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“I’m so glad to see you, Juliana! What are you doing here?”
“I had to come and see you, Jess.”
“Are you okay, Juliana? What did they do to you? I thought I would never see you again.”
“I’m okay—I’m just so glad to see you. Where’s Jake?”
“He’s away for a few days in Canada talking to our suppliers.” The Società had various drug import routes, including one through the Canadian border.
“Damn, I really needed to see him too.”
“Are you really okay, Juliana?”
I pulled back and searched Jessica’s eyes. “Yes. It’s you that I’m worried about. What’s going on, Jess?”
She averted her gaze. “There’s nothing wrong.”
“Jess, I know you too well.” My voice was gentle. “Please let me help.”
“It’s just wedding nerves. You know how it is—you were nervous before your wedding day.”
“Is it really just nerves about the wedding? I know it’s something more than that. Please tell me. Please let me help you, Jess.”
“There’s nothing else, Juliana. It’s been a lot lately. First getting shot, then losing you, and there’s been so much tension at home since your kidnapping. Then the engagement suddenly happening and before I knew it, I was signing the engagement contract.”
“You know you can still talk to me even though I’m a Marchiano now, don’t you?”
“I can’t believe the wedding eventually went ahead. Father was furious when he found out that Marco Marchiano made you his wife after all.” Jess was trying to change the subject, but she wasn’t fooling me.
“How’s Jake?” I asked, guilt washing over me as I thought about how he suffered at Marco’s hands following the failed rescue attempt.
“He doesn’t blame you, Juliana. He’s healing and has already thrown himself back into work. It’s not your fault those savages beat and bloodied him.”
“But it is my fault,” I cried. “Everything is my fault. You are having to marry Rafael to strengthen the Società after my kidnapping, and Jake was hurt trying to rescue me. You’re my siblings. I would do anything to protect you both. I never wanted any of this to happen…” My voice trailed off, and we hugged each other again, both in tears by now.
I knew that Jess was holding back and not telling me something. I was about to press her again for details and urge her to confide in me, when a figure stepped out of the shadows, startling me.
“What the hell is the meaning of this?”
My head whipped round at the sound of the voice. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck.
“Father.” My voice shook as I addressed him.
“Jessica—go upstairs,” he ordered.
Jessica suddenly looked uneasy.
“I love you, Jess,” I said, quickly giving her one last hug. “Tell Jake I’m sorry for what he went through when he came to rescue me. I never wanted him to get hurt.”
“I’ll tell him.”
“Jessica, get upstairs now or I’ll drag you up there myself!” bellowed my father.
I reluctantly let her go and watched her walk away with one last look over her shoulder at me. I slowly turned my gaze toward my father.
“What are you doing here?” my father snarled at me.
“I had to speak to Jess and Jake…”
