Chapter 13
Lucy
Aweek after the engagement dinner, Andreas picks me up in his sleek black Mercedes. He’s all smiles and charm as he opens the car door for me, but I notice the little things he doesn’t do. Doesn’t ask how I’m doing. Doesn’t ask if I slept well. If I have any preferences for where we go today.
Damiano would have asked. Damiano would have noticed the shadows under my eyes and the tension in my shoulders.
But Andreas just slides into the driver’s seat, and says, “I thought we’d pick out your engagement ring today. I know a jeweler in the diamond district. Very exclusive. Only the best for my future wife.”
My future wife. The casual possessiveness makes my skin crawl. He’s assuming I’m going to marry him, without bothering to ask if I’m ready. I suppose he already cleared everything with Mom and Dad behind my back, and that’s good enough for him.
I force a smile. “Sounds great.”
“You’re going to love this place,” Andreas continues as he drives.
“They cater to all the top families in Malus. The Montonis have been clients for generations. Cristiano will no doubt buy Ariana’s engagement ring there.
” He glances at me, and his smile is all white teeth and no warmth.
“Though, of course, yours will be even more impressive.”
I notice he doesn’t ask what I want. It’s about what everyone else will think. What they’ll say. How impressive we’ll look.
“I have some ideas about wedding venues,” he continues. “The Malus Grand Hotel has an excellent ballroom. Very prestigious. I’ll set up a viewing.”
Of course he will. Without bothering to ask what I want.
I stare out the window, remembering Damiano at the jewelry auction, bidding on those canary diamonds, not because they were the most expensive, but because I loved them. Seeing me smile was worth two hundred thousand dollars to him.
“Here we are,” Andreas says, pulling up to a gleaming storefront with Castellano Fine Jewelers etched in gold on the window.
Inside, the store is all marble and crystal chandeliers, dripping with old money and exclusivity. A distinguished older man in an impeccable suit greets us immediately, and Andreas introduces him as Mr. Castellano, then explains what he’s looking for.
He leads us to a private viewing room and begins bringing out trays of rings. Massive diamonds, intricate settings, all breathtakingly expensive.
All wrong.
“What do you think of this one?” Mr. Castellano holds up a ring with an enormous cushion-cut diamond surrounded by smaller stones. “Five carats, VVS1 clarity, D color. Exceptional quality.”
I examine it carefully. The stone is flawless, perfectly cut with excellent fire and brilliance. The setting is platinum, well crafted. It’s objectively beautiful. It’s also ostentatious and absolutely not my taste.
“It’s pretty,” I say neutrally, setting it back down.
“Pretty?” Andreas laughs, and there’s an edge to it. Like I’ve said something wrong. “Lucy, it’s magnificent. This is exactly what I was thinking. The size makes a statement. Everyone will be talking about this ring.”
There it is again. Everyone will be talking about it. Everyone will notice. Everyone will be impressed. What about if I like it? Does it suit me? Will I be happy wearing it every day for the rest of my life?
Mr. Castellano looks between us, his professional smile faltering slightly. “Perhaps the young lady would like to see some other options? We have some beautiful emerald cuts, or perhaps a more delicate setting.”
“No, no,” Andreas interrupts, his voice sharp. “Lucy knows quality when she sees it. Don’t you, darling?” He picks up the massive ring and reaches for my hand. “Let’s see how it looks.”
He slides it onto my finger without waiting for my answer. It’s heavy, cold, and gaudy.
“Perfect,” Andreas declares, admiring how it looks on my hand. “We’ll take it.”
I pull my hand back slightly, and his smile tightens. For just a moment, I see irritation flicker across his face. Then it’s gone, replaced by that charming mask.
I force myself to smile as my heart sinks like a stone in deep water. This is my life now. A man who makes decisions for me and who cares more about status than my happiness.
I think of Damiano, and my throat tightens with unshed tears. I have to look away before Andreas notices.
