21. Margot
Chapter 21
Margot
I flip the page of the book I’m reading, my mind half on the story and half on the scene beyond the window. Thick raindrops streak the glass, the remnants of the early morning downpour that left puddles across the property, and a vibrancy to the grass and trees. I snuggle further into the oversized armchair, tucking my blanket around me as a gust of wind thrashes the trees around.
Facing the window, I’m blocked from the view of anyone passing in the corridor, but I can also pretend that the world on the other side of the door doesn’t exist. Especially Massimo . We’ve been cordial this past week, but there’s a growing tension between us, fraught with a sexual energy that could combust at any moment.
Thankfully, neither of us has acted on it, and the time we’ve spent dancing around each other has helped me to firm up my resolve. Massimo is a monster, this much I know. The problem is, when we’re caught up in the cloud of lust, it’s hard to remember everything he’s done and how he came into my life.
My mind drifts to Ethan, guilt tumbling over me like an avalanche and settling onto my chest; heavy and suffocating. I rest the book in my lap, gazing out of the window as I wait for it to pass.
At times, when Massimo is playing the strings of my body like a skilled musician, it feels like I’ve given in too soon. As if I waved my white flag and surrendered to my husband, when the man I really love is out in the world, waiting for me. Is he though? I haven’t heard from Ethan since his message telling me to try and make things work with Massimo. It’s like he’s given up on us, and I can’t really blame him for that.
Resting my head against the back of the chair, I blink back the moisture that pools in my eyes. The loss of him feels like grief, as if he’d died and I have no hope of ever seeing him again. In some ways, I think that would have made this easier, at least then I’d have nothing to hold on to.
Smoothing my hand over the worn page of the book, I blink away my sorrow and begin reading again. My finger traces the words as I read about a heroine torn from her love. I get lost in their world, pretending my story could end like theirs, where the girl gets her guy.
“I don’t know what else you want me to tell you. It’s gone.” A hushed male voice drowning in urgency cuts through the quiet. His low tone speaks of secrecy, but rather than tuning him out, I steady my breathing and listen intently.
I wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t, the only sound in the room is that of the fire crackling beside me. Closing my book, I quietly slide it onto the coffee table, my movements slow and methodical.
“Yes, I’ve searched the room.” He pauses, his footsteps on the plush carpet faint but an indication of his pacing. “There’s no envelope, only a piece of tape.”
Is he talking about the envelope I found? My breath halts as I stare at my reflection in the window. Could this be the person Massimo told me about? The one who has been plotting to kill him from within his own ranks?
I could confront him, burst into the corridor, and demand to know why. The idea sparks to life before my common sense can kick in but when it does, I shut the idiotic thought down. Anyone in this house is dangerous and should be approached with caution. And I am not the person to be confronting people who are trained to kill.
Right now, I’m nothing more than a shadow on the other side of the door. I should stay where I am and deny having heard anything if he comes in. But if I move closer, I might be able to see who it is .
Swallowing down my nerves, I ease myself out of the chair, wary of making a sound and alerting them to my presence. My breaths are short and shallow, but as I cross the room and hide myself behind the door, they sound loud and exaggerated to my own ears.
I angle my body to peek through the gap where the door meets the frame. From where he’s standing—on the corner of where the corridor turns—it’s impossible to see him properly. But there’s a familiarity to his voice, even with the thread of panic lacing it.
From my new vantage point, I can just about hear another voice; it’s loud but the words are indecipherable as they shout on the other end of the phone.
“I am very aware of what Mattia did.” He pauses. “Yes, he fucked us over, but I won’t let that happen again.” He moves around the corridor, his voice growing distant before becoming clearer. “I think if he’d found it, I’d have been told. Stupidly, they’ve brought me in on the search for me.” He lets out a dark, sinister chuckle that sends a shiver down my spine.
I close my eyes, trying to place his voice, to recall his face, but it’s no use.
Pressing my back to the wall, I suck in a breath, covering my mouth with my hand when the mystery man moves closer to the library door and pushes it open. I daren’t move, frozen in place with him on the other side of the door.
“I’ll keep you updated,” he murmurs distractedly. “I’ve got to go.”
His footsteps fade as he leaves, and I don’t breathe until I’m certain that he’s gone. The danger Massimo spoke of isn’t just real—it’s here and I’ve stumbled straight into its path. But the fear curling in my gut only makes my resolve harden. I have to figure out who he is.
Too much is depending on it.