Page 46 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

I am the chicken.

They are the real deals.

After this, I will become more like them. Maybe this is why Fabio cannot accept us getting married. I am an obstacle. Not a support system like Vittoria or Nina.

He can never see me as an equal, because I am not.

“I will lose my mind,” Vittoria grunts and struts to the stool to lean her butt on the edge of it.

“Me too,” I have lost it already.

“I know we need an insider, but I can’t think of anyone,” she chews her lower lips, and her brows slit in a line.

“An insider,” I sit back up and lean my elbows on the desk. “I think…” I pause. It’s another stupid thing to say, but I won’t stop now. “Nina,” I plaster a grin on my face with blank eyes, waiting for her to guffaw and look at me like I am crazy.

“Nina?”

“Yeah,” I stand, seizing the opportunity. “We can use her. I think she might be…”

“That bitch…”

“Vittoria,” I square her with my eyes. “Keep your grievance aside and hear me out first,” I put on a more confident tone, all the while praying that I somehow make sense with what I’m about to say.

“Fine,” she folds her arms across her chest. “You have the floor.”

I totally understand Vittoria’s frustration with Nina. She was Salvatore’s mistress, and secretly carrying his son, when Vittoria was betrothed to him. She had watched as he had beaten his fiancée without saying a word. Forget female solidarity.

“You are yet to make your supposedly helpful point,” Vittoria says impatiently.

“She is just like you,” I start, but she lifts her index finger and flicks it violently, indicating no. “Vittoria, you didn’t have a choice when you were betrothed to Salvatore,” I continue, ignoring her scowl. “I am not sure anyone in their right mind would love my brother,” which brings me to question the rightness of my mind. “We can reach out to her and see how that goes,” I shrug. “Who knows?”

She nods. “Who knows?” She jeers dryly, “She could help us kill Salvatore and free Jake,” she claps. “Brilliant plan.”

“You are letting your emotions guide you,” I clip.

“The girl is a nutcase,” she throws her hands in the air. “She tried to kill me,” she shrieks, her eyes flying wide. “She. Tried. To. Kill. Me!” she stabs her index finger at her chest, dragging her words out so I listen for every stress and articulation.

I nod, aware that Nina also poisoned Vittoria’s drink at her engagement party.

“Fine,” I lift my hands in mock surrender. “Let’s keep thinking,” I stand and sit back on the sofa. “Let us think the day away,” I throw my head back and stare at the mirrored ceiling, too ashamed to look myself in the eye as my reflection stares back, tearing me into tiny pieces with guilt.

“Don’t do that,” she chips. “We don’t need that nasty attitude right now.”

“But what do we have to lose?” I spring up. “If we use the burner phone to call her, she won’t be able to tell anyone, our calls won’t be traced, and we can decide if we want to do it or not based on her response,” I strut to her. “We could…”

Vittoria stands.

“I know it’s stupid, but it’s worth a shot,” I say. “I think we should…”

“Nina might…”

“Let’s just give it a try,” I cut in again, and Vittoria lifts her eyebrows at me, grinding her teeth.

“I will kill her if she tries anything funny around me.”

My mouth is hanging open, and I wonder what I must have said to convince her so quickly.

“You had me at burner phone, and I don’t believe any shit about her being coerced into anything,” she clicks her teeth. “She is a witch and is perfectly able to decide for herself.”

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