“We’ll need it sized, of course,” Andreas is saying to Mr. Castellano. “How long will that take?”
“A few days. I can have it ready by Friday.”
“Excellent.” Andreas stands, already pulling out his credit card. “Lucy, why don’t you look around the store while I handle this?”
I take off the ring and get shakily to my feet. Everything’s happening so quickly. If I don’t get away from Andreas right now, I’m going to fall apart. “Actually, I’ve just remembered that I have to go. I need to do some shopping. It’s very important. For the wedding.”
“But, Lucy—”
Before Andreas can stop me, I hurry out of the jewelry store without looking back.
Outside, I walk quickly along the street, taking deep gulps of fresh air and trying to calm my racing heart.
The wind is cold, but I don’t care. Anything to feel something other than the suffocating weight of that ring.
I miss Damiano with an ache that feels like someone’s carved him out of my heart.
I’ve barely seen him. Dad keeps him busy with meetings and errands, and Mom makes sure I’m occupied whenever Damiano’s home.
They’re keeping us apart. Making sure we can’t find a moment alone.
And it’s working. We haven’t really talked.
Haven’t really touched. They’ve built a wall between us, and I’m on the wrong side, watching him fade into the distance.
I walk for a long time, my feet carrying me through the city streets without direction. The sun has shifted lower in the sky by the time I finally realize hours have passed, and I should go home.
And then I see him.
Andreas.
He’s crossing the street toward a black car. I watch as he approaches it and gets into the passenger seat. Someone is sitting in the driver’s seat, and I move surreptitiously closer to get a better look at the man.
I don’t recognize the stranger, but his hand is resting on the steering wheel as he talks to my fiancé.
My blood turns to ice.
There, on the back of his hand, dark against his skin, is a spider tattoo.
The Sokoli marker.
I duck behind a parked car, my heart hammering so hard I can feel it in my throat.
Andreas is meeting with a Sokoli. Our deadly enemies. There is no innocent explanation for this.
My hands shake as I pull out my phone and carefully angle it to capture a photo of them.
The quality isn’t great because the car window reflects some of the light, but I can make out Andreas and the man with his spider tattoo clearly.
I take three more shots from slightly different angles, just to be sure.
Their conversation looks intense. The Sokoli man is gesturing, animated, and Andreas is leaning in close, nodding.
At one point, Andreas pulls out his phone and shows the man something on the screen.
Whatever it is makes the Sokoli man smile and nod with satisfaction, and then Andreas is getting out of the car.
My mind is racing as I hurry away.
I need to find Damiano. I need to tell him what I saw.
As I enter the house, I hear voices from Dad’s study. Dad and Damiano, their voices not raised, but tense, like they’re arguing about something.
Tensions are too high. I can’t tell Damiano what I’ve seen. Not yet.
If Damiano knows Andreas is meeting with Sokolis, he’ll confront him, or attack him, and then what? I could start a war we can’t win. I could get Damiano killed. Dad might think I’m lying to get out of the marriage and making up stories to get back to Damiano.
I need more evidence. Something irrefutable that Dad can’t ignore or explain away.
I slip up to my room and lock the door, my hands still shaking.
Then I pull out a notebook and make a physical record of my suspicions, in case I need to refer to it later, my handwriting getting shakier as adrenaline courses through me.
I finish off by emailing the incriminating photos of Andreas to myself as a backup.
I read over my notes, trying to puzzle this out. What does Andreas gain by working with the Sokolis?
I think about what Adora said, that he’s always wanted to prove himself and have real power. Maybe he thinks the Sokolis are the answer, and he’s betting on them to take over Malus. He wants to be on the winning side when the dust settles.
But I need more proof. Enough that when I expose him, no one will be able to deny it or explain it away.
I’m not the pretty trophy Andreas thinks he’s marrying. I’m a Barone daughter. I’m Damiano’s partner. When the time comes, Andreas Montoni is going to learn what happens when you underestimate Lucy Barone.