Page 63 of Impenitent Claim

Breathing hard, I burst into the kitchen. It was empty. The last tray of cake slices sat on the island. Good! I could poison two more, so there would be no suspicion as to why two men connected personally to me were the ones to fall ill. I flicked a greedy glance at the beautiful slices, wanting so badly to escape whatever feelings crawled around inside my body. Part of it was low blood sugar. A protein shake for breakfast and a hot caramel cider did not give me enough strength to deal with the myriad of problems facing me! I stalked to the sink. I could run fast, hide the slice of cake in the back hall, high on a bookshelf, and take it to my room to enjoy as I planned whatever I would do to reward the monster for sparing my fiancé’s life. The empty plates clattered into the sink just in time before the waspish matron blew into the room.

“There you are,” Cecilia snapped. “Why aren’t you out there, serving cake?”

It took everything I had not to explode. “Waiting for one of the girls to take the tray. You expressly forbade me carrying it to the men.”

Cecilia’s lip puckered tight. She stormed into the hall, calling for one of the maids. It was either poison a plate or steal one for myself.

Apologizing to the gnarled feeling in my stomach, I reached into the other bra cup, removed the small vials, and spread the mixture over three slices, hoping it was strong enough to make more men sick. Alonzo and Gio didn’t need the attention falling solely on them when the poison claimed its victims.

Angelina sailed into the room. Her empty tray clattered on the island. The least friendly of the house staff, she didn’t address me as she picked up the final tray and left. I had just enough time to slip the empty vials into my bra, but not in the secret pouch I created with the lining, and followed the maid, my mask in place and ready to play the role of gracious mafia princess.

Chapter 26 – Isabella

There was a worn path across the rug. Multiple times I reached for my phone only to throw it back on the duvet. What would I text my fiancé? That he was in danger? There was no clear way to communicate that without revealing threads that needed to stay secret.

A little after midnight, there was a tremendous bumbling in the hall. I turned off the lights in my room, messed my hair, and raced to the door, cracking it open. Both Gio and Alonzo stumbled toward their bedrooms. There was no sign of blood. Eagerly, I counted. Alonzo had all his fingers! My brother clutched his stomach; my fiancé cupped his mouth. Relief, sweet and light, rushed through me.

The poison worked.

Rubbing my eyes, I hurried out and faked a gasp. “What’s the noise—Madonna Mia! What’s happened?”

Gio shook his head but then groaned. “Oh, cazzo!”

He rushed to his room, the door slamming behind him.

“We got sick,” Alonzo hiccupped. “Tullio’s new bodyguard brought us home.”

Worry niggled at the back of my spine. I glanced past him but didn’t see any monstrous shape looming in the distance. The telltale awareness that I felt in the presence of my spectre was also absent. Maybe he wasn’t the bodyguard Alonzo meant.

“What can I do?” I asked, brushing off the worry that the Russian was going to spring out and maul my fiancé.

“Nothing, just go back to bed.” He hiccupped violently.

I moved to help him, but Alonzo disappeared into his room, the one next to mine, and the lock fell in place. I turned to Gio’s room, which was likewise locked. Retching sounded through the space. While there was a touch of remorse in the back of my mind, I couldn’t bring myself to feel truly horrid. The poison was mild and would have no lingering effects. I planned to dose them again, should they find themselves in dangerous positions.

But I would also make a habit of inflicting distress on other members at random so it didn’t seem like the two boys who were precious to me were the only victims.

Trailing back to my room, I sighed with relief. Alonzo had his fingers, the boys were safe, and—

Darkness prickled across my skin. The awareness flared, the survival instinct strong.

I wasn’t alone.

Pulling the cord for the lamp on my desk, light pooled over the monster sitting in my reading chair. Ilya watched me in silence. His arms draped over the sides of the chair, body relaxed casually into the seat. But the at-ease posture was at odds with the sharp look in his silver-grey eyes.

The ball’s in my court.I was supposed to offer a reward. Something more than a kiss. I swallowed past the knot of excitement in my chest.I shouldn’t be excited about this. But in the time spent pacing, imagining the things I could do, it came down to this moment. There was unfinished business, and it was clear he was waiting for me to make the next moves.

“Thank you for delivering them safely to the house,” I whispered and threw the lock on the door.

Well, the spectre wouldn’t find me lacking in gratitude. When he’d left, he’d dared me to spare my fiancé from harm. I gripped the hem of my sleeper shirt and pulled it over my head. I wanted this. I wanted this so damn badly, it hurt. So what if I had to use the pretense of thanking him to have it? I would get what I wanted, what I spent my nights dreaming of.

I would taste freedom once more, if only for a moment, and during that moment, I would take exactly what I craved.

Standing before him in only my black cotton bikini briefs, I didn’t feel exposed. Admired, appreciated—words like those came to mind. The spectre tipped his head to the side. It was a predatorial move, assessing every detail.

I took a few steps forward, severing my gaze from his. If he was going to watch, I would watch back. His hands were no longer resting on the arms of the chair but digging into the upholstery. The knuckles were white.

Pausing a handful of paces before him, I ran the tip of my finger against the elastic of the panties.

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