Page 36 of Doll Face

“Syndicate,” Macy repeated, going cold. “I’ve been a damn lovesick fool, haven’t I.”

Matteo probably thought she was gullible, someone to toy with until he was tired of her and ordered her execution. The thought made her sick. No, he was the one sick, along with pathetic and cruel.

“It’s all right,” Orianna said softly, picking up on Macy’s breakdown. “I knew Matteo had a girlfriend, although I didn’t know your name. A shame really. I always thought he was different, but I suppose rotten apples don’t fall far from the tree.”

“I didn’t know the truth about them,” Macy admitted, the tears once more welling up. Humiliation dragged her down. “Why me? Why did Matteo target me? I’m nobody.”

Orianna reached down and took her hand, holding tight as they drew closer to the base of the steps. For some reason, it comforted Macy like nothing else.

“Frogs don’t jump out of a pot of cold water as the fire slowly heats it up, unknowing the danger until they’re already cooked.”

“So, I’m a frog?”

“In this life you are either the frog or the water. You must choose.”

She thought for a moment. “How do I become the water?”

Orianna stopped and turned, studying her. “Hard work, plus the acceptance that it could end in torture and death.”

Macy stared at her with the one eye not swelled shut. “I’ve already been down that road. Only one way to go now.”

Orianna smiled and resumed walking. “When we get inside, I’ll have my physician look you over. We need to mend your body and face.”

At the base of the steps, Macy hesitated. It was mentally and physically impossible in that moment to go up them. All she could do was look helplessly around because her mind shut down. Any critical thinking had flown away.

“Caelian.” She heard Orianna greet. “This is Macy-oh. Can you pick her up? We need to get her to the doctor immediately to examine her wounds.”

The man, Caelian, nodded and hurried toward Macy. Just as he reached her, the tether holding her up snapped and she started to sink. Strong arms came around her, catching her before she face-planted on the stone steps. She forced her eyes to open. Caelian was a large, imposing man. Military cut dark hair. Blank blue eyes that reminded her of ice.

“Macy,” he greeted in a deep voice. “I’m going to take you to the infirmary.”

Macy didn’t care. She closed her eyes and let the darkness take her away from the pain and grief.

Chapter Fourteen

“Macy!” Matteo yelled, although he knew no one was in her apartment. She never showed up at work, and that terrified him. She seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Running from her complex, he sped back to his office. A list of where she could be or who she could be with rolling through his head. Parking in the underground lot, he jumped out of his car as soon as he put it in park, determined to get men organized in the search for Macy.

“Sir!” said one of his guards. Matteo ignored him. “Sir!”

Matteo paused. “What? I’m in a hurry—”

“You need to talk to your father.”

Something in the man’s tone caused ice to sear through him. “Where is he?”

“His office.”

He spun and entered his personal elevator, riding it up to the top floor. When it opened, Pietro sat behind his desk, looking over some papers.

“Father,” he said.

Pietro raised his head. “Matteo. Sit down, son.”

The words were soft. Regretful. Sorrow turned down at the corner of his father’s eyes. Matteo did as he was told, knowing something wasn’t right. Suddenly not sure if he wanted to hear it.

“There’s no easy way to say this,” he said grimly. “So, I’ll show you instead.”

---