“Rome.” The chief nodded and slid his hands into his suit pockets. “It’s my understanding she’s not a part of your family anymore.”
“She’s a part of me.”
I shook my head, knowing I needed to interject. “We aren’t—”
“He doesn’t get to know what we are or aren’t, woman. Chief Brown gives us the right to remain silent, right, Chief?”
“Rome, why make things difficult?” the chief asked. “Do you want to talk about how difficult Mario dying here was?”
The smile that spread across Rome’s face was menacing and slow, like he could take his time with whatever he had to say, like he knew this man in front of him would wait. “Why was it so difficult for you, Brown? You want to share something with me?”
A silent stare down took place. I was sure the police had to cover up Mario’s murder, sure that they’d covered up a lot for Rome in the past. I didn’t understand, though, why Rome was taunting him. It was just clear that the upper hand remained with Rome, that it always had and it always would.
“I can have a private conversation with the girl here. What’s the harm, huh?” He rested his fingers on his belt buckle and pulled at it a little, like it was something he usually did with the gun holster he wasn’t wearing today. I made sure to scan him and most everyone else at the funeral for weapons. I needed to be aware of the target on my back at all times now.
This wasn’t a normal funeral. I’d worn a garter that my knife tucked into nicely. Weapons were mandatory along with black attire.
“There’s harm because she may be Ivan’s granddaughter but, first and foremost, she’s mine.”
“I’m not yours!” I felt myself heating up at his words. He shouldn’t be claiming me, not after I told him we were done, that we were going our separate ways.
“You’re mine, Katalina. Whether you’re my savior or my demise, my prey or my predator. You’remine. You’ll learn that one day, even if it’s after everyone including Chief Brown here.”
The chief shook his head at us. “I’m thinking she’ll be the demise of all of us. If this points to a partnership between Ivan and Bastian, we’d like to know.”
“We’dalllike to know.” Rome had shifted his stance so that he was blocking me from the chief.
I peeked my head around his body. “One day soon, we will. Until then, nice to meet you, Chief Brown.”
I spun away and made a conscious effort not to beeline toward Bastian, Cade and Dante. They’d been my crew for so long that my feet almost carried me there automatically.
Instead, my heels sunk into the grass as I measured each step I took toward Ivan.
“I need a minute with you.” The rumble and strain in Rome’s voice had me closing my eyes and sighing. My heart wouldn’t let me take another step away from him without giving him something. “Rome, what’s there to talk about?”
“Your phone number, for starters. I can’t even get ahold of you, woman.”
“You don’t need to get ahold of me. We have nothing to discuss.”
“The chief of police isn’t someone you talk to alone. Anyone over there tell you that?” He motioned toward Ivan who was sitting in a cherry oak chair, smiling at both of us. My grandfather tracked every movement I made and corrected it when it was out of line. I was learning the bratva way quickly enough, but the men had to learn to respect me too.
It wouldn’t happen overnight. It might never happen at all. Tradition was rooted deep in their bones and the tradition was to have men in power.
“We’re going to figure it all out, Rome. It takes time to learn everything.” I looked at the grass rather than him, trying my best to disconnect from the pull he had on me.
“I’m trying here, Katalina. I know this world and I can’t have you getting locked up or ending up dead because Ivan wants to Mr. Miyagi you in his free time. Is he even sane?”
The rumors had spread about his dementia or Cade had hacked a phone or two. “It doesn’t matter.” I looked toward the sky. “My wellbeing isn’t your concern.”
“How can you say that? If I was bleeding out in the grass here, would you walk away from me?”
That barb had me snapping my gaze his way and glaring at him. “I’d never walk away from you.”
“You did just a week ago!” he yelled and then winced when two of Ivan’s guys walked over. “I’m not going to make a scene. You and I both know these two wouldn’t hold me if I didn’t want them to. Give me your number.”
I shook my head. The hair I’d straightened fanned out around my cheekbones. “We don’t need to have contact.”
“Who are you planning to have contact with then? My cousin? You going to set up with Bastian all over again?”