“You ungrateful fucking dog,” was the startling cry that came from Vincenza. She stood slowly, her face was red and she was huffing and puffing as if there wasn’t enough air in the world to fill her lungs. “How could you do this to me?”

No matter what she thought, it wasn’t easy.

I felt her pain, felt her fury and the hate she aimed at me, and yet, I loved her enough to save her. “I would like to ask…”

Roam sighed then, “Let me guess. You want more territory?”

“No,” was my reply.

“A loan, perhaps, to help kickstart your campaign?”

“No.”

Roam smiled but I could see he was becoming impatient. This is what Tor was most worried about. Two active seats at this table made us practically invincible. It also made us a walking target. Roam knew this and was clearly not thrilled about it. “Then what is it you want, little one?”

I took a deep breath. “I want to retire the Vero seat, permanently.”

The even look on his face told me this was not what he expected to hear and while my sister squawked, “What?” Roam simply lifted his hand in a light wave, demanding silence, and uttered a vaguely interested, “Alright. I’m listening.”

“Do I have to give a justification?” was my gentle response.

“No.” Roam’s eyes narrowed on me. “You don’t.”

“Let’s be honest,” I told the table. “One less seat at this table means a bigger slice of the pie for the rest of you. Let me save some of your precious time. We don’t need to take it to vote. Dissolve the seat.”

It sounded too easy and Roam wasn’t buying it. “And what of your territory.” He turned to Tor. “No doubt you want it to go to your husband.”

But I shook my head. “You can decide amongst yourselves who gets it. Split it, leave it stark, I don’t care, but I don’t want it.”

Behind me, Tor stroked my hair and I heard his unspoken words. ‘I’m so proud of you.’

Vincenza, however, was hyperventilating. “You can’t do this.” Her fist slammed onto the table as she boomed, “You can’t do this!”

Roam looked at me a long moment, his brows furrowed and then he tilted his head and tried looking at me from a different angle. “Actually, we can.” He snuffled a laugh through his nose and spoke directly to me, “You are a funny girl, Vittoria Vero.”

“Scala,” I corrected. My sisters’ eyes flashed when I told the table, “I’m a Scala.”

My husband’s light exhale of satisfaction warmed me greatly, but my blood ran cold when Roam’s grin bordered maniacal. “And to think I was going to kill you.”

23. Done

Chapter 23

Done

Vittoria

The meeting ended almost immediately after and, as expected, my sister stumbled out after us.