Page 13 of Redemption

“Why is he going by the name Nicolas Di Masio?”

Di Masio? He’s never used that name. I shrug. “I don’t know why he would use Nicolas.”

Kilian leans his elbow onto his knees. “But Di Masio is your name?”

I drop my head and look to the side. “Yes.”

He clicks his tongue. “Don’t lie to me, Bella. Or should I call you Mirabella?”

I stay silent as I glance at him. He’s playing with a knife. The knife I threw at him that still has his dried blood on it.

“My name is Mirabella,” I say in defeat.

“Did our two years together mean nothing to you that you couldn’t tell me that?” he asks with venom in his voice.

I snap my eyes at him. “My mother called me Bella. I used to only let those closest to me call me that. But not anymore.”

“Why?”

I drop my head again, realizing I said more than I wanted. His presence is causing me to lose my composure. And I can’t afford that. But I was never able to keep my composure around him.

I feel the cold blade of the knife under my chin as he lifts my head so our eyes meet. “Why, Bella?”

I flinch at the name. But then his hand touches my cheek and I can’t help but relax at his touch. Even if he has me tied to a chair.

“Fine. If you aren’t going to tell me that, then tell me where your brother is.”

“I’m telling you the truth. I don’t know.” I say in defeat.

“Why was he here then?”

“He warned me that I was in danger. Wanted me to come home,” I lie.

“And where is home?”

“Venice,” I lie again. I know we have some distant family there. It should keep him off Ezio for a bit.

“So I’ll find him in Venice?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. That’s just where he told me to go.”

He stands up and circles me again. “And why would you be in danger?”

“I don’t know, Kilian. Okay? I live out here on my own with my kid. Ezio has always been trouble and I try to stay away from him,” I explode.

His fingers trail over my shoulders and I feel his breath in my ear. “If he were to show up here again, would you tell me?”

I could give two shits about my brother. But I don’t want Kilian to know that. I can’t trust him. “Can you guarantee nothing will happen to my daughter?”

He circles back around me and sits down, studying me. “Yes.”

“Then fine. But the last time he was here was the first time I heard from him in over a year.”

Kilian twirls the knife in his hand. “If he is worried about you, he may come back sooner rather than later.”

“Maybe.” I shrug.

He leans back in his chair. “Well, that’s settled then.”

---