The Bastard’s Betrayal by Katee Robert

Chapter 24

Rose dressed carefully for her meeting with Romeo. Oh, he didn’t realize they had a meeting. In fact, both he and Lorelei had avoided answering her calls. It was suspicious enough that she would have sought out her sister even if there weren’t other things in motion. She didn’t have time to stand around waiting until they decided to talk to her.

She pulled on a green dress that felt almost Grecian. It fit loosely on her body, fastened around the middle with a tie and slit up just enough on both sides to flash a bit of leg with every step. She smiled a little bitterly at herself in the mirror.

Helen of Troy, indeed.

It was Saturday night, which meant the Capparelli family would be at their favorite restaurant. They had their little rituals the same way the Romanovs did. It was a constant balance between weakness and strength to operate like that, the schedule predictable enough for enemies to capitalize on but being strong enough that it didn’t fucking matter if their enemies knew where they were.

They were untouchable.

Or at least they appeared to be.

Vasily met her at the door to the garage. They were dressed to impress today, too, wearing a suit that fit their wide shoulders and broad chest. Some of the Romanov’s muscle preferred to spend their money on other things and wore ill-fitting suits, but Vasily had always appeared perfectly tailored when the situation called for it.

This one certainly did.

Vasily held the door open for her. “You sure about this?”

“Yes.” She had to be. She’d set herself on this path, had put her faith in her and Dante and a future they spent together. The only option was to follow through. If she didn’t, she’d spend the rest of her life wondering what they could have shared if she hadn’t let cowardice win.

She’d made her choice.

She just hoped it didn’t blow up in the face of her and everyone she cared about.

By the time Vasily pulled up in front of the restaurant, a cold calm had stolen over Rose. This was no different than any other confrontation. Romeo would try to bulldoze her, and she would refuse to bend. They’d have to figure out if they could come to terms between his unstoppable force and her immovable object. They had managed it before. They would do it this time, too.

He didn’t want war. She was sure of it. More, he had wanted Lorelei and now he had her as his wife. A pang went through her at thought. She hadn’t wanted that future for her sister, but they were well past the point of no return. The only thing to do was make the best of it.

The hostess greeted Rose as she walked through the door. “Hello, a reservation for two?”

“No, I’m here to see someone.” She brushed past the hostess stand, Vasily at her heels, and strode through the main dining room. It was filled to the brim tonight, people decked out in their best and dining here with the intent to see and be seen. She recognized several faces, but ignored them all on her path back to the doorway tucked in the corner. It led to the private dining areas, and it was exclusively the Capparellis’ on Saturday evening.

Rose stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath. She’s only got one shot. She couldn’t fuck this up.

With that in mind, she nodded at Vasily and they threw open the door. Rose stepped into the room to find four guns pointed in her direction. She smiled and met the gaze of everyone in the room, one by one. “Is this how the Capparellis greet their sister-in-law?”

Romeo Capparelli was a handsome bastard. Dark hair, eyes that weren’t quite brown, and a distinctly Clark Kent look with his black square glasses. If Clark Kent was a dangerous predator and not a nice guy. He sat back in his chair, perfectly at ease and stretched his arm around the back of the chair of Rose’s sister.

She drank in the sight of Lorelei. Her sister wore a black dress and looked well enough. There was no overt sign of distress or abuse, at least. Not that it meant anything. It hadn’t been long since she married Romeo. Lorelei watched her with a wary look that Rose didn’t like, but at least she didn’t have a gun pointed at her.

Romeo’s right-hand man stood at his shoulder, tense and waiting for Romeo to indicate which way he wanted this to go. Salvatore D’Angelo. He was a massive white man with sandy blond hair, broad chest and shoulders and solid stomach. Dangerous. Not someone Rose would intentionally cross if she had any other option.

The other two were Romeo’s siblings, Fabian and Drucilla. Both took after their elder brother with their coloring, dark hair and those strange amber eyes. Fabian had the look of a rich playboy who’d never gotten his hands dirty once in his life, but it was a mask. Rose had seen photos of his work with a knife, and he wasn’t a threat to be underestimated. Drucilla was a social media influencer, and there had been talk of a reality TV show before Romeo shut it down. She played to expectations, but she was just as dangerous as her brothers.

They didn’t matter.

Romeo was the one who made the decisions for the family. He was the one she had to convince to see things her way.

Rose kept her smile firmly in place. “I thought it was time we spoke.”

Romeo considered her for a long moment before he turned to Lorelei. “Do you want to speak with your sister?”

Shock rocked Rose back on her heels. What the fuck was going on here? He wasn’t exactly being soft with her sister—she wasn’t sure Romeo Capparelli was capable of being soft—but she hadn’t expected him to consult Lorelei at all. Certainly not as someone resembling an equal.

Her sister gave a deceptively sweet smile. “Of course, muzh. She’s family.”

“Very well.” He motioned at his siblings. “Give us a few moments.”

