Tobias looked down at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kind of woman who comes up unannounced usually has a gun or a subpoena,\u201d he said. \u201cWhich one are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither,\u201d I answered. \u201cJust very bad timing and worse judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n
His expression didn\u2019t change.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s unfortunate. Mr. Moretti prefers dangerous women. They\u2019re more predictable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before I could decide whether that was a joke, a voice sounded from inside the elevator.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet her up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo Moretti stood at the back of the private lift, one hand in his pocket, dark gaze fixed on me with unsettling calm.<\/p>\n
Tobias stepped aside immediately.<\/p>\n
The elevator doors closed behind me with a soft metallic hush.<\/p>\n
For several seconds, nobody spoke.<\/p>\n
The elevator climbed smoothly upward while my pulse tried to claw its way out of my throat. Up close, Lorenzo was worse somehow\u2014sharper, colder, more deliberate. Men like Ethan filled rooms by demanding attention. Lorenzo filled them by making silence feel dangerous.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou came to my hotel after hours,\u201d he said finally. \u201cWithout an appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI work here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat isn\u2019t the defense you think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heat crawled up my neck. The wine confidence that had carried me into the lobby was beginning to evaporate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need a favor.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes shifted to me then, fully attentive.<\/p>\n
Most people didn\u2019t understand how intimidating true attention could be.<\/p>\n
The elevator opened directly into a private penthouse level that looked less like a suite and more like the headquarters of someone who quietly owned governments. Dark wood. Floor-to-ceiling windows. The Seattle skyline glittering beyond rain-streaked glass.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo walked inside without looking back.<\/p>\n
I followed because apparently survival instincts had abandoned me.<\/p>\n
Tobias stayed near the elevator doors like an armed statue.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo loosened the cuffs of his charcoal shirt and crossed toward the windows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
I folded my arms tightly. \u201cMy ex-fianc\u00e9 is marrying my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n
One eyebrow lifted slightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sounds unpleasant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problem is my family expects me to sit through an engagement dinner while everyone pretends I wasn\u2019t the woman he cheated on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo said nothing.<\/p>\n
So I kept talking, because humiliation had momentum once it started rolling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need someone to come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
His gaze settled on my face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want me to pretend to be your boyfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n
When he said it aloud, the idea sounded clinically insane.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Rain tapped softly against the glass.<\/p>\n
Then Tobias made a noise behind me that might have been a laugh trying not to exist.<\/p>\n
I turned. \u201cDon\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t say anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou thought it aggressively.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo\u2019s mouth almost moved.<\/p>\n
Almost.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy me?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Because Ethan would hate you.<\/p>\n
Because my mother would panic.<\/p>\n
Because everyone in Seattle with money whispered your name carefully.<\/p>\n
Because standing next to you felt like standing next to a thunderstorm and I wanted, for one selfish evening, to stop being the weakest person in the room.<\/p>\n
Instead I said, \u201cYou\u2019re intimidating.\u201d<\/p>\n
That earned me the faintest trace of amusement.<\/p>\n
\u201cA useful quality.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI just need one dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou assume I attend family vendettas as a hobby?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I admitted. \u201cI assume powerful men enjoy leverage.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room went still.<\/p>\n
Tobias looked at me like he was waiting to see whether I survived the next ten seconds.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo studied me with unreadable focus.<\/p>\n
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t warm.<\/p>\n
It was worse.<\/p>\n
It was interested.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what leverage,\u201d he asked softly, \u201cdo you think you have over me, Miss Hayes?\u201d<\/p>\n
I swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cNone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n
