“My father called me to handle the cleanup. When I got there, she was already dying. They left her for me to finish.”
“Did you?” Her voice is cold now.
“No. I held her while she took her last breath. There was nothing I could do to save her. I promise you, I would have if I thought there was a chance. She asked me to protect you. Made me promise I would keep you safe.”
Sofia stands abruptly. She walks to the window. This is her processing. I recognize it.
“They all beat her.”
“Yes.”
She laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Of course they did. Loyalty. Honor. The fucking code.”
I stand and move toward her. This time, I don’t stop myself.
My fingers closes around her wrist, loose enough that she can pull away if she wants.
She doesn’t.
“Yes,” I confirm.
“My father never explained. She was there one day and gone the next. He watched me grieve. He let me believe she had a quick death. I never asked questions.”
“Asking questions would have been dangerous. You stayed alive.”
“He let me love him knowing he murdered the only person in the world who has ever loved me.”
“I’ve been watching over you since that night,” I say. “I kept my promise to your mother. But somewhere along the way, it became more than just a promise.”
She turns to face me. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I know how this started. A strategic alliance. Protection in exchange for legitimacy. But I want more than that now.”
“More?”
“I want this marriage to work. Not as a business arrangement. Not out of duty.” I take a step closer. “I want you, Sofia. Not because I promised your mother. Not because it makes tactical sense. I want you because you’re fierce and brave and you challenge me in ways no one else ever has.”
She stares at me. I can see her trying to decide if she believes me.
“You should have told me,” she says finally. “About my mother. About the promise. You should have been honest from the beginning.”
“You’re right. I should have. I’m telling you now because I don’t want any more secrets between us.”
“I’m glad you were there that night.”
“I’ve always been there, Sofia. In the shadows. I’ve been watching you since the day your mother died.”
She frowns at me. “I thought just the last three years.”
I slowly shake my head. “No.”