Chapter 11 Chiara
Chiara
Heels click across the hall floor as I finish pouring a glass of OJ from the refrigerator. The chef, Dominic, has left me a club sandwich for lunch, but it’s too early for that.
I like Dominic. He’s the only one of the few staff here who treats me like a person, not a priceless vase to be left alone in case it smashes.
The guy can cook like an angel, which is probably why I’ve gained three pounds in two weeks. But I’m not complaining. Most of it’s gone on my tits and ass.
The butler, conversely, some English dude, is a real snooty prick.
He sticks his nose up when he sees me coming and scurries away as fast as his stumpy little legs can carry him.
When I asked Luka why the guy hated me, he said it was because he was loyal to Angelo and believed I had bad intentions toward his boss.
I’d laughed at that.
I mean, the guy’s not wrong.
The kitchen door swings open, and a stunning brunette walks in. Serafina Di Rossi, the middle child. I’m no fashionista, but her outfit is gorgeous. I’d bet my last dollar she’s wearing head-to-toe couture.
She sees me hovering by the kitchen island and stops dead. For a few seconds, we stare at each other, then, to my surprise, she rushes over and pulls me into a tight hug.
“Oh, cara, I’m so sorry they tracked you down. I was rooting for you to disappear and live a happy life away from this fucked-up circus.”
When she finally releases me, I choke out, “You were?”
“Of course! An arranged marriage is barbaric in this day and age. We’re not camels to be bartered and sold off. Fucking misogynistic assholes.”
A laugh escapes. I’m completely blown away by her unexpected solidarity. At least I am until my naturally suspicious nature reminds me to be careful of whom I trust.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I haven’t even introduced myself! I’m Serafina. Angelo’s sister. But you can call me Fina. Everyone does, apart from Papa.” She holds out a hand, and I admire her pretty lilac nails while grimacing at my own.
“Hi. I guess there’s no point in introducing myself. You know exactly who I am,” I say with a dry chuckle. “Prisoner 60856, here on a life sentence with no chance of parole.”
“Sweetie.” Her eyes well up in sympathy, but I wave my hand dismissively and pick up my glass of juice.
“No need to feel sorry for me. It’s not your fault I’m stuck here.”
Serafina seems lovely, but blood is thicker than water.
“You and I have more in common than you think,” she says cryptically before smiling. “But as much as I want to get to know my new sister-in-law, I need coffee first.”
She hustles over to the coffee machine and presses a few buttons before it spits out a latte. “Let’s go sit by the pool while you tell me how you stayed one step ahead of Kane for the best part of a year.”
It’s cooler today, but still humid. Two guards walk across the lawn a few hundred feet away, eyes firmly fixed ahead as they murmur to each other. A third appears and hovers in a shady spot by the pool house. He periodically glances our way. Fina watches him when she thinks I’m not looking.
Something tells me she likes the guy, although she appears to be playing it cool. Probably because she doesn’t know if she can trust me.
“So, spill the tea. How did you stay under the radar for so long?” From the sparkle in her eyes, she thinks I had an amazing adventure while on the run. Sadly, she’s wrong about that.
“Pure luck, mostly,” I admit. "The first chance I got, I picked up a box dye to hide my natural blond and stayed in a succession of shitty motel rooms. To get as far away as possible, I hitched lifts with truckers, jumping from one town to another at random.
I figured that would be enough to throw the dogs off my trail. "
“Weren’t you terrified you’d get picked up by a rapist or something?” From her horrified expression, hitching a ride is well outside of her comfort level. Unsurprisingly, given the luxurious, pampered lifestyle she’s enjoyed since birth.
While my father was wealthy, my life fell off a cliff when he died. Vivian cut off my allowance and pulled me from my private school, enrolling me in online studies. I think she hoped I’d become her little doll while she brokered a marriage deal, only I proved less malleable.
“It was scary sometimes,” I admit. “One guy got handsy, but I stabbed him in the leg and got away.” That was the night I hit rock bottom. After the asshole tried to rape me, I vowed my stepmother would pay for ruining my life.
“Oh my god, Chiara!” Fina grabs my hand and squeezes it tightly. She’s an extremely tactile person, which makes me a little uncomfortable. “I’m so sorry,” she says again, like it’s her fault Vivian married me off for cold, hard cash.
“Hey, it’s fine. I survived!” I laugh, brushing off what was in truth a traumatic event. I survived to live another day, even if the memory of that awful man’s hand on my throat still gives me nightmares.
She refuses to let go of my hand. “Surviving isn’t enough, Chiara. Please know that you’re safe here. My brother…” There’s a pause while she chooses her words carefully. “My brother is no angel, despite his name, but he’s not a monster. He won’t hurt you.”
“Maybe not,” I agree, “But he insists I need to pop out a baby before I can leave.” My admission hangs between us like a bad smell. She gently releases my hand and sits back.
“That’s our father’s doing,” she admits. “He’s stuck in the old ways, where families married for money and power and to produce heirs.”
“If that’s the case, marrying me made no sense. My family has no power. I don’t know what your family paid my stepmother, but I imagine it was a hefty sum.”
I still don’t understand why Angelo chose me as his bride. There had to be more eligible women out there. Women who’d have loved to marry a man like Angelo.
“I’m not sure what the deal was, only that Angelo didn’t fight it.”
