Chapter 21 #2
My mind is spinning. Why would he think I would know anything about what the men in my family do? They would never tell me anything. He growls out loud and the sound sends a shiver down my spine.
“Fighting rings, Liana. Do they fight in the underground?”
‘Fighting rings?’
My heart speeds up. I have no idea what he's talking about, but the intensity of his questioning makes me nervous.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I swear it. Women don’t get to know anything like that where I am from. We are kept isolated.”
Diego's eyes flick to me, then back to the road.
"Isolated," he repeats, like he's testing the word for lies. "Yet they flew across the world to open a restaurant right when you're about to be married. And somehow, they know Degerson."
I shrug, trying to appear casual even as my pulse hammers in my throat. I’m freaking out inside because I have no idea what he is talking about and suddenly I wish I would have paid just a little more attention whenever the men in my family were talking.
"Family is important to Italians. You should understand that, being in a family business yourself."
He laughs but I can tell it's mocking.
"In our family, women aren’t always so weak."
That statement hits me hard, making me narrow my eyes at him. I may have been secluded, but that doesn’t make me weak.
"Look," I say, turning in my seat to face him directly, "I don't know what you think I know, but I was literally kept on an estate my entire life.
I wasn't allowed to leave. I wasn't allowed to have friends.
The only person who ever told me anything was my cousin Andre, and even he kept me in the dark about most things. "
It's the most honest thing I can say right now, and for a moment, I think I see a flicker of sympathy in his eyes.
"So you expect me to believe your cousins are just here to sell pasta?" His skepticism drips from every word.
"I don't expect you to believe anything," I reply, surprising myself with my boldness. "I’m telling you the truth. Whatever game you think they're playing, I'm not part of it."
"Your wedding is coming up quickly," he says abruptly, changing the subject. "Santiago wants everything perfect. No complications."
"I understand."
"Do you? Or better yet, do they?"
His question hangs between us for the rest of the drive. I may not know what my cousins are up to but he seems to have some sort of idea.
By the time we pull through the estate gates, my nerves are frayed to breaking point.
I practically bolt from the car the moment it stops, mumbling something about not feeling good as I rush inside.
In my bathroom, I lock the door behind me and lean against it, exhaling shakily.
I dig into my purse with trembling fingers, pulling out the folded note.
For a minute I just stare at it, almost as if I’m afraid of what will be inside.
Curiosity gets the best of me though and I’m unwrapping it just as quickly.
A familiar, messy scrawl greets me.
Liana,
First, know that I love you and I'm doing everything in my power to fix this situation. Alessio is gone and his death has thrown our family into chaos that I am gradually getting under control. What he did to you was unforgivable and I’m truly sorry I wasn’t there to stop it.
I’ll never forgive myself for that. Please be careful.
The Sanchez family is dangerous in ways even our family isn't prepared for. Their ties to the underground give them reach beyond what we anticipated. This marriage alliance is much more complex than I thought. You won’t be able to leave without repercussions…
for all of us. Antonio, Alexander, and Felix will be there if you need them.
If at any point you feel threatened or unsafe, tell them.
They will take you, consequences be damned.
Be strong, Liana and remember you are a Manitellie.
Andre
I read it three times, my heart racing faster with each pass.
Andre isn’t offering me a way out. My cousins cannot take me back.
I can’t go home to Italy, back to the familiar walls of our estate and back to Andre's protection. This would cause a war. He didn’t say it exactly but I can read between the lines.
This family is dangerous. More dangerous than mine.
My stomach clenches as I trace my fingers over the words.
If only Andre knew the truth. I've fallen for a man who isn't my fiancé at all, but instead, the guard sent to watch over me. I’ve done something far more dangerous than trying to escape. The worst part? I’m not sure I want to leave anymore.
I fold the letter carefully and move to the toilet, where I rip it into pieces and toss it inside. I flush and watch as the paper swirls down the drain, taking the evidence of my family's concern with it.
Sitting on the edge of my bed, I touch my side where the datura tattoo hides beneath my nightgown.
In less than a week, I'll be married to a man I've never met.
The logical choice would be to run away and never look back.
But my heart whispers a different truth.
Whenever I think of leaving, Frankie's face appears in my mind.
The way he looked at me in that hotel room in Prescott, like I was the most precious thing he'd ever seen.
The way his hands touched me, gentle one moment and desperate the next. The way he calls me "Datura”…
I know I can’t leave now. I won't run. Not yet. I'll keep Frankie a secret. I'll find a way to keep seeing him. It's dangerous and probably stupid, but it's the only thing that feels real.