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"It is not money we seek," he says with a laugh, tightening his hold on me. "You're dumber than I thought.”
And then, a hand covers my mouth, and he uses his other arm to hold me back, sliding it over my torso towards my neck. I feel a finger pressing into my jugular artery as the wind gets knocked off my chest. I try to kick myself free but slowly lose energy. The world goes dark.
My eyes flutter open, the darkness of the room swallowing me whole. I find rough ropes binding my wrists and ankles to a cold, metal chair. I struggle against the restraints, but they hold fast, rendering me immobile. The helplessness and panic at this moment make me nauseous.
"Useless," I chastise myself, forcing my breathing to slow and my mind to clear. There's no point in letting fear take control – I need to find a way out of this mess. I’ve seen Papà pull out of such ropes before. I need to remember his moves and see what tactics might be useful.
First, I take in my surroundings. The scent of damp earth and mold fills my nostrils, indicating that I'm likely somewhere underground. I begin to work on the ropes that bind my hands together, trying to find a little gap with my fingers. As I struggle, a door creaks open from behind.
I can’t turn to see who it is, but the voice I hear tells me I’m in deep trouble.
"Ah, you're awake," Rafaele's sinister voice slithers through the darkness. "I was beginning to think my men had been too rough with you, coniglietteo - little rabbit."
Footsteps approach.
"Spare me your concern; it’s nauseating," I spit back with defiance I don't quite feel, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me afraid—not after what he did to Papà.
He walks around and comes to stand before me, his dark blue eyes are as unforgiving as those of a snake. He holds my chin and forces me to look up at him. I try to move my head away, but he keeps me in place, reminding me of his power. I narrow my eyes, my breathing hard and jagged with anger.
His chuckle, which I had thought belonged to a sophisticated, powerful man, now only makes my blood run cold. "Now, now, Romola," he admonishes me like he might a child, "you're in no position to be making demands. Besides, we both know what I want – the diamond."
I scoff, "I need more time."
"Perhaps you do," he concedes, his tone chillingly calm. "But soon enough, you will wish you managed in less. You see, I have reason to believe that it might be better for me to get the diamond myself."
"And how will you do that?" I challenge, my heart pounding against my chest. "Fiero will just let you walk into the compound? Is that it?"
"Smart girl," Rafaele taunts, his laughter sending chills down my spine. "But you and I both know it’s not that simple unless I get rid of him first.”
I remain quiet at Rafaele’s threat, my thoughts clawing to come up with a half-decent plan to get out of this mess.
“I’ve been keeping tabs on you both. Dancing away the night, heading for a weekend getaway, but something kept you in Rome. What was it, Romola? What is it that the two of you enjoy doing together all the time?
A cold sweat clings to my skin as I struggle to keep my breathing steady, the fear of Rafaele discovering my feelings for Fiero pushing my mind dangerously close to a blackout. With every taunting word he speaks, the stakes grow higher, with a very real threat to Fiero’s life.
"Your loyalty to Fiero is admirable," Rafaele sneers, his dark blue eyes boring into mine.
"Is that what you think this is about?" I try to keep the hysteria from my voice. "You think it’s loyalty to Fiero Cremaschi? A man as despicable and as twisted as you,” I spit at his feet and raise my voice in pretend anger, “You don't know anything about me or my feelings. After what I saw you do to my father, I’d rather have the likes of you and Fiero Cremaschi wiped from the face of this earth."
"Ah, but I don’t believe you," he replies, leaning in closer, his breath hot against my cheek. "I've been watching you, Romola. I know how you look at him when you think no one is watching, how your skin flushes when you come for him, how you risk everything just to be near him."
I try to suppress a shudder, knowing that any sign of weakness will give him the upper hand. My thoughts race, searching for an escape, a way to protect Fiero and myself from Rafaele's sinister intentions.
And then, suddenly, it hit me—a plan so daring and unexpected that it just might work.
"Listen," I say urgently, hoping to catch him off guard. "If you let me go, I can get you the diamond within the next few days. But only if you promise not to hurt Fiero."
Rafaele raises an eyebrow, his interest piqued despite his obvious distrust. "And why should I believe you?"
"Because," I reply, struggling to maintain my composure. “The diamond is hidden in plain sight, but only someone who knows the secret can find it. If you kill Fiero, one of his trusted men might take it and flee. Then both you and I don’t get what we want. If I succeed with my plan to win his trust and steal it, I get freedom from you and my money. And you? You get the Heart of Italy.”
Seeing him still look doubtful, I conjure up the next excuse, taking a risk I hope pays off. “I …I’ll need your help for the next phase.”
"Interesting," he murmurs thoughtfully, tapping his fingers against his chin as he considers my proposal. "Very well, Romola, tell me what you need. But remember, there is no second time for failure or betrayal."
I feel my heart pounding in my chest, the stakes higher than ever before. I know that if he senses any hint of deception or weakness, he'll show no mercy. “I won’t fail,” I say, with all the confidence I can muster, “remember, you chose the best for this job.”
"Alright," finally convinced, Rafaele steps back from me. "Explain this plan of yours."
