Page 8 of Owned By the Russian

And the pendant around her neck? In reality, it was just a piece of metal and stone—a poor substitute for the woman who had given it to her on the eve of her death.

“I know, Papa,” she murmured. She picked up her fork again, cutting another small piece of lasagna. It still didn’t taste right, and she wasn’t sure if it ever would.

Slowly, her siblings eased back into a lively chatter. The topic of their mother was a sour one that was always avoided, and Val felt like kicking herself in the shin for ruining the moment because of her selfishness.

She forced herself to eat, but her mind was elsewhere. She was watching them behind the glass wall again, straying farther and farther until Enrico’s voice echoed her name.

Val blinked into focus, shifting her gaze to her brother. “What?”

“You’re not going out tonight,” he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. His dark eyes flicked toward her, and she could swear she saw a hint of amusement there.

“I didn’t even say I was going out.”

“But we know you,” Aldo cut in, lounging in his chair with an easy smirk. He swirled his wine glass carelessly, but a drop never spilled. “You always have that look on your face when you’re planning something reckless.”

You’re one to talk.

“What look?” she asked, growing annoyed.

“That look,” Lucia chuckled, gesturing toward her face. “The rebellious look.”

Her father chuckled, the deep sound rumbling in his chest. “Tesoro, no one’s fooled. You think we don’t know you sneak out late?”

Val scoffed. “And what’s so bad about that? You all seem to be forgetting that I’m not sixteen anymore. I’m five years away from thirty.”

Enrico dabbed his mouth with a crisp white napkin. “You’re still a girl—”

She cut him short, gritting her teeth. “Woman, you mean.”

Aldo laughed like a jackass, and Lucia hit him upside the head, warning him to behave even though she was trying and failing to hide her smile.

“Right,” her eldest brother continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “As I was saying, it’s dangerous out there. If you ever need anything, just ask one of us to take care of you.”

“Thanks,” she smiled, mirroring his sarcasm, “but I don’t need a babysitter. I’m not a child.”

Lucia grinned, ruffling her hair with a teasing hand, and ducked away before Val could squeeze her talons into her sister’s wrist.

“Aw, but you’ll always be the baby of the family.”

Enrico sighed, setting his glass down with a heavy clink. “We’re just trying to protect you. Do you think we’d let anything happen to you? Not a chance.”

“I don’t need your protection,” Val shot back, standing abruptly. Her chair scraped against the floor, and her siblings exchanged glances again, this time less amused and more concerned.

Maybe it was the sullen mood about her mother or her irritation with her siblings, but she was desperate to return to her room. “How about you guys do something else with your time? Huh? Like getting married and settling down?”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Lorenzo chuckled, raising a hand. His voice, though amused, remained calm and commanding. “Dinner’s not over yet, Valentina. Sit down.”

She felt like a petulant child, resisting the urge to stamp her feet against the floor as she obeyed her father’s instruction.

His voice was quieter now. “You have to understand. We do this because we love you. Your mother would have wanted us to.”

Val’s chest tightened at the mention of her mother, and she lowered her gaze to her plate, a muscle in her jaw ticking as her father’s words reverberated in her ears.

She didn’t understand their insistence on babying her like this. It made her feel weak. The Romanos had no enemies and were always at peace with everyone. So, she did not understand the paranoia.

Yet, she remained silent, picking at her food. The conversation shifted after a beat, her siblings picking up the thread of some lighter topic, but she didn’t join in.

She was glad when dinner was over, and was the first to leave the table. She headed upstairs and took a long, hot shower, trying not to think of the drama that happened downstairs.

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