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“I’m not sure of the details, Miss,” he replies. “But Mr. Edo says it’s an attack, and we need to keep you safe. Just stay here and don’t open the door for anyone but him, understand?”
I nod, my mind racing with questions and fears. The guard shuts the door, and I quickly lock it, my hands shaking. Scanning the room, I try to see if I can shove anything in front of the door. The dresser is too heavy, the antique wood seemingly a thousand pounds.
Sitting on the bed, Biscotti cuddles up next to me. For whatever reason, I can’t help but feel a sense of profound gratitude for the loyal, if cantankerous, little dog.
The sounds of gunshots and frenzied shouting echo through the halls, causing my heart to race with terror. I clutch Biscotti tightly to my chest, the little dog’s frantic whining only adding to the cacophony of chaos.
“Shh, Biscotti, it’s okay,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “We’re going to be alright.”
But deep down, I’m not so sure. I have no idea who is attacking us or what their intentions are. All I know is that Edo and the guards are out there, fighting to protect this place—and me.
I can only hope they will make it through this ordeal safely.
Suddenly, the sound of splintering wood makes me jump. My head snaps toward the door as it bursts open, and I let out a terrified scream.
Biscotti leaps from my arms, her tiny body bristling with defensive fury as she lunges toward the intruder, who kicks her away. I scream as Biscotti sails through the air and hits the ground. My blood runs cold when I see who is standing in the doorway.
A woman with striking red hair and cold eyes stares back at me, her clothes splattered with what I could only assume is blood.
“Hello, Maria,” Scarlett Rafa says, her red-painted lips twisting in a vicious smile that makes her appear almost inhuman. “Or, should I say, Alexis?”
28
DAMIAN
My blood freezes at the mention of Alexis’s name, my grip tightening on the concealed weapon beneath my jacket. Something about this situation feels inherently wrong. My uncle is up to something, and I have a sinking feeling that it has everything to do with the woman sitting across from him.
I do my best to maintain a bored, unaffected expression, even as my mind races with the implications of my uncle’s words. Beside me, I can feel Nat stiffen, the tension radiating off my sister in palpable waves.
“Are you fucking her or something, Uncle Vinny?” I ask, my tone deliberately nonchalant. “Why is she here?”
Uncle Vinny chuckles, a predatory gleam in his eyes. “Straight to the point, as always, Damian. No, I’m not fucking her, as you so eloquently put it.” He gestures toward Emma, who glares daggers at me, her eyes full of hate. “I’ve simply grown tired of waiting around for you to fulfill your promise to The Brotherhood. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands.”
A chill runs down my spine at my uncle’s words, my body screaming at me to run. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, you see,” Uncle Vinny begins, leaning back in his chair, “I went to the Carter home to ask some questions. Imagine my surprise when I arrive to find her boyfriend—or was it fiancé—tied up and dead in a chair.” He shakes his head, clucking his tongue in mock sympathy. “Poor thing was quite distraught.”
My jaw tightens, my fingers itching to reach for the weapon hidden beneath my jacket. “And what, pray tell, does this have to do with me?”
Uncle Vinny’s smile widens, a predatory gleam in his eyes. “Ah, well, you see, dear nephew, that’s where it gets interesting. It seems our Alexis returned to the house and young Mark captured her. But before he could deliver her to The Brotherhood, it seems Alexis got to him first.” He gestures to Emma, who looks ready to pounce. “Miss Carter here overheard everything.”
I want to fucking scream. I didn’t expect the fucking idiot to actually call Emma and brag about snatching Alexis.
But I’m not about to let my uncle or Emma know the truth. I adopt a bored, dismissive expression. “It’s obvious Mark was lying about capturing Alexis Hartley. I highly doubt Miss Carter could have understood everything over the phone.”
Emma’s eyes flash with rage, her face twisting into a mask of fury, marring her otherwise pretty features. “Mark would never lie about something like that!” she nearly shrieks. “That dirty slut Alexis killed him, I know it!”
I have to resist the urge to lunge across the table and throttle this stupid woman. But Nat’s grip on my shoulder is a silent warning, reminding me to keep my cool.
Uncle Vinny’s eyes widen, a predatory gleam in his eyes. “Oh, but Damian, that’s where you’re mistaken. You see, a Brotherhood soldier has been stationed by the Carter house day and night, since Alexis disappeared, keeping an eye on things. And he saw the strangest thing—you, Natalia, and Edoardo coming to the Carter house and escorting a bloodied Alexis Hartley out.”
I feel the bottom drop out of my stomach. Uncle Vinny has me cornered, and he knows it.
“You’ve been lying to me, Damian. You’ve had Alexis Hartley the whole time and you didn’t give her up, even after she murdered young Mark in cold blood!”
Cold blood my ass. She was fucking protecting herself from Mark’s attempt to sell her.
Uncle Vinny’s eyes narrow dangerously as he fixes me with a withering glare. “You’ve always been too soft, Damian, too distracted by petty concerns to see the bigger picture.”
