Page 78 of These Deadly Vows

“Was someone chasing you?”

“No.” I close my eyes and take another deep breath, biting back my tears.

Leaning my head against the window, I don’t realize we’re at the harbor until the car shuts off. “Carla’s on a boat?”

“I’m really sorry about this,” he tells me.

Before I can question him, his fist slams into my temple.

“What were you thinking? I told you I’d handle Adeline,” a woman chastises someone. I try to focus on their conversation.

I know that voice.

“Carla?” I croak and blink as my head throbs.

“She’s waking up,” a male voice warns in a hushed tone.

Opening my eyes, I find myself unable to move my hands. They’re tied behind my back.

“What’s going on?” I mutter, trying to focus on the flesh-colored blurs waving in front of my eyes that turn out to be Dante’s fingers.

“Sorry about Carmichael. He doesn’t think. Are you okay?”

“No. Why am I tied to a chair?” I look around the room, not recognizing my surroundings. There’s a bunch of crates with Chinese symbols stamped on the sides. “Where are we? Where’s Carla?”

“I’m here.” My best friend approaches, dressed in a navy-blue pantsuit and pale blue top like she’s been working in an office or something. I didn’t even know she works. Guess I’m not the only one of us keeping secrets.

My stomach lurches. I’m nauseous and having a hard time recalling what happened in the car with Carmichael. When I asked him to bring me to his sister, this isn’t the reunion I imagined us having.

“What’s going on? Untie me.”

Her expression softens. “I wish I could. You have to know. I didn’t want things to go down like this.”

I blink. “Go down like what? I don’t understand any of this. What are you talking about? Stop messing with me.”

She squats down, placing a hand on my knee, giving me a placating pat. “Honey, I saw the test.”

“What test?” My pulse pounds against my temples and bile burns in the back of my throat.

“I know you’re pregnant. And if you have Ghost’s baby, then he’ll push us out of the fold when he inherits the rest of your father’s territory. I can’t let that happen.” I hear her words, but they sound foreign coming from her lips.

“I’m not pregnant. I don’t know where you got that from, but I can’t have kids. I’ve known since I was a teen. You know I wouldn’t lie to you.” I thought we were friends. I’ve told Carla things about myself I’ve never shared with another soul. Stuff about my father. Conversations I’d overheard between him and his men. Details only someone on the inside would know. Oh my God. She was using me the whole time.

Our whole friendship was a lie.

Lorenzo was right about her.

Chills fan up and down my arms.

I have no one.

Not my husband.

Not Axe.

I’m all alone.

Carla stares at me but doesn’t believe me. “We’ll need you to take another test.” She’s cold and straight to business.

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