CHAPTER 70 - ARIANNA
CHAPTER
Arianna
MY PULSE RACES and I’m shaking. I’m so lightheaded I’m sure I’ll be sick, pass out or both. Staring vacantly at the wall isn’t helping control my racing heart or mind either.
Maria’s hysteria has now dwindled to steady sobbing, which is better than the screeching that scratched every part of my aching brain. Liam’s outside the room, his face wearing its usual scowl, which these days is aimed at Maria, rather than me.
But none of this takes away from the base fact that I should be dead.
This knowledge is hard to comprehend, but it’s true. I should be lying dead on a slab somewhere. That bullet was meant for me. There is no doubt about that.
“You traitor cunt! Marrying an English bastard.”
Bile rises. There can be no argument that I wasn’t the intended target to be gunned down at my brother’s funeral by men associated with him.
Those men in the hearse were Matteo’s. Who else would steal a hearse, dress up as undertakers and try to kill me?
My forehead creases. Only certain groups of people know I killed Matteo. The majority still believe it was down to Red, yet I was the target.
Someone within Red’s men or my new men from the Galvatore headquarters must be involved.
Cold seeps through me. Who the hell can we trust?
Yet a man that I haven’t seen for years has willingly taken a bullet meant for me.
My hands wring in my lap, praying that Dario Vezzozi survives.
“It should have been my wedding today.”
My head swings up at Maria’s hiccupped words. “What?”
“My... my wedding. It’s the 30th of November. I was supposed to be marrying Luca today.” Maria wipes her cheek and then wipes it again. And then again. Over and over. “That’s why he was at the graveyard. That’s why he came. It was to mark the day.”
I stare at my sister, more concerned for her mental state than ever. “Luca wasn’t there, honey. You know he wasn’t. It’s your mind playing tricks.”
“But I saw him.” Maria’s eyes grow hard. “I know what I saw. It’s not my fault that you and Red chose not to believe me.”
“It’s not that...” I tail off. What’s the point of arguing? She’s convinced. Is this all Maria can think about when someone just tried to kill me and a man is fighting for his life downstairs because of his selfless act?
Maria suddenly stands up. “I’m going to my room. I’ve had enough. I need to be alone.”
My sister disappears through the door. I don’t stop her. I need a break from this. I’ll speak to Red and sort out something. Maria must see a doctor.
Talking of doctors...
Forcing myself onto shaky legs, I take a deep breath and pat my hair down, wanting to present a controlled state of mind. Opening the door, I peer out and spot Liam halfway between the rooms, his leg propping him up against the wall as he scrolls uninterestedly through his phone.
“She’s gone into her room,” he mumbles without looking up.
“I know that. I just wondered if you’ve heard how Dario is?”
Liam finally looks up, his eyes studying me like I should already have the answer. “I don’t know. I was sent up here to guard you two,” he says somewhat bitterly. “Red will be up when he has news.”
“Do you think I should see if there’s anything I can do to help? I’d feel better if I could do something of use, rather than sitting here driving myself insane.”
“No, you’d only be in the way and...”
At the sound of an ear-splitting scream, both me and Liam spin in the direction of Maria’s room.
“Oh, what now?” Liam sneers. “Has she seen a spider?”
Ignoring Liam, I bolt along the corridor to Maria’s room, my banging heart already overtaxed. That scream didn’t sound the sort of reaction to a spider. I burst through the door where Maria huddles on the edge of the bed with something in her hand.
Taking a quick scan of the bedroom and finding nothing amiss, I rush to perch next to my sister. “What’s wrong? What’s happened?”
“This...” Looking utterly terrified, Maria opens her hand. “It was on the bed. I went to get in and... and it was there.”
I stare at the ring sitting in the palm of Maria’s hand and take the note from her shaking fingers.
I swallow, my throat suddenly dry.
“I told you he was there today,” Maria sobs.
“Christ’s sake, what’s her problem this time?” Liam enters the room, glaring at Maria with unmasked annoyance.
I shove the note at him. “It seems we've had a visitor during our absence.”
“Who sent this?”
Liam frowns as he reads the note, leaving me to turn the ring around in my fingers. I'm not sure I want to voice this, but Maria beats me to it.
“Luca. It's from Luca. That's the engagement ring I chose. He's been here.”
I meet eyes with Liam, suspecting he's thinking the same as me: How the hell did Luca Bristoni get into the Scorpio Lounge and up into Maria's bedroom unnoticed?
The second question is, is he still here?