Page 153 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“It’s okay. I don’t mind hearing you talk.”

Calisto tipped his head to the side, smirking in thatfamiliar way of his. Despite their situation, his grin still made her stomachclench with need.

“Is that so?” he asked quietly.

More than he knew.

This was the first real, decent conversation they hadtogether since that night in the bathroom three months ago.

“Yeah,” Emma said, smiling. “I don’t mind.”

Calisto chuckled. “Maybe we’ll have to do it moreoften then.”

“Maybe we will, Cal.”

Emma pulled out another drawer in her vanity only tofind her prenatal vitamins weren’t in there, either. She had been searching forthem for an hour.

She always left them in the top drawer.

Hidden safely away.

Before she went to bed, she would break one into twoand pop it back with a glass of water. It was a part of her nightly ritual.

Where had they gone?

Panic swelled in her throat, making her choke.

Emma put a hand over her flat stomach, instinctivelywanting to protect the baby boy thriving within. Someone must have taken hervitamins—someone would know she was pregnant.

That’s all she could think about as she pulled outmore drawers. Someone knew … someone found out her secret.

“Looking for something, Emma?”

Affonso’s question came from behind her. He had posedit in a calm, quiet way that belied the rage brimming in his gaze as she turnedto face him. Standing straight, Emma’s stare dropped to the white and pinkbottle of vitamins in his hand.

He shook them.

Teasingly.

Mocking her.

“Looking for these, perhaps?” he asked.

Emma swallowed audibly, struggling to come up with anappropriate excuse for why she had the vitamins in her vanity. “I’ve had themsince—”

“Are you going to lie now? When I learned that youwere sneaking off to see a doctor today, I went searching for a reason as towhy you wouldn’t simply go to my doctor. Guess what I found?”

“Affonso … please give me my vitamins,” she whispered.

“And a grave, too?”

Emma straightened like someone had shoved a stake intoher spine. Her mouth fell open, a string of pleads right on the tip of hertongue.

Affonso didn’t give her a chance to beg.

He was on her in a blink. Her scream was swallowed bythe flash of his hand. That’s all she saw—just the flash of it before it hither straight in the face.

Emma was knocked to the floor in a heap. She gasped,stunned as she held onto her throbbing cheek. Affonso stood over her, shakingthat fucking bottle again.