He walked past me toward the bar cart, poured himself a drink, then looked over his shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut honesty is rare.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a yes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s conditional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course it was.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will tell me everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI just did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Lorenzo said calmly. \u201cYou told me the polite version.\u201d<\/p>\n
The problem with composed men was that they noticed cracks.<\/p>\n
And suddenly I was tired.<\/p>\n
Tired of dignity.<\/p>\n
Tired of pretending betrayal was survivable if you wore enough mascara and answered emails on time.<\/p>\n
So I told him.<\/p>\n
Not elegantly.<\/p>\n
Not gracefully.<\/p>\n
I told him about finding Ethan in my apartment with Chloe. About my mother insisting we \u201cmove forward.\u201d About the wedding dress still hidden in the back of my closet because I couldn\u2019t bear to open the garment bag long enough to throw it away.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo listened without interrupting.<\/p>\n
When I finished, the penthouse felt very quiet.<\/p>\n
Then he asked, \u201cAnd your sister?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you hate her?\u201d<\/p>\n
The answer should have been easy.<\/p>\n
Instead it lodged in my chest like broken glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I whispered.<\/p>\n
For the first time since I\u2019d arrived, Lorenzo\u2019s expression softened slightly.<\/p>\n
Not pity.<\/p>\n
Something more dangerous.<\/p>\n
Understanding.<\/p>\n
He set down his glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen is the dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThursday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll pick you up at seven-thirty.\u201d<\/p>\n
My breath caught.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not going to ask for anything?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI already did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe truth?\u201d<\/p>\n
His gaze held mine.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
Thursday arrived like an execution date.<\/p>\n
By six o\u2019clock, I had changed outfits four times and considered fleeing the country twice.<\/p>\n
My apartment looked like anxiety had detonated inside it.<\/p>\n
When the buzzer rang at exactly seven-thirty, I nearly dropped my mascara wand.<\/p>\n
I opened the door.<\/p>\n
And forgot how breathing worked.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo stood in the hallway in a black suit and dark overcoat, rain glistening faintly on the shoulders. Behind him, a sleek black car idled at the curb.<\/p>\n
He looked devastatingly composed.<\/p>\n
I looked like a woman one emotional inconvenience away from arson.<\/p>\n
His eyes moved over me once.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re nervous.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re observant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re wearing shoes you can\u2019t run in.\u201d<\/p>\n
I glanced down at my heels. \u201cI didn\u2019t think sprinting would become relevant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith your family?\u201d he asked mildly. \u201cOptimistic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite myself, I laughed.<\/p>\n
The sound surprised both of us.<\/p>\n
Something unreadable flickered across his face before he offered his arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cShall we?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
Bellini\u2019s glowed gold against the wet Seattle streets.<\/p>\n
Through the windows, I could already see my family seated at the long table.<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo noticed.<\/p>\n
Without a word, he placed one hand lightly against the small of my back.<\/p>\n
Steadying.<\/p>\n
Possessive enough to be convincing.<\/p>\n
The ma\u00eetre d\u2019s face changed the second he recognized Lorenzo Moretti.<\/p>\n
People moved differently around him. Faster. Careful.<\/p>\n
The dining room quieted as we walked in.<\/p>\n
Then came the moment.<\/p>\n
My mother looked up first.<\/p>\n
The color drained from her face.<\/p>\n
Chloe froze with her wineglass halfway to her lips.<\/p>\n
Ethan turned slowly\u2014<\/p>\n
\u2014and went perfectly still.<\/p>\n
I almost enjoyed it.<\/p>\n
Almost.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo stopped beside my chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cApologies,\u201d he said smoothly. \u201cTraffic.\u201d<\/p>\n
The man spoke like traffic personally apologized to him.<\/p>\n
Nobody answered.<\/p>\n
I sat carefully before my knees betrayed me.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo took the seat beside mine as if he belonged there.<\/p>\n
My mother recovered first.<\/p>\n
\u201cScarlet,\u201d she said tightly, \u201cyou didn\u2019t mention you were bringing someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t ask.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes shifted toward Lorenzo.<\/p>\n
Recognition dawned slowly.<\/p>\n
Then alarm.<\/p>\n
Everyone in Seattle knew the Moretti name.<\/p>\n
Nobody discussed why.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo inclined his head politely. \u201cMrs. Hayes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Moretti,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ethan looked like he\u2019d swallowed acid.<\/p>\n
Good.<\/p>\n
