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He’s toying with me, sizing me up, and I have no idea how to handle this increasingly precarious situation.
I need to get away from him, to find Damian and warn him about what’s happening. But I also can’t risk Vincente seeing through my ruse completely. One wrong move will put me and this baby in grave danger.
Just as I’m about to make my escape, a guard suddenly appears, hurrying toward me.
“Miss, you’re needed upstairs immediately,” he says urgently, his eyes darting nervously between me and Vincente.
I glance back at Vincente, who is watching me with a predatory gleam in his eyes, a chilling smile playing at his lips. The sight sends a shiver down my spine.
“Ah, rushing off already?” Vincente purrs, his gaze never leaving mine. “How unfortunate. I was so looking forward to getting to know you better, Maria.”
The way he emphasizes my supposed name makes it clear that he sees right through my ruse. Panic rises within me, but I force myself to remain outwardly calm.
“Please excuse me,” I say hastily, turning to follow the guard. “I’m needed elsewhere.”
As I hurry away, I can’t help but look back one last time.
Vincente is still watching me, that unsettling smile still on his face. It takes every ounce of my willpower not to break into a dead sprint.
The guard ushers me up the stairs and down a hallway, away from Vincente’s prying eyes. Once we’re a safe distance away, he leans in and murmurs, “Quel uomo è pericoloso.”
I furrow my brow, not understanding the foreign words. “What does that mean?” I ask, a thread of anxiety in my voice.
The guard glances around cautiously before translating, “That man is dangerous.”
My blood runs cold at his words. Dangerous? Why on earth would Damian want me to stay away from his own uncle?
“Why?” I press, my mind racing. “What has Vincente done?”
The guard shakes his head grimly. “I should not have said anything. Just trust that the Boss knows what he’s doing.”
But I can’t simply accept that. Not when my safety—and the safety of the child I’m carrying—could be at stake.
“Please,” I plead. “If Vincente is as dangerous as you say, I need to know why. I have a right to understand the risks I’m facing.”
The guard hesitates, clearly torn. Finally, he sighs and says, “Mr. Vincente… he is a ruthless man. He has done many unspeakable things. He was the underboss before Mr. Damian’s father died. He is close to The Brotherhood.”
My heart hammers in my chest as the gravity of the situation sinks in. Vincente isn’t just some benign relative—he’s a dangerous criminal, someone Damian evidently wants me to avoid at all costs.
And yet, Damian never thought to tell me about this. He’s kept me in the dark, leaving me vulnerable to Vincente’s machinations. The realization fills me with a mix of fear and frustration.
There Damian goes again, with all his secrets. How can I trust him to keep me and this baby safe when he’s clearly withholding crucial information? My stomach twists with worry and uncertainty.
The guard looks at me anxiously. “You will say nothing about what I’ve told you, sì?”
I nod shakily, my mind racing. If Damian has specifically warned his men about Vincente not seeing me, then he must know how dangerous the man is. And the way Vincente was looking at me? It fills me with a sense of dread I can’t quite shake.
I can only hope that by putting some distance between Vincente and me, I’ll be able to keep myself and my baby safe.
But something tells me this is only the beginning of the nightmare I’ve found myself in.
26
DAMIAN
Istorm through the front door, clenching my jaw in fury. Invicta’s attack already left me on edge, and now this news from the head of security only stokes the fire burning within me.
“Sir, there’s a situation,” my security chief reports with a grave expression. “Your Uncle Vincente was allowed into the house and crossed paths with Ms. Alexis. He was able to speak with her before one of the guards rushed her away.”
