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The message notifications on my phone start coming in fast, and I use it as an excuse to shift focus. I know it’s my cousins without even looking.
“Please, Luigi,” she pleads. “Please, help me do this.”
She falls silent, and I’m left staring down into the flames of the fire. My thoughts are racing again. I never wanted to be a decision-maker. I have always been happy to follow.
Now, it seems, I do have a decision to make. This one may change the course of my life as I know it.
Dammit.
I don’t know what to do, and my phone going crazy is not helping. I look at the screen—the notifications alternate between Dom and Frankie.
Then the message from Alessandro comes through.
What have you done? We need to talk. Call Dominic.
My stomach drops again, and I know I’m in for a serious tongue-lashing, if not worse.
They might forgive me for what’s happened, considering that I saved Ana, who is family. If this Killian overthrows Alessandro, though, due to my failure… I won’t be in anyone's good books.
I need to kill Killian to make up for last night. I know he’s going to be hard to get to, though. I need information. I have a network of people that I can contact that could possibly help me achieve this.
I’ll tell my cousins I’ll make this right.
I glance back at Anastasia, who is watching me with bated breath, and my heart sinks. I don’t want her money, I want her. I can’t have that but it dawns on me what kind of danger she will be in as a result of tonight. She crossed Mateo and got away with it. Mateo won’t let loose ends dangle. He will want to finish what he started.
My phone starts going off again, and I sit down in front of her.
Chapter 11 - Anastasia
I’m scared he’s going to be firm in his answer. That he won’t help me. I realize now that if anyone can, it would be him. Sometimes a leader has to delegate. That was my short-sightedness. But then, I’ve underestimated him all along.
Something stirred deep inside me when he took charge tonight when he saved my life and knew what to do. I hate being controlled and bossed around, but when he took charge, it was electrifying.
I remain patient, watching him with a sense of unease but hope. His eyes meet mine, and he shakes his head again, and I feel the disappointment take hold.
“We need to figure out a way to get permission from our families,” he says. “Because this isn’t how things are done, Ana.”
I nod, agreeing at least to buy me some time.
His phone starts ringing again, and he takes it out of his pocket. He looks at the screen, meets my gaze, and then looks back at the screen. He slides to answer the call and puts the phone to his ear.
“Dom, I was racing away like the devil was on my heels,” he says. He sounds confident.
I can hear he’s being yelled at, and I feel a pang of guilt. I didn’t want to get Luigi into trouble for something I did. This is important, though, and I need him.
“Yes,” Luigi says. “Yes, I know this was a complete balls-up. But I saw an opportunity, and I took it.” He pauses for a moment. “The girl I took?”
More shouting from the other end, and I hug myself, straining my ears to hear what Dominic is saying. “I’m glad Toby and Clint made it back okay.” His eyes meet mine. I nod, letting out a small breath.
“The girl is an important hostage…”
I look at him with big eyes, shaking my head subtly. Clearly, Toby and Clint didn’t recognize me at the auction, so Dominic doesn’t know I’m with Luigi.
This could work out in my favor, and I feel hope building up again inside me.
Luigi sighs softly, I’m not sure if Dominic heard him, but he starts talking again, “Dom, I'll keep her for a few days at a secret location before releasing her. It’s best not to discuss these things over the phone. You never know who is listening. We’re just going to lay low for a few days, and I’ll call you once I’m back in the city.”
There’s a pause from Dominic’s side, and then I hear another voice on the line. Speaking clearly and slowly, without emotion, I know it’s Alessandro on the call with Luigi. I see he loses a little color in his face when the head of his family addresses him. He pulls the phone from his ear and hits the speaker phone button, undoubtedly so I can listen to what’s being said now.
