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Her response is immediate, “Because you’re Catarina Furnari.”
My forehead creases, unsure what she means by that.
Seeing my expression, she adds in a hopeful whisper, “Your father is powerful. He can stop him.”
I have no doubt my father would do just that, except for the fact I’m currently Luis’s prisoner. He has the upper hand, and I’m sure he has some plan up his sleeve to thwart any attempt my father or Declan will make to stop him.
And now that I know he’s involved in trafficking women, I’m terrified to discover what that is. He’s already murdered Ashley. There isn’t anything I imagine he isn’t capable of.
“He will try,” I tell Cynthia, “but I don’t know what he can do while I’m here.” I give her a meaningful look. If there’s a way for her to help me out of this situation, I’ll be better able to help her out as well.
She purses her lips as she moves on to my other set of lashes, mulling over what I’ve said.
I bite the inside of my cheek and watch her expression. She’s been much more talkative than I expected, especially considering we could be overheard. It gives me hope that she’s brave. Brave enough to take a risk and help me.
Unfortunately, I’ll never know if that’s what she would ultimately decide. The bedroom door opens, and Cynthia’s contemplative expression is immediately hidden behind a fearful mask.
A short, skinny man stands in the doorway. He wears a black suit that looks two sizes too big, but that’s not what holds my attention. No, the matte black pistol in his right hand takes all my focus.
The stranger’s eyes rove over me and Cynthia with unnerving intensity. The feeling only grows when I see how pale Cynthia becomes under the man’s attention.
“Cynthia,” he says in a nasally voice.
Her lips quiver. “Y-yes, Señor Gomez?”
He waves his gun in our direction, making me tense. “How much longer until she’s ready?”
“I-I’m almost done with her makeup. Then I need to dry and style her hair—”
“There’s no time for that,” he growls. Cynthia flinches. “The priest will be here in fifteen minutes.”
She bobs her head. “O-of course, Señor. I’ll make sure she’s ready.”
Gomez licks his lips and gives her an eerie smile. “Good girl. I’ll be back in ten.” He turns on his heel to leave.
“Wait,” I call out.
He pauses.
I can feel Cynthia’s warning stare burning into the side of my face, but I keep my attention on the short man in the doorway. My heart races. “Why is a priest coming?”
Beady eyes trail over me with another lick of his lips. “Didn’t Diaz tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
His lips lift into a sneer. “That it’s your wedding day, Señorita Furnari. Now, hurry up and finish getting ready. Your futureesposodoesn’t like to wait for anyone.”
Chapter19
Declan
Asking for help has never come easy to me. Likely because Grandfather drilled it into my head that a leader asking for help won’t be a leader for long. Logically, I know his perspective is short-sighted. He routinely asked his inner circle for assistance while the head of our family. It’s what an inner circle is for. No man could run our family business on his own.
Still, years of Colin MacKenzie’s conditioning are hard to forget. Especially when it comes to seeking assistance from someone besides Jane, Joseph, Nolan, or Liam.
It’s for the last two names on my list that I am doing this.
With a deep breath, I lift my hand and knock on the white door in the luxury apartment building. Voices sound on the other side of the door. A masculine one draws closer, followed by the turn of the handle.
