Page 85 of The Viper's Wife

This is the honeymoon phase. Give it a few months, and the attraction will fade. We’ll be at each other’s throats, raring to split.

I hope.

When I step out of the shower, I search through my bag of toiletries to double and then triple check that I’ve taken my birth control pills. No matter what I decide—leaving or staying—and no matter who’s threatening me, I can’t get pregnant. Not now.

I exhale a sigh of relief that everything is still in order and go to the bed to check my phone.

Since the engagement announcement, my exile has been lifted, and I get a message once a day asking to join a cousin or aunt for brunch or a night out. I should probably take advantage of this and ingratiate myself into the Family again. Giovanni’s threat about the sheep separated from the herd looms in the back of my mind.

But I was a part of the herd—or at least I thought I was—and they left me anyway.

What is the point of a family if they don’t protect you?

My thumb hovers over Stefano’s text, asking if I’m all right.

I text him backyesand move on.

He’s only worried about his own skin, but I’m not going to leave him in the dark.

One thing I’ve come to terms with a long time ago is that the way people treat me doesn’t define how I treat them. My sense of honor and justice is my own.

I try calling Annetta next, and it goes straight to voicemail. She must still be on her camping trip.

I ignore the emails from the wedding coordinator. I’ll deal with whatever she has planned when I have to.

I call Lacey, and she picks up on the first ring.

“What’s going on?” She sounds breathless. I hear Mei’s questioning voice in the background.

I glance at the bedroom door. Shut, but Nico could be almost anywhere in the apartment and still hear me. I walk to the bathroom, turn the shower back on, and shut the door.

“Val, say ‘pizza’ if you want me to call the cops,” Lacey whispers, her worried tone plucking at my heartstrings.

“No, it’s not that. Everything’s okay.” My throat closes with emotion, and I swallow roughly.

“You’re scaring me.”

“I’m sorry.” I watch the water form rivulets on the glass door. “Lacey, I don’t know what to do.”

She sighs. “Start from the top. Is it Nico? Do I need to get my gun?”

“He paid for all of my debt,” I say in a low, hoarse voice. “My school debt and the loans Mom and Dad took out inmy name. And he pushed a bunch of money to my account.”

The long silence that follows sears guilt through me.

It’s not like I’m in a great position here, but for us, this is like hitting the lottery, and I’ve been so up my ass that it hadn’t even crossed my mind to share my winnings when I know her first thought would be to do that for me.

I open my banking app to transfer her the daily limit as I form an apology.

Before I can get the words out, she cuts in, “Babe, this isamazing. Your head game must be flawless—people don’t go and do shit like this for just anyone. He must really like you.”

The transfer goes through, and I exhale a shaky sigh of relief. She’s going to be pissed at the huge amount, but she won’t fight it too hard once I remind her about her sisters. At least in the middle of all this mess, I could take care of my friend and her family.

All thanks to Nico.

I groan, rubbing at the exasperating sense of gratitude filling my chest. “What do I do? You know I can’t stay.”

“Yeah, I know,” Lacey says without any conviction.