Page 26 of Valentino

Is he telling the truth?

“I’ll call you tonight.”

I don’t answer.

“I love you.”

I hang up, disgusted with myself for taking the call.

I stare at my phone in my hands, what the hell? My heart is racing with lies, my phone lights up.

We are on the street.

Damn it.

What if they find out he called me….

I go to the bathroom, wash my face and stare at my face in the mirror.

Relax. There is no way anyone will know that he called me.

I fix my hair, reapply my lipstick, and drop my shoulders to try and give off a calm and normal feel, this is fine…. Everything is fine.

Calmly I step in and take the elevator down to the ground floor, walk out and get into the waiting car.

“Good afternoon, Anna.” Hugo nods with a smile.

“Good afternoon.”

The car pulls out into the rain and I stare out at the passing scenery as my mind screams with questions. Where is he, did that just happen? Is it true, is this all a colossal mistake?

Fuck.

Why did I answer?

I should tell Giuliano…but then…. They want his blood. If they find him, they’re going to do God knows what.

Twenty minutes later the car pulls up to my apartment. “Thank you.” I fake a smile as I get out. I practically run into my building and take the elevator up to my apartment and I open the door in a rush and slam it behind me.

Fuck

Fuck.

Fuck.

I fill a glass of wine so fast that it splashes over the sides, I stand at the sink and drink it down in one go.

They’re going to kill him.

I refill my glass again and drain it once more.

Knock, knock, knock sounds at the door, my eyes widen.

Oh no…is that him? He wouldn’t be stupid enough to come here…surely. I run to the window and peer down onto the street to see the guards standing by the car.

This day is a living nightmare.

I sneak to the door and peek through the peephole.