She shrugs before she’s distracted by her phone. It doesn’t matter why he married me. I’m stuck in this house, with no way of escaping unless I shoot myself in the head with a stolen gun.
Angelo’s sister might be openly sympathetic to my fate, but I’d be a fool if I trusted her this early in our friendship.
For all I know, Angelo has sent her as a Trojan horse. Hell, Luka could be one too, although I doubt it having seen the way he interacts with his older brother.
Luka disappeared two days ago without a word, so it’s possible Angelo has banned him from the house. Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past the bastard. I realized the day he and his guard dog showed up unexpectedly he didn’t much appreciate the way Luka looked at me, like he wanted to lick me all over.
“We need some girl time,” Fina announces once she finishes her coffee. She slides her phone back into her Gucci clutch before sitting up straighter. “Fancy a mani-pedi?”
An hour later, we’re in a very exclusive salon with our feet in warm water and two glasses of champagne on a table between us. The guard staring at Fina earlier hovers by the door while two more have taken up positions in the main salon.
I briefly considered using this unexpected trip to escape my dear husband’s clutches but soon realized it would be impossible.
We arrived here in one car with a driver and Fina’s pet guard, with two more cars full of armed men accompanying us. There’s a difference between reckless and stupid, and I’d prefer not to cause harm to the poor women working in this salon.
I still feel bad about hurting the maid at the hotel when I absconded. She hadn’t deserved it.
“What’s it like handling all the PR for your family?” I ask Fina while she decides what color she wants on her toenails.
“I enjoy it most of the time. It’s my job to decide which charities receive money from the foundation we set up. I love being able to help some of the smaller groups in the city. They’re usually ignored by other fundraisers.”
Her admission surprises me. I knew the Di Rossi family donated money to local causes, but I assumed it was merely a tax write-off. A way to clean dirty money.
“We paid for a new, purpose-built center for a women’s refuge last year.
It was wonderful to see how happy the kids are now they have a garden to play in.
” She smiles at the memory, and something in me softens.
“The foundation covers the cost of a 24/7 guard roster to protect it after an ex-partner tried to burn down the original building.”
My glass slides from my fingers in shock, spilling the last bit of my champagne on my jeans. I ignore the mess and focus on Fina.
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Thankfully, no. When the alarm triggered, the local fire department got there in time to pull everyone out.”
“What happened to the arsonist?” Fina’s mouth flattens.
“The cops were useless, as you might expect, but Kane found him.”
She doesn’t elaborate, but I can read between the lines. Whoever the arsonist was, he isn’t breathing anymore. To my surprise, it makes me see Kane in a different light. Yes, he’s still an asshole, but perhaps he has a few redeeming qualities. Any guy who stands up for abused women isn’t all bad.
Two pretty nail technicians appear to do our pedicures, and I relax in my chair.
It’s refreshing to have someone take care of me for a change.
The woman in charge of my poor feet tuts and grumbles at the state of my toes, but by the time she’s finished painting the final protective topcoat, my feet look a million dollars.
“I’m going to go for a French manicure on my fingers,” Fina tells me. “Acrylics are cute, but they’re no good for typing.”
I fancy something fun, so opt for nail art instead. Fina grins when I choose a badass design featuring skulls with red accents to match my toenails.
“Love it,” she says as my talented nail lady applies stencils to my nails and embellishes the design.
“Now all we need to do is choose a ball gown that matches the Vampire Queen vibe.” She winks at me.
Why would I need a formal dress when my beloved husband has had me under house arrest apart from this one outing?
My mouth gapes open. “Um, what now?”
“Has he not told you about the fundraiser?” Fina frowns.
“I hardly see him, and when our paths do cross, he threatens me.” I haven’t forgiven him for behaving like an ass the other day.
Fina’s lips flatten at my accusation. Does she think I’m exaggerating?
“It’s a big event, so all the city’s most important people will be there. Everyone knows you’ve returned from your stay in Switzerland, so they’ll all be dying to see you.”
“Excuse me?” What the fuck is she on about?
Fina grins sheepishly. “We had to explain why you disappeared. So I came up with a story about you having a breakdown from stress and being admitted to a private hospital in a remote location. I’m sorry. It was the best I could do at short notice.”
“Wait…so everyone thinks I’m mentally unwell but after electric shock treatment, and possibly a lobotomy, I’m now cured?”
Not once did I stop to think about how Angelo’s family explained my sudden absence. Maybe I should have.
“It’s not that bad. Modern psychiatric treatment has come a long way in the last few decades.”
“Poor Angelo. How awful to have a wife who’d rather spend her time having group therapy and popping happy pills than be married to him,” I mutter sarcastically.
“Don’t worry about him. He has a thick skin,” Fina says.
“Trust me. I’m not.”
Fina takes my arm as we leave via the rear entrance and climb into our waiting car. The guy she keeps making heart-eyes at hops into the passenger seat, and a few moments later, we set off back to the mansion.
Resignation settles over me as we pass through the gates. When they lock behind me, my shoulders slump.
Fina notices my change in mood. “I’m truly sorry, Chiara,” she says in a low voice because the screen is down. “If I could help you escape, I would.”
“It’s fine.” It’s not fine, but I don’t blame her for my current predicament.
Eventually, I’ll figure something out. Then it occurs to me. If I’m being allowed out to play the part of Angelo’s newly cured wife, perhaps I can use it to my advantage.