"Then tell them that."
"They'll say no."
"So what? You're not asking permission, Elena. You're informing them of your decision." Victoria's voice softened. "Look, I know you're scared. I know you just got out of one relationship and you're not ready for another. But Dante isn't Marcus. He's not going to trap you or control you or make you feel small. He's been waiting for you for years. Don't punish him for Marcus's sins."
"I'm not punishing him—"
"Yes, you are. By pushing him away because you're afraid." Victoria paused. "Do you have feelings for him?"
Elena didn't answer immediately. Did she? She barely knew him. One night together, two days in his apartment, and a lifetime of her family's history connecting them. It wasn't enough to build a relationship on.
But when she closed her
