“I was too rough.”

I smile, shake my head, and touch his cheek. I want so badly for this to be real. For him to be real. I kiss him gently, and he looks confused when I draw back.

“Are you all right?” he asks.

“Just tired.” It’s a lie but also not. He swoops me up in his arms, and within moments, I’m lying in his bed, and he’s tucking me in, and it’s me who’s confused now.

“Aren’t you coming to bed?”

He kisses my forehead, stands to look down at me, buckling his belt and tucking his shirt back in. “I have to do some work.”’

“You’re always working.”

“Saturday night, we have a dinner at IVI. It’s a smaller affair than the last time.”

I climb up on my elbows, forehead furrowing. I still remember the gala. “Do I have to go?”

“It’s important we’re there together.” He pauses, and I sense hesitation. “For my sister’s sake.”

“Mercedes?” He hasn’t mentioned her in a long time. “Where is she? You never said. Did something happen?”

He sighs deeply and sits on the edge of the bed. “You know I will do anything to protect my family.”

I study him.

“That includes you, Ivy. But it also includes my sister. No matter what she’s done.”

“What did she do?”

He considers. “Well, strangely, I guess she was protecting her family.”

“Protecting you.”

He nods.

“From me?”

“She did something stupid, honestly. But it led to more dangerous things. She’s accepted the consequences with some grace, I must say, but there have been questions about her sudden disappearance at IVI and, well, she’s your family too now, and we need to protect her.”

“Protect her from whom?”

Again, there’s hesitation. Then finally, he speaks. And his words send a shudder down my spine. “The Tribunal.”

“What did she do, Santiago?” I push. “She was just gone, and you never said.”

His forehead is creased, and I swear I can see the pain in his eyes, and I hate it.

“Tell me.”

“I chose you. I chose you over her, Ivy. I chose our family.”

“What?”

“Will you go with me?”

I nod, although I’m reluctant. Because no matter what she’s done to me or anyone else, I don’t want to see her standing where I stood before The Tribunal.

11

Ivy

My conversation with Santiago leaves me more confused than ever. Why did he have to make a choice between his sister and me? What did she do?

But a part of me is warmed by what he said, too.

He chose me.

He chose our family.