Chloe stared at me helplessly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re really together?\u201d she asked quietly.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo answered before I could.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
One word.<\/p>\n
Certain. Effortless.<\/p>\n
Terrifyingly believable.<\/p>\n
The waiter arrived then, grateful for any excuse to interrupt the tension thickening around the table.<\/p>\n
Dinner unfolded like a hostage negotiation.<\/p>\n
My father barely spoke.<\/p>\n
My mother drank too much wine while pretending she wasn\u2019t rattled.<\/p>\n
Chloe kept sneaking guilty glances at me.<\/p>\n
And Ethan\u2014<\/p>\n
Ethan watched Lorenzo constantly.<\/p>\n
Measuring him.<\/p>\n
Men recognized danger in other men instinctively.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d Ethan said eventually, forcing a smile, \u201chow did you two meet?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the hotel,\u201d Lorenzo replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cScarlet never mentioned you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cScarlet is discreet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Something in the way he said my name made heat creep into my face.<\/p>\n
Ethan noticed.<\/p>\n
His jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd what exactly do you do, Mr. Moretti?\u201d<\/p>\n
The table went subtly still.<\/p>\n
Ah.<\/p>\n
There it was.<\/p>\n
The challenge.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo dabbed his napkin once against his mouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cHospitality,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Tobias, standing near the entrance like an omen in a suit, coughed suspiciously into his hand.<\/p>\n
Ethan smirked faintly. \u201cThat sounds vague.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s intentional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Then my father unexpectedly spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Moretti Grand hosted the governor\u2019s fundraiser last spring.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mother shot him a look that clearly translated to why are you participating in this conversation.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo nodded politely. \u201cWe try to support the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan leaned back in his chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Scarlet likes that world?\u201d<\/p>\n
The implication slithered beneath the words.<\/p>\n
That I didn\u2019t belong.<\/p>\n
That Lorenzo couldn\u2019t possibly take me seriously.<\/p>\n
Before I could respond, Lorenzo turned toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cScarlet handles pressure better than most executives I\u2019ve met,\u201d he said evenly. \u201cIncluding several who mistake arrogance for competence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan\u2019s smile vanished.<\/p>\n
I stared at Lorenzo.<\/p>\n
He hadn\u2019t defended me politely.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d evaluated me.<\/p>\n
And somehow that felt far more intimate.<\/p>\n
The rest of dinner passed under suffocating tension.<\/p>\n
Then dessert arrived.<\/p>\n
Tiramisu.<\/p>\n
Of course it did.<\/p>\n
My mother folded her hands together delicately.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d she announced, \u201csince we\u2019re all here, Ethan and Chloe have something exciting to share.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chloe looked nervous.<\/p>\n
Ethan looked smug again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve set the wedding date,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A strange numbness settled over me.<\/p>\n
\u201cJune,\u201d Chloe whispered.<\/p>\n
My wedding month.<\/p>\n
Of course.<\/p>\n
I reached for my wineglass before my expression betrayed me.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo\u2019s hand closed gently around my wrist beneath the table.<\/p>\n
Not restraining.<\/p>\n
Grounding.<\/p>\n
His thumb brushed once against my pulse.<\/p>\n
Tiny.<\/p>\n
Almost nothing.<\/p>\n
My heartbeat stumbled anyway.<\/p>\n
Ethan saw it.<\/p>\n
And something ugly flashed across his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d he said casually, \u201cI always wondered when Scarlet would finally move on.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mother stiffened slightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cEthan,\u201d Chloe murmured.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s fine,\u201d he continued, eyes fixed on me. \u201cI\u2019m happy for her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liar.<\/p>\n
Then he smiled directly at Lorenzo.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough I admit, your timing\u2019s impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room chilled.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo\u2019s expression never changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeaning?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan shrugged. \u201cScarlet spent years wanting marriage. Strange she suddenly ends up with Seattle\u2019s most elusive bachelor right before our engagement dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
There it was.<\/p>\n
The accusation.<\/p>\n
Fake.<\/p>\n
Desperate.<\/p>\n
Pathetic.<\/p>\n
I opened my mouth.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo beat me to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou seem unusually interested in my relationship,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n
