Page 325 of Rosetti Family New York
A sharp knock stops my thoughts, and Carmela’s voice cuts in like a knife: "Emilio? We need to talk. All of us."
He releases me with reluctance; his hands linger on my waist "Stay here. Let me handle this."
"No." I turn to him, surprised by how steady I sound. "If they're going to judge me, let them do it to my face."
His smile is proud and fierce. "That's my girl."
The hallway outside his suite has turned into a sudden family meeting, with the Rosetti siblings lined up like rival teams. Carmela stands with her arms crossed, her dark brown curls bouncing a bit as she shifts her weight. Her green eyes flash with protective anger, making her look like an avenging angel despiteher gentle appearance. At twenty-three, she's the youngest in the family, but there's nothing childish about how she holds herself, all the family's toughness wrapped in warmth, making her more dangerous than her brothers.
The change surprises me. This isn't the cheerful, sweet girl who used to welcome me with real smiles and curious questions about my life outside the family. That Carmela had been warm, almost like a sister, calling me "hon" with real enthusiasm. This version is icy precision wrapped in silk, every part of her body showing hostility.
Matteo leans against the wall with fake ease, but I can see the tension in his shoulders, the way his usual coin moves quickly between his fingers. Domenico stands at the front of this informal meeting, authority radiating from him.
"Well," Carmela says as we appear, her eyes sweeping over me with clear hostility. "Look what the cat dragged in. The woman who broke my brother's heart and vanished into thin air."
"Carmela," Domenico warns, but she isn't done.
"Do you have any idea what you did to him?" She steps closer, close enough that I can smell her designer perfume, a floral and youthful scent that contrasts with the bitterness in her voice. "Three years of watching him disappear into those computers, chasing shadows across continents, building systems just to catch glimpses of you. Three years of him choosing his obsession over his family."
Each accusation hits with precision, making them cut deeper than just insults. She's right. I did break him, did leave him behind to chase illusions while I built a new life in secret. The guilt I've been hiding threatens to overtake me.
"I had my reasons," I say quietly, though the words feel empty even to me.
"I'm sure you did." Matteo's voice is smooth and dangerous, perfect for negotiations. "The question is whether those reasons justify the damage you've caused."
"That's enough." Emilio's voice slices through the tension, cold anger radiating from him as he steps beside me. "She's here under Dom's protection. That makes her off-limits to family politics."
"Does it?" Carmela's laugh is bitter and sharp. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like she's here because you can't let go of a woman who clearly doesn't want to be found."
"She's here," Domenico interrupts before Emilio can respond, "because she has information that could end the Callahan threat for good. Information that's already proven useful."
The mention of my intelligence briefing changes the atmosphere slightly, though the tension is still thick. I'm not just Emilio's old obsession—I'm a potential asset in their battle.
"What kind of information?" Matteo asks.
"Financial systems," I reply, sticking to the partial truths that have kept me safe for years. "Security protocols. Communication networks. The Callahans have been upgrading their operations, but they've also made themselves vulnerable."
"Convenient," Carmela notes. "You just happen to know detailed intelligence about our enemies' most sensitive operations."
"I have contacts," I say plainly. "People who owe me favors, who exchange information for mutual benefit."
"What kind of contacts?" She steps closer.
The silence that follows is heavy, filled with tension that hints at violence. I don't respond. I can't. The words are stuck in my throat.
"Well," Matteo finally says, stopping his coin mid-twirl for the first time since I've known him. "That's not ominous at all."
"What are you saying?" Emilio's voice drops to a whisper, but the threat in it makes everyone take a step back.
"I'm saying maybe it's time to consider the possibility that your precious Mara isn't the victim in this scenario." Carmela's voice cuts like broken glass. "Maybe she's the weapon someone's been pointing at our family all along."
The silence that follows is overwhelming, broken only by the soft tick of an antique clock somewhere in the mansion and the distant hum of electronics that never stop. I feel the weight of Rosetti attention on me.
"That's enough," Emilio says at last, his voice final and allowing no argument. "Mara is under my protection. That makes her under family protection. Anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me directly."
His statement is both a declaration and a challenge, and I watch his siblings understand what it means. He's not just defending me, he's ready to split the family to keep me safe.
That terrifies me.
