21. Liana
LIANA
I wake up with a start. Dario has me wrapped up in his arms. He’s snoring lightly, face half-pressed into the pillow. His long eyelashes fan over his high cheekbones.
His full lips are slack, mouth slightly parted.
He’s fucking gorgeous. Like someone sculpted a god and brought him to life with his lanky frame and lean, ropy muscles.
I shouldn’t be thinking like this. I shouldn’t be lying here with him. This has to end. It fucking has to.
Right now.
I don’t exactly have enough money saved to get out, but I’ll have to figure something out. I can’t keep going like this. Because I’m still so in love with him it physically hurts, and I hate him at the same time.
And I need to know if he killed my father.
So I take my time wiggling out of his arms, thankful that he sleeps so heavily. I manage to pull my leggings back on and start to creep out of the room.
As I do, something glints silver in the sunlight coming through the window. I glance over and it’s a keyring, on the floor. It must have fallen out of his pocket while we were...
I glance up at Dario’s sleeping form and see that his chest is still rising and falling steadily.
I bite my lip and grab the keys, hurrying out of the room but closing the door softly behind me.
I walk slowly to his office, hoping that I don’t run into Sofia or whoever else he staffs to clean and cook here. Luckily, the hallway is deserted, and I’m able to slip into his office without being detected.
I hurry to the locked drawer and flip through his keys, finding it easily since it’s so small.
I unlock the drawer and the first thing I see is a handgun—not surprising. Then there’s diamonds, small ones, and other precious stones. Nothing out of the ordinary. At the very bottom, there’s a silver chain. I wrap my fingers around it and tug and realize it’s not a chain, but a pocket watch.
My breath catches in my throat. How many times had I seen my father finger the pocket watch he wore on his belt? My hands tremble as I turn it around.
It’s not engraved. It’s not custom made. It’s possible that Dario just has this, but why would he have it in a locked drawer? It’s not particularly expensive, Papa had just liked it.
Is this proof?
The door creaks open and I gasp, slamming the drawer shut with the keys still in it.
I whirl around and Dario stands there, hair mussed from sleep, staring at me.
“What are you doing?”
I open and close my mouth like a fish, my mind racing.
“Where did you get this pocket watch?”
He takes a step forward, frowning. “What are you doing, Li?”
I swallow hard. “Just tell me.”
He blinks. “It was my father’s. It’s kind of sentimental to me, so I keep it locked up. Why are you snooping in my things?”
My shoulders slightly relax but it doesn’t explain it. It doesn’t explain everything.
He could still be my father’s killer.
Which is why it’s fucked up that I want to kiss away his pained expression.
“I...” I don’t know what to say. There’s no way to explain this. “I need to go to Beth’s. I’m annulling the marriage.”
The words fly out of my mouth, and something a lot like hurt flashes across Dario’s face.
“What? Why? You still... you still need help, Li. You still need me.”
“I don’t,” I snap, trying to stalk past him but he grabs my arm, hard, whirling me around. “Let go of me.”
“What are you... who are you?” he whispers, something desperate in his gaze as he looks down at me. “Are you working with Beth?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Is that why you’re in here, going through my office? To give her information?”
His grip on my arm almost hurts so I wrench away from him.
“You hurt me.”
He doesn’t seem to hear what I said, he just stands there, fists clenched at his sides.
He takes a step forward and I back up against the door, my hand on the knob.
“Dario... don’t,” I warn but my voice comes out barely a whisper.
All of this... the fear rushing through me... why am I still turned on? Why do I wish he’d grip my chin hard again like he did in bed, force me to look at him, maybe shove two fingers down my throat?
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Tell me. Tell me what the fuck is going on, Li, or I swear to God...”
His voice raises and I wince before screams come from outside and banging on the door.
“Sonny,” I gasp. I whirl around, yanking open the door and seeing Sonny standing there. Before I can scoop him in my arms, Dario looks down at him.
“Hey, kiddo,” he says, voice cracking, but Sonny flinches away from him, afraid, and the look on Dario’s face...
As mad as I am at him right now, it makes my heart crack straight through.
“We’re going,” I say quickly, picking up Sonny who immediately puts his head on my shoulder, sobbing quietly.
I rush to my room, grabbing my phone and my purse and nothing else.
There’s no time.
If Dario really did kill my father, he might kill us, too.
I have to get out of here. Get somewhere safe.
“Fuck, wait, Li, don’t,” he starts, following me down the stairs but I fly down them, exiting the front door and putting Sonny in his seat in my car. “Don’t go to Beth’s! Get a hotel or something, hell, go back to your stepmother’s but don’t go to Beth’s.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you? You think you can dictate where I go after—”
“I’m being serious, Li,” he says flatly, his expression exasperated. “Beth isn’t who you think she is. She—”
“Just... stop while you’re behind, Dario,” I snap, and get in my car, slamming the door.
Dario rushes down the porch steps and in front of my car as I crank it and put it in drive.
I slam down on the brakes when he doesn’t move, yelling in frustration.
“I’ll run you over!”
He knows I won’t. He just stands there, looking defeated and anxious.
Sonny cries harder and I hate Dario. I hate myself.
I can’t fucking do it.
I turn the car off, my yell of frustration turning into a sob.
I get out and grab Sonny and whisk him back inside.
“Liana will you just listen to me—”
“No,” I hiss as he follows us up the stairs. “Fuck you. I fucking hate you, Dario Conte. Stay the fuck away from me and my son.”
I don't miss the flash of pain in his eyes when I slam the door in his face.