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“I didn’t kill anyone, and I didn’t witness any murder. I’m telling the truth. It was just a nightmare. A bad one and I lost it. That’s all.” I stared into Alessio’s eyes and saw the disbelief in them.
So, I tried one last time.
“Please. Believe me. Please.” This time I begged, hoping it would have an effect on him.
He glared at me and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “You may seem innocent, Ayla, but you are so fucking stubborn.”
He took a step closer to me until our bodies were only a breath away.
“I can protect you. If you tell me the truth, I can protect you. So, tell me,” he said.
Oh, how I wanted to believe him. My heart stumbled at his words and my eyes burned with tears. I wished it was true. I wished I really did have someone to protect me.
But Alessio wouldn’t protect me if he knew the truth. He would kill me instead. It was as simple as that.
I couldn’t look into his eyes any longer. Shame and guilt filled my body. Shame for what I had been through. I wasn’t who he thought I was.
I wasn’t innocent.
And then guilt. Guilt because I lied to his face and was living in his house, living off his generosity when I didn’t deserve it.
I also felt confused because I couldn’t understand why I went to him last night. Why did I go to him at my lowest point?
Why was he my peace? Alessio made a frustrated sound and then took a step away from me. My forehead creased in confusion and I slowly brought my head up to look at him.
He stared at me blankly, completely devoid of any emotions.
“Fine,” he said, his voice strangely calm.
What?
This man loved playing with my mind. I could never truly read him.
“You believe me?” I asked in astonishment.
He let out a harsh laugh. “Believe you? No, kitten. I don’t believe you. But I will accept what you are saying for now.” He stepped forward and leaned down so that his lips were next to my ears. “You will eventually tell me the truth. It is only a matter of time.”
His words felt like lashes against my body. I reared back in shock and Alessio stepped away. He gave me a nod and turned around, walking toward his bathroom.
“I will see you at breakfast,” he said, dismissing me without a second glance.
I stared at his back with wide eyes. He closed the bathroom door behind him, hiding his view from me and I let out a sigh of relief. My tensed muscles relaxed but his words kept playing in my head.
It is only a matter of time.
Turning around, I walked out of his bedroom and into my room in a daze.
He was right. It was only a matter of time. How long could I keep hiding the truth?
Chapter 24
Alberto
I walked down to the cold basement, my muscles relaxing at the familiar feeling and smell. When I reached the bottom, I paused and my lips slowly stretched into a smirk.
“Hello, Alfredo,” I said calmly, my voice loud, vibrating around the silent room.
Alfredo’s head snapped up and he sent me a fierce glare.
“You fucking bastard. What is the meaning of this? Let me go,” he roared in fury, as he struggled against the chains around his ankles and wrists.
I chuckled at his failed attempt and leaned against the wall. He’d been chained against the wall, his ankles bound as well as his wrists, bloodied from his struggles. His head was bleeding from where I’d hit him with the back of my gun.
His face was covered with sweat and grime. A few strands of his hair were sticking to his forehead and he was breathing hard from exhaustion. I knew he’d been struggling for hours.
He looked like a poor bastard, a helpless man. I laughed at the thought. He was never fit to be the fucking king. He was too weak. And now it was time for his end and the start of my reign.
I had to get him out of the picture, permanently.
And maybe I’d enjoy it.
“Now, now. Calm down,” I said.
His face turned bright red and he spat at my feet. “Alberto, I’m warning you…” he started, his voice laced with anger. He never got a chance to finish his sentence.
I knelt down in front of him and grabbed his face, my fingers digging deeply into his cheek. I leaned in close and hissed through gritted teeth. “Or what? What are you going to do? Shoot me? Alfredo, let me remind you. You are the one chained to the wall.”
He winced at the pressure I was putting on his cheek and his pain pushed me on. I dug my nails deeper and then moved my hands downward and wrapped them around his neck. His eyes widened when I pressed my hands harder around his neck, choking him.
