Page 34 of Ruthless Vow
“I’ve noticed Mrs.Santoro has been spending considerable time with the financial records.” Pleasant. Conversational. “A wife’s place isn’t usually in the business records, Don. PerhapsMaria could find Mrs.Santoro something more appropriate. Charity work. Helping Rosa with the household.”
My fingers still on the desk.
I think about her in the library. The way she’s thrown herself into this work like it’s the only thing tethering her.
“She’s my wife. She can do whatever the hell she wants.”
“Of course, Don. I only meant.”
“Was there anything else?”
A silence.
“No, Don.”
He leaves.
I stare at the closed door. The exchange sits wrong. An itch between my shoulder blades I can’t reach. The exhaustion is making shadows where there shouldn’t be any.
Romano has been loyal for thirty years.
I push the unease aside.
Marco arrives at four for chess.
He sets up the board without speaking. Black for him, white for me. Same arrangement for years. His movements are sharp. Pieces hitting the board harder than necessary.
“You okay?”
“Fine.” He moves his pawn. Aggressive opening. King’s pawn to e4.
“Your move.”
We play in silence. His style has changed. He sacrifices his knight to take my bishop. A reckless trade. Loses material but gains position.
He sacrifices again. His rook for my knight. The board bleeds pieces, both sides depleted.
“That’s a risk,” I say.
“Sometimes you have to risk to gain anything.” He still doesn’t look at me. “But you wouldn’t know about that, wouldyou? You were born first. The rest of us have to earn what you inherited.”
The words land. I don’t respond.
His knee bounces under the table. Every captured piece hits the side of the board with a sharp crack.
I win twenty minutes later. But he made me work for it. Harder than he has in months.
“You’re getting better,” I say.
Marco’s hand freezes over a fallen pawn. His shoulders lock.
“I’ve been getting better for years.” Quiet. Blade-sharp. “No one notices.”
He walks out. Doesn’t look back.
I sit alone with the scattered pieces. Black and white jumbled together. Pawns and kings lying side by side.
My youngest brother just made a point. I’m not sure I caught it.
