Page 86 of The Lies We Tell

“What did I miss?” Alexei wondered, eyeing Tessa while Berto bound Antonetti’s wrists and ankles.

“I’ll explain later,” Matteo said. “Take him back to the casino and do whatever you want to him.” Tessa grunted her approval, and his lips twitched into a grin. “Just remember it needs to look like an accident.”

“Sure thing,” Alexei agreed, eyes gleaming with anticipation as they shoved Antonetti’s body into the waiting SUV and sped away.

“Luca, you can meet me back at the house. I’ll deal with this.” He gestured to Tessa.

Luca gave them both a long look before ultimately nodding and turning to head back toward the other end of the alley. When they were alone, Matteo reached down to help Tessa to her feet, sliding his arm around her waist when she tried to move away from him.

“You’re safe, piccola,” he assured her. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She studied him for a moment, eyes filling with tears while she sized him up. “I didn’t tell him about the airport.”

“I know,” Matteo said softly. “Your father wasn’t even the one who attacked me in Belgium. A different enemy with a different vendetta.”

Tessa nodded slowly. “I was going to tell you everything. About my mother, the deal I made with him, all of it. I waited up for you to come back from Rome so I could tell you. And I…”

Her breath hitched, and she pressed her lips together. “I fell asleep. Then everything happened so fast and… I’m sorry, Matteo. When I said yes to him, I thought my mother was still alive. I wanted to believe she was. Whether you believe me or not, that’s the truth,” she added, staring at a point over his shoulder.

Matteo trailed his fingertip along the line of her jaw to her chin, tilting her head back until she made eye contact. “I believe you. What changed your mind? About helping him.”

Tessa trembled in his grip, and he ran a soothing hand up and down her back. “I never wanted to help him. All I ever wanted was what I told you from the beginning.”

“Your mother back.”

She nodded. “I should have known he didn’t have her.”

“I should have let you explain.”

“I understand why you didn’t. I’m not sure I would have done much differently if I was in your shoes.”

“You lured him here.”

“I did. I didn’t get a chance to tell you my master plan.”

“You shouldn’t have come today. He could have killed you.” The idea constricted his throat and made it difficult to breathe.

“Did you get my note?”

He nodded, brushing her hair back from her face and cupping her jaw in his hands.

“Prove I’m on your side or die trying. That’s what I was trying to do.” She captured her bottom lip between her teeth and slowly released it. “You were the one thing I didn’t count on when I said yes to my father.”

“Me?”

Her arms circled his waist, fingers gripping the fabric of his suit jacket. “I never meant to fall in love with you. I’ll understand if you’re done with me. If you can never trust me after what happened. I’ll leave, and you never have to see me again. But I had to—”

“Tessa.” He ran a thumb over her lips to silence her. “You’re not leaving, because I meant what I said too. You’re mine.” He brushed a kiss over her lips. “Forever.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Standing in front of the tall mirror in the corner of the large walk-in closet, Tessa smoothed a nervous hand over the skirt of her simple black dress. She’d pinned her hair up off her face but left most of it down as Carina suggested. She’d kept her makeup simple and understated, as Sienna suggested. And she’d worn black to strike the right somber and serious note, as Emilia suggested.

“We have to leave soon, piccola,” Matteo called from the bedroom.

Tessa’s eyes dropped to the pearls around her neck. In all the years she’d had her mother’s pearls sitting in her closet, she’d never once actually put them on. Running her fingertips over the small orbs, the corner of her mouth ticked up in a sad smile. Having a little bit of her mother with her today would help just as much as having Matteo by her side.

They still hadn’t found concrete proof her mother was dead. But her father’s confession in the alley that he’d killed her, coupled with his desperate attempts to use the location of her mother’s body as a bargaining chip while they tortured him, was enough. She didn’t realize how much harder the grieving process would be the second time.

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