Ethan leaned forward. \u201cJust curious.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Lorenzo replied. \u201cYou\u2019re territorial.\u201d<\/p>\n
The table went dead silent.<\/p>\n
Even the nearby diners were pretending not to listen now.<\/p>\n
Ethan laughed once. Hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you\u2019re overestimating the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAm I?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo\u2019s gaze pinned him effortlessly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou betrayed her,\u201d he continued calmly. \u201cYou mistook her restraint for weakness. Now you\u2019re uncomfortable because another man values what you discarded.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan\u2019s face darkened.<\/p>\n
Chloe looked horrified.<\/p>\n
My mother whispered sharply, \u201cThis is inappropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo finally turned toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith respect, Mrs. Hayes,\u201d he said, \u201cwhat\u2019s inappropriate is inviting your daughter to celebrate her own humiliation.\u201d<\/p>\n
My breath caught.<\/p>\n
Nobody had ever said it aloud before.<\/p>\n
Not like that.<\/p>\n
Not directly.<\/p>\n
My mother went pale with outrage.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know nothing about this family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Lorenzo agreed. \u201cI know enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tension snapped completely.<\/p>\n
Ethan shoved back his chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think you can walk in here and judge me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo remained seated.<\/p>\n
Which somehow felt more threatening.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need to judge you,\u201d he said. \u201cYour actions already did.\u201d<\/p>\n
For one reckless second, I thought Ethan might actually swing at him.<\/p>\n
Tobias moved instantly from the doorway.<\/p>\n
Not aggressively.<\/p>\n
Efficiently.<\/p>\n
Like violence was simply another logistical issue he knew how to solve.<\/p>\n
Ethan saw him coming and thought better of whatever stupidity had entered his head.<\/p>\n
Good instinct.<\/p>\n
Chloe stood abruptly. \u201cStop it!\u201d<\/p>\n
Her voice cracked.<\/p>\n
Everyone froze.<\/p>\n
Tears filled her eyes as she looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never wanted to hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words landed too late to matter.<\/p>\n
But the pain in her face was real.<\/p>\n
That was the worst part.<\/p>\n
If she\u2019d been cruel, I could\u2019ve hated her cleanly.<\/p>\n
Instead she looked broken.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved him,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n
I laughed softly before I could stop myself.<\/p>\n
The sound hurt coming out.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo did I.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence spread across the table like spilled ink.<\/p>\n
Chloe began crying quietly.<\/p>\n
My mother reached for her immediately.<\/p>\n
Of course she did.<\/p>\n
Instinctive protection.<\/p>\n
Automatic.<\/p>\n
I watched it happen with strange detachment.<\/p>\n
And suddenly I understood something terrifying:<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t angry anymore.<\/p>\n
Not really.<\/p>\n
Anger required hope underneath it.<\/p>\n
Hope that people might become better.<\/p>\n
Mine never would.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo rose smoothly beside me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should go.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
Nobody tried to stop us.<\/p>\n
But as we turned toward the exit, Ethan spoke again.<\/p>\n
\u201cCareful, Scarlet.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked back.<\/p>\n
His expression had shifted into something colder now.<\/p>\n
Resentful.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t know who you\u2019re involved with.\u201d<\/p>\n
A hush fell over the room.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo paused beside me.<\/p>\n
Then, slowly, he looked over his shoulder.<\/p>\n
The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Lorenzo said quietly. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
And for the first time that night\u2014<\/p>\n
I believed there was truth beneath the performance.<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
The car ride back was silent.<\/p>\n
Rain blurred the city lights into rivers of gold across the windows.<\/p>\n
I stared out at Seattle while my thoughts tangled themselves into knots.<\/p>\n
Finally I exhaled shakily.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d I muttered. \u201cThat was psychologically catastrophic.\u201d<\/p>\n
To my surprise, Lorenzo laughed.<\/p>\n
A low, brief sound.<\/p>\n
Real.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could have gone worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone might have thrown a chair.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him. \u201cYou say that like it\u2019s happened before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShould I ask?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another silence settled between us.<\/p>\n
But this one felt different.<\/p>\n
Softer somehow.<\/p>\n
The car stopped outside my apartment building.<\/p>\n
