“So you gave me to him.”
Niko’s eyes hardened.
“She was not given to me.”
“You accepted the arrangement.”
“To place her under my family’s protection.”
“You could have protected me without marrying me,” I said.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because protection offered openly would announce that we believed the threat. Marriage made your presence here permanent and politically explainable.”
“You mean convenient.”
“I mean credible.”
My father moved closer.
“Eveina, whoever sent that photograph has access to information that was buried for twelve years. They know your mother had a daughter. They know where you study. They know the Santoros were once blamed.”
“And you believe living in this house will stop them?”
“I believe Niko’s name will make them cautious.”
I turned to Niko.
“Is that why you married me?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No pretense of romance.
The honesty should have comforted me.
It did not.
