Chapter 17: Suite 1412

Suite 1412 had a view of the black lake.

A door to the next room stood not quite shut.

I did not look at that door.

Fiora stood by the window in the red dress, with her arms wrapped around herself.

"You came," she said, loud enough for the room.

Then, very low, "Four captains are behind that door."

She touched her collar.

"My phone is in my bra. It's been calling the white-haired one for ten minutes."

"Are you all right?"

"No." She almost smiled. "Sit down. He's coming up."

I sat on the edge of the sofa with my bag in my lap.

My father's ring was on my thumb, and I turned it around once and let it go.

At five past nine, the lock buzzed.

Nico walked in with the youngest captain at his shoulder.

He had a fresh haircut, a gray jacket and the air of a man who had been right all along.

"Renata," he said. "Look at you. You're even on time."

"You asked."

"Fi asked." He put an arm around Fiora's waist, and she let him. "She misses you. It's touching."

"What do you want, Nico?"

He poured himself a whiskey from the bar and did not offer me one.

"I want to fix this," he said. "A man makes mistakes. I locked a door. It was a stupid game, I admit it."

"You filmed it."

"My cousins filmed it. I was drunk."

He swirled the glass.

"Here's what happens. On the twenty-first day, you marry me, at the club, in front of the Table."

"And if I don't?"

He tipped his glass at the youngest captain, who studied his shoes.

"Then the votes go against you. The family goes to whoever the other man likes."

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