I turned toward him. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I said quietly. \u201cReally.\u201d<\/p>\n
His gaze held mine in the dim light.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou deserved better than tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sincerity in his voice hit harder than sympathy would have.<\/p>\n
I looked down at my hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to think if I handled everything gracefully enough, eventually someone would choose me first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo said nothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that sounds pathetic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounds trained.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked up sharply.<\/p>\n
His expression remained unreadable as he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople become what they\u2019re rewarded for. Your family rewarded sacrifice.\u201d<\/p>\n
The accuracy of it stole my breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n
For the first time all evening, something shadowed his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause mine rewarded violence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words settled heavily in the car.<\/p>\n
Before I could respond, his phone buzzed.<\/p>\n
Everything about him changed instantly.<\/p>\n
The warmth vanished.<\/p>\n
His eyes hardened into something lethal.<\/p>\n
He answered in Italian.<\/p>\n
Fast. Cold.<\/p>\n
Dangerous.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t understand the words, but I understood tone.<\/p>\n
Tobias glanced sharply into the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo listened for several seconds.<\/p>\n
Then he said one sentence that made even Tobias go still.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one touches her.\u201d<\/p>\n
The call ended.<\/p>\n
A terrible feeling slid down my spine.<\/p>\n
\u201cLorenzo?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
And for the first time since I\u2019d met him, I saw genuine fury beneath his composure.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
He was quiet too long.<\/p>\n
Then:<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone broke into your apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ice flooded my veins.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTobias.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without another word, the car accelerated violently back into traffic.<\/p>\n
My pulse thundered.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho would\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
But even as I asked, I knew.<\/p>\n
Ethan\u2019s warning echoed in my head.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t know who you\u2019re involved with.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo\u2019s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you tell anyone about me?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid anyone follow you recently?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know!\u201d<\/p>\n
The city blurred past outside.<\/p>\n
Sirens wailed somewhere distant.<\/p>\n
Fear sharpened every nerve in my body.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s happening?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorenzo looked at me then.<\/p>\n
Not like a man pretending anymore.<\/p>\n
Like a man making calculations.<\/p>\n
And whatever he saw must have convinced him.<\/p>\n
Because he finally told me the truth.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy family,\u201d he said quietly, \u201chas enemies.\u201d<\/p>\n
The understatement nearly made me laugh hysterically.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnemies?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat kind of enemies break into apartments?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kind who send messages.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cold terror crawled through me.<\/p>\n
The car turned hard onto my street.<\/p>\n
Blue police lights flashed ahead.<\/p>\n
My building stood dark against the rain.<\/p>\n
One apartment window shattered.<\/p>\n
Mine.<\/p>\n
My breath stopped.<\/p>\n
Two police officers stood near the entrance taking statements from frightened tenants.<\/p>\n
But that wasn\u2019t what made my blood run cold.<\/p>\n
It was the symbol spray-painted across my apartment door in dripping black paint.<\/p>\n
A crown.<\/p>\n
Split down the middle.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo went utterly still beside me.<\/p>\n
And for the first time since meeting him\u2014<\/p>\n
he looked afraid.<\/p>\n
Not for himself.<\/p>\n
For me.<\/p>\n
Then Tobias swore quietly under his breath and reached inside his jacket.<\/p>\n
Because across the street, half-hidden beneath a flickering streetlamp\u2014<\/p>\n
a man in a dark coat was watching our car.<\/p>\n
Smiling.<\/p>\n
And in his hand was a photograph of me. Tobias looked down at me. \u201cThe kind of woman who comes up unannounced usually has a gun or a subpoena,\u201d he said. \u201cWhich one are you?\u201d \u201cNeither,\u201d I answered. \u201cJust … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":171,"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions\/171"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailystories24h.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n…
\nIf you want to know what happened next, please type \u201cYES\u201d and like for more.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"