Page 34 of Deadly Vows

“No, I am very much alive…most of us are,” she says softly.

I nod, continuing to sob until I’m forced to compose myself.

“What are you doing here?” I ask as I wipe my eyes.

Ari scoffs, looking me up and down before responding. “I should be asking you the same.”

I laugh softly, lowering my head.

“I couldn’t take it anymore. I tried to kill him, and I ran away,” I say.

Ari is silent for a moment.

“We want you to come home, Elise,” she says.

“What? I thought… But my father said—”

“Your father is gone, and we need our successor. You’ve been living with Luca Pasquino for months; you know everything about him, including his location. We could really use you in getting revenge for what happened to your father,” she says.

Her words are like a breath of fresh air. They’re what I’ve always wanted to hear from someone in my family: That I am needed. That I am safe and loved.

“Elise! If you’re not going to work—”

“Keep your hat on. She’s busy,” Arianna snaps from behind me. She gestures to the restaurant as she speaks. “It’s not like this shithole is busy.”

My eyes widen as I watch her move into the role of my protector once again. The manager grumbles something under his breath before moving to the kitchen, leaving me to my conversation.

“How did you find me?” I ask.

“Heard through the grapevine you were missing. From there, it was just a matter of finding little pieces of your trail,” she says, eyeing me.

My heart skips a beat as she admits I left a trail. If she found me, then Luca can’t be far behind. I thought I had killed Luca with my plan. The state I left him in suggested it since he was bleeding from a wound on his head and coughing up blood. But I was foolish in my first week of freedom and pawned my ring. I was lucky to be across the street, eating when he arrived, angry and alive.

“Ari… I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come home,” I say. “Everyone thinks it’s my fault my father died. They hate me because I was unable to do anything to stop Luca. They think I betrayed them,” I say.

“Then come home and prove you’re on our side. Prove them wrong. Help us avenge your father and realize his dream,” she says.

Her words catch my attention. My father’s dream had nothing to do with me. It had everything to do with killing me and taking over Luca’s birthright. Luckily, I don’t have to respond as my manager comes out of the back, his face flushed with anger.

“Elise! I need to see you in the back. Now,” he snaps.

I quickly stand, dusting off my apron.

“I’ll be right back,” I say quickly.

I can see Ari wants to protest and even yell at my manager. But I’m glad for the interruption. It will give me space and time to think. Especially since Luca’s words about my family’s true intentions keep playing across my mind. I don’t want to admit it, but I don’t think Ari’s intentions are pure.

I glance in her direction one last time, but she isn’t looking at me. She’s on the phone, her body language suggesting it’s a tense conversation. I turn away from her, stepping into the back as my manager holds the door open to his office. I know he’s probably about to fire me, and I will once again be left to figure out how to live independently.

As I step into the office, my manager gestures for me to sit in front of his desk, but he doesn’t enter.

“Wait here,” he says.

I quickly notice something is off with his demeanor. Maybe it’s in the way he suddenly speaks more patiently to me as if he doesn’t want to scare me off. And if he were going to fire me, he’d have done it already and not wasted time. But I remain in my seat, twiddling my fingers as I try to think of possible escape routes should this be a trap. Though I don’t understand why Ari would show herself in the first place if the plan were to kidnap me.

This was never the life I envisioned for myself. Being on the run is exhausting, especially from Luca. He was wise not to let me in on his family’s business. I don’t even know how far his power reaches. Evading his clutches feels like blind luck at this point. But it’s obvious I made a mistake since Ari found me. Maybe I should leave with her. She can offer me protection in exchange for my cooperation.

The door to the office opens, pulling my attention.

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