Page 11 of Masked Hearts

“Good, you’re done. Antonio, this is my daughter, Theresa,” Gabriel introduces her.

Then, like the idiot I am, I meet her eyes without saying a word. And even though there’s only ice behind her brown eyes, they still radiate warmth.

I stretch out my still bound hand to her, but she only scoffs before walking off, leaving me and her father in the hallway.

I drop my hands. “She looks happy.”

“She’ll come around,” he says, looking back at where his daughter disappeared.

“I’ll do it,” I say. His face doesn’t even flinch with surprise, as if he expected me to agree all along. “Under a few conditions.”

His brows raise a fraction. “You’re not exactly in the position to make demands, but let me hear it.”

“My family has to be allowed at the wedding.”

“Obviously,” he mimics my sarcasm from earlier. I want to chuckle because at least the old man has a sense of humour. “They have to be there for this to be believable. What else?”

“We’re not staying here after the wedding, I need to be able to go back home occasionally and Nico needs to be let go.”

“You can stay anywhere as long as it’s in the borders of France–wouldn’t want theCosa Nostragetting involved if you headed back to Italy. Nico is already in your beloved home city. He was our message to your brothers. As for going home, unfortunately, that can’t happen, but feel free to bring home to you. Your family is welcome to visit you at any time.”

I guess that will have to work.

“Deal.” I extend both my hands.

In one swift movement, Gabriel has a knife and slits through the bonds of the zip ties. I rub the raw skin around my wrists. “Thank you.”

“I look forward to doing business with you.”

“Likewise.” I smirk, hoping to make it seem like I have a plan when God alone knows we have nothing.

Chapter four

Theá

Istompupthestairsand rip open my bedroom door.

No. There’s no fucking way this is happening.

I start pacing in front of my bed, my thoughts running a mile a minute. Everything was fine this morning. Nothing out of the ordinary, but I should’ve known better.

“Fuck,” I grunt out, grabbing my hair. I should’ve seen the signs—nothing happens without my father’s okay. I should’ve been more suspicious about Pierre wanting to take us out.

Why this? Why me?

A burning sensation claws up my throat as tears prickle at my eyes. It all sounds too familiar, too similar to my mother—too many things in common.

I can’t. Won’t. Do this—

“Theá.” Kylian’s voice slices through the air.

My head snaps up to his briefly, before I look down at my boots again as I continue to pace. Then something occurs to me.

“You knew?” I ask, my pacing halts.

“Theá, I need you to calm down.”

“Calm down?” I chuckle. “Calm down? You want me to calm down?” I raise my voice, eyes wide as I stare at him. “Kylian, how the fuck do you expect me tocalm downwhen I’ve just been told I’m being sold off to settle some debt?!”

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