Mike reached across, gripped Dimitri's shoulder.
"You're not going to lose her. I won't let it happen. Marco won't let it happen. Hell, even Nonna's running interference." He squeezed once, then released. "But you need to trust Eve more. Trust that she can handle the truth. Because if you keep lying to protect her, she's going to figure it out. And then you'll lose her trust. Which is worse than anything Antonio could do."
Dimitri knew Mike was right.
Knew that keeping Eve in the dark was a temporary solution that would eventually explode.
But right now, with everything about to accelerate, with danger closing in from multiple directions...
Right now, he needed her safe more than he needed her fully informed.
"I'll tell her," Dimitri said. "When the time is right. When I have more pieces in place. When I can tell her the truth and also tell her I have plans to keep her protected."
"When's that?"