Drucilla and Fabian exchanged a loaded look, but they didn’t argue. They simply rose to their feet and filed out of the room, Salvatore on their heels. Rose glanced over her shoulder at Vasily. “You, too.”

They hesitated, but finally nodded and slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind them. Only then did she turn back to Romeo and her sister. “You’re dodging my phone calls.”

“Call it the honeymoon phase,” Romeo said, no inflection in his tone. “We’re only just married.”

Lorelei went a little tight around the eyes, but she shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”

Can you ever forgive me for putting you in this position?

Rose didn’t ask the question. There was only so much she was willing to reveal in front of Romeo and he showed no signs of leaving. On the other hand, threats were easy enough. She propped one hand on her hip and looked down at him. “If you harm a single hair on my sister’s head—”

“She’s my wife.” He raised a single eyebrow. “I’m not sure how the Romanovs treat their spouses, but Lorelei is in no danger from me.” He finally looked at his wife. “Your sister and I have some business to discuss. She’ll come talk to you after.”

Rose expected Lorelei to argue or say…something. But she simply nodded and rose. She slipped past Rose and out of the room without a word. She was acting too placid, too docile. Not like the Lorelei Rose knew at all. What the fuck was going on?

Rose turned back to Romeo. “Did you do something to her?”

“No.”

“Why won’t she talk to me?”

He shrugged. “That business is between you and your sister. You didn’t come here for a family reunion.”

No. She hadn’t. She needed his cooperation, but the weird interaction with Lorelei had rattled her. “We need to talk.”

“Si.” He motioned to the chair across from him. “Sit.”

As she sat, he took the bottle of wine and poured her a glass. It was only once she picked it up that he continued. “If you try to take Lorelei from me, you won’t like the consequences.”

She set the glass down without drinking. “You wanted her from the beginning. Not me.”

Another shrug. “Why are you wasting time parroting back information we both already know to be true?”

She kind of wanted to shatter her glass on the table and impale his neck with it. Rose could almost see the spatter of arterial blood that would cover everything. It wouldn’t solve anything, would only make more problems, but it would feel so good. She gave herself a shake. “I want to know why you picked her.”

“That’s not why you’re here.”

No, it wasn’t, but now that she sat in the same room with him, she had to know the truth. “I still want to know.”

He stared at her with those cold amber eyes. “That’s between me and Lorelei. If that’s all you came to speak about…there’s the door.” He motioned with the hand holding the wine glass.

Rose would question her sister about it later, but right now she had to say some unforgivable shit to smooth things over. She lifted her chin. “You got exactly what you wanted.”

“Certainly seems that way.” He gave her nothing to work with, but that was fine. She knew how Romeo operated. He wasn’t one to be driven by emotions and he wouldn’t make any calls that weren’t strictly in his family’s benefit. Compromise barely entered into the equation.

She picked up her wine glass and took a sip. She couldn’t keep badgering at him, pushed by her guilt and conflicted emotions about the situation. There was only one card to play, and it might be a doozy, but she had to present it in a way to make Romeo take the bait. “I have a proposal for you.”

“I already have a wife.”

“Is that a joke?” She lifted her brows. “Romeo, you surprise me. I didn’t know you were hiding a sense of humor beneath that icy demeanor.”

He sighed and shook his head slowly. “I am merely stating facts, Rose. I have a wife. I am not interested in anything you have to offer me.”

“That’s a shame.” The wine was good. Expensive. She took another sip, pretending to consider. “I thought you might be interested in Lev Romanov’s head on a platter, but if you’re not…” She started to rise.

Romeo went perfectly still. “Sit.”

“I am not a dog, Romeo. I don’t answer to your commands.” She still allowed herself to sink back into her chair. “I heard a rumor he got awfully close to your sister the last time he was in town.” She didn’t have the specifics of what had gone down between Lev and Drucilla two years ago, but it was enough that Romeo killed a bunch of Lev’s people and threatened a full-out conflict if Papa ever allowed Lev into the city again. As far as she knew, Lev hadn’t even entered the country since then.

Romeo studied her for several long moments, and she had the eerie feeling of being prey facing down a predator about to strike. Rose might have laughed if there was enough air to draw a full breath. Romeo wasn’t the only predator in the room, though, and he’d be a fool to forget that. She met his gaze steadily, letting him work his way through it.

Finally, a small eternity later, he lifted his glass to his lips. “I’ll hear you out.”

“I thought you might.” She didn’t allow herself to slouch back into her chair. She simply smiled. “You have my sister. I can all but guarantee you Lev. In return, I want something from you.”

“I’m listening.”

Her phone buzzed and she glanced down to see a text from Dante.

Kirill is on board. He won’t harbor Jovan’s people and he’s secured peace with the Verduccis. I’m officially excommunicated.

She looked up, her smile warming. “I’m going to marry Dante.”

Romeo stared for a long moment and then huffed out a dry laugh. “You must think I’m a fool.”

“On the contrary, I think you’re quite intelligent. I also think you’re a man with his priorities in order.” She leaned forward. “What is the use of nursing some decades old feud with a family across the country? That’s your father’s fight. Your grandfather’s. It’s not yours.”

