Page 55 of Doll Face

“We’ll start with the Rothschild,” he ordered.

The server nodded, hurrying away. Instead of focusing on the menu on the tablet, she studied Matteo.

“Something happened,” she said.

He stared at her, not showing any emotion.

The server came back with a bottle of wine and two glasses. She popped the cork and poured Matteo a small amount, handing it to him. He swirled it, smelled it, and then sipped, nodding his approval. The server filled both glasses up and they ordered food before she disappeared once more.

She folded her arms across the table, leaning forward. “What’s wrong with you?”

Instead of answering, he reached into his pocket, brought out a velvet jewelry box, and placed it on the table.

“What’s that?”

“What do you think it is?”

Again, there was that tone in his voice that warbled just a little. “A ring?”

He gave a one shoulder shrug. “Open it and find out.”

She picked it up and flipped the lid, revealing an aquamarine stone. Her stone. Her gaze flew to his and she saw despair. Grief. Anger. In that instant, she knew that he knew who she was.

“How did you figure it out?”

“Little things, here and there. But you getting shots for eosinophilic asthma kind of cinched it. Tell me what the hell is going on, Gianna!” He glared at her. “Or should I say Macy?”

“Macy died in that basement, that wasn’t a lie,” she told him calmly, closing the lid of the jewelry box. Then she dropped her English accent. “I was reborn as Gianna Violetta Aldighieri Novelly.”

“What basement?”

“You know what basement,” she said harshly.

“I really don’t.” He raked a hand through his hair, tugging on the strands. “I saw your death photo. There was a hole in your temple.”

“Lighting, blood, and some dirt. But don’t pretend you gave a shit.”

He leaned closer, the tone of his voice harsh. Tormented. “You were my whole world!”

She lifted her chin defiantly. “Your whole world? You had me killed, so don’t sit there and pretend you cared.”

His head jerked back as if slapped. “What?”

“Yeah, I know all about your betrayal,” she said bitterly. “Your father told me all about it right before he pulled the trigger. That photo would’ve been real if it hadn’t been for a mole in his organization.”

“My father,” he muttered. “My father?”

There was something wrong with him. He looked … confused. Or, maybe horrified.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know what he was up to.”

“No, I fucking didn’t. Did you think I’d ordered your death?” He shook his head. “I love you! I loved you from the first moment I saw you. I loved you with every beat of my heart. I waged a war for three years trying to kill the people who took you away from me. I loved you in life and I loved you in death.”

Confusion filled her. “He told me you were tired of me. That you had made a mistake.”

He bowed his head for a moment, looking a little shell shocked. “I was going to ask you to marry me that night.”

She gasped. “What?”

---