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"I'm sorry, my beauty," he speaks again and kisses my neck, "is there someone else in your family we can ask for dinner?"
"It is," I exhale, reminding myself that I promised my brother not to mention his name under any circumstances. But everything changed now, after I met my soul mate, right? "I have an older brother."
"That's great. I have to meet him," Leonardo says enthusiastically, smiling at me, "I am also an orphan with an old brother. I'm sure they'll find a common language."
"He won't come," I say right away before he gets too excited. I know my brother; it's tough to deserve his approval.
"Isn't he here now?" Leonardo asks, and I feel his body slightly tensed.
"No, he's not. I'm here by myself."
He looks at me for a couple of seconds, and his face changes from pleased to frustrated.
"What is your name?" he asks after a long pause.
"Bea...ta," I lie again, unable to decide what should I do now; should I tell him the truth? Or should I stick to the plan I promised my brother to follow?
"Don't lie to me," he says immediately with a stern voice.
"Beatrice," I say, unable to hide the truth, at least not from Leonardo, a person who wants me to marry him.
"Beatrice?" he clarifies, and his gaze darkens. "Beatrice Darrington?"
I nod, unable to understand what is going on and how does he already know my family name? It's hundreds of guests in here tonight; he can't possibly know all of them.
Leonardo's face gets pale, and his gaze travels from my face around the room as if he saw a ghost or something.
"This can't be happening," he whispers, more to himself than me. "I can't believe it!"
He gets up from the couch and starts walking across the room rapidly, like an angry lion locked in a cage, ready to fight but desperate.
"What's wrong?" I ask, getting up as well, as start to worry myself.
"You have to go," he says, avoiding my gaze. "You have to run as quickly as possible and never look back."
"What are you talking about?" I come closer, but he takes a step back.
"Leave. Now!" he barks at me, but his face doesn't express anger; it's more like sadness.
Without saying anything, I look at him for a couple of long, torturous seconds. He stops walking across the room and stares at the distance as if to the abyss; his face expresses helplessness and desperation.
"You have to tell me everything, or I won't leave," I say strictly, even though my voice is trembling. I try to take deep breaths to calm down, but it's not working.
He takes a step toward me, and I startle in surprise. He shakes his head slightly as if telling me that it's nothing to worry about, that he won't hurt me.
Then why does he act so weird?
Leonardo takes another step and stands against me. His eyes are sad, as if he’s grieving, and then he gently takes me by the shoulders.
"Your brother killed my family," he says quietly, almost whispering, as if someone could hear us.
I shake my head. "That can't be true; you're mistaken; it must've been somebody else, it should've..."
"I'm positive." He cuts me off. "I suggested that you might have no idea, but Darius was adamant."
"Darius knows that I'm here?" I ask, feeling my chest start to burn again.
"He wants to kill you," Leo says, his voice shaking. "He wants to keep you captive until Raphael comes to rescue you. Darius would never believe that you're innocent. He would kill you."