His lips curved, but his eyes remained so cold she was surprised her breath didn’t ghost the air in front of her. Romeo eyed his wine. “You are not the person to tell me which fight is mine, Rose.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “But Dante has been excommunicated from the Verduccis. Even if you’re determined to maintain the feud, then you can take it up with Matteo.”

That sparked a reaction in him. He narrowed his eyes. “Matteo.”

“Oh,” she said, falsely sweet. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t heard. Lorenzo is dead. Matteo is now the head of that family. He and Kirill just came to an agreement that will result in a strong alliance between them.” And cut off Russian access to LA in the process. One branch of the family down, two more to go. Her phone buzzed again, but she thumbed it off. This conversation was too important to continue interrupting, even for Dante.

Having Romeo’s interest sharpen on her wasn’t a comfortable feeling, but she maintained her calm mask. Rose crossed her legs. “There’s a war coming, Romeo. Not an old toothless feud and not some pissing match between small players.”

“Jovan.” He said the name tonelessly. “What’s to stop me from throwing my lot in with him?”

She gave him the look that question deserved. “Please. The first thing he’d do is give your sister to Lev, quickly followed up by killing my sister.” Fear made her stomach clench, but she pressed on. She had to get Romeo onto her side. There was no other option. “That’s the best-case scenario. It’s far more likely that he’ll just kill all of you. Jovan isn’t one to leave a wolf at his back.”

Romeo didn’t shift and move the way most people did. He simply sat in perfect stillness while he considered her. “Explain to me how you marrying Dante Verducci helps with this situation.”

“It takes me off the market. Without them able to pretend they’re pressing a match for me, they’ll have to be honest about what their goals are.”

His gaze flicked to her throat. Her makeup covered the faded bruises, but he stared as if he could see them clearly. “Seems to me that they’re already being honest about what their goals are.”

She shrugged. “I want Dante. He’s mine. That’s reason enough to marry him.”

Again, that curve of his lips. Again, the smile came nowhere close to his eyes. “If I agree to stand aside and allow you to marry him without consequence, you will provide me with all the information you have on Lev Romanov.” She opened her mouth to reply, but he kept speaking before she could. “In addition to that, you will put aside any schemes or plotting to divest me of my wife.”

She swallowed hard. “And if she doesn’t want to stay married to you?”

“Ask her yourself, Rose.” He motioned for the door. “Now, leave me in peace. I expect regular updates on the Jovan situation as it unfolds.”

“Of course.” She rose smoothly to her feet. “I’ll see my sister, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“By all means.”

Rose had to force herself to turn and walk to the door, leaving Romeo her back. Every instinct demanded she keep him in sight, but pride was a fickle thing and reputation even more so. He’d agreed to hold their alliance without demanding more than she was willing to give, even if she married Dante. It was better than she’d dared hope.

Out in the hallway, Drucilla and Fabian were nowhere in sight, but Lorelei stood speaking with Vasily under the harsh oversight of Salvatore. He didn’t seem to be doing anything overtly wrong, but he was standing a little too close to Lorelei and was glaring at Vasily a little too hard.

Her sister saw her and moved to meet her. She grabbed Rose’s hands. “Don’t do anything to endanger my marriage to Romeo.”

Rose blinked. “I can’t believe you married him, Lorelei. What were you thinking?”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Her smirk was just as fake as her nails currently digging into Rose’s hands. She stared up at Rose. “Listen to me. I do not need or want your help. Do you understand me, Rose? No meddling. No sending Anya to fuck with Romeo. I have things under control.”

Something was very, very wrong. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Has he hurt you?”

Lorelei blinked, true shock filtering into her expression. “No. Of course not. I’d kill him if he did.”

“Then what’s going on?” Rose murmured. “Why are you acting so weird? Why is he so set on you?”

Lorelei shook her head and dropped her hands. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” No hesitation. It was the truth.

“Then trust that I have the situation under control.”

She wanted to keep arguing, but Drucilla and Fabian rounded the corner, each carrying a bottle of wine. She was out of time. “If that changes, promise that you’ll ask for help.”

“I’m a big girl, Rose. I can take care of myself.” Lorelei turned and walked through the door and back into the private dining room without another word.

The two Capparellis didn’t engage as they slipped past her, but Salvatore stopped with his big hand on the door. He was bigger than Vasily, easily as large as Grady. He stared down at her for a long moment. “Leave your sister alone. She’s a Capparelli now.” He turned and headed through the doorway before she could come up with a good response to that.

Lorelei might be married to a Capparelli, but she was a fucking Romanov. If they thought they could wave that away without consequences…

One thing at a time.

Vasily fell into step beside her as she headed for the exit. They kept their voice low. “She’s okay.”

“Something is wrong.”

“Lorelei is capable. She’s got it covered.”

They fell silent as they moved through the dining room and out the front door. It was only when they were safely in the car again that Rose spoke. “It’s a problem for another day, unfortunately. I need to speak with my parents. Now.”