Page 86 of Isle of Beauty

I don’t recall a moment Julian has not taken care of me and loved me like a sister. It makes what I have to say even more painful. Because the pain he’s about to experience? I’m responsible for it.

“Jules, I have to tell you something.”

He frowns but says nothing, his hand still resting in mine.

“Igor isn’t here but it’s not because he was afraid to be seen at your bedside, keeping watch over you. Until… everything happened, he was there every hour.”

“I know. I somehow could feel him. Did you send him to stay with Giulia?”

I wince. “No.”

Emotions clog my throat and it gets harder to say the words out loud.

“I was taken as a ploy.”

“What does that mean?”

“Lisandru’s uncle wasn’t the mastermind behind my abduction, Jules. It was Misha.”

Julian looks like I’ve slapped him. His hold on my hand loosens and his jaw goes slack.

“No.” he shakes his head and continues to mumble the word “no” while standing up with a grimace. He starts pacing in front of the sofa and grows more agitated by the minute.

“Jules…”

“Where is he, Lana?”

“I don’t know.”

My tears fall silently on my cheeks. I’ve lost my friend but he’s lost his soulmate and I already know the pain will crush him.

“Where is my husband?” Julian yells and my eyes widen with shock. He’s heaving, the fast rise and fall of his chest announcing a panic attack coming. I rise and direct him to the sofa, bringing him water and drawing soothing circles across his back.

When he looks up at me, his glare tears my chest open. I’ve never seen so much venom reflecting in the hazel of my best friend’s eyes.

“You married each other in secret?” I ask softly, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it from him.

“As soon as Pierce took my place as heir. I wasn’t going to waste another minute. And our families are strong enough to go to war for us. Now, fucking tell me where my husband went.”

“I don’t know. Misha probably took him to Moscow.”

His elbows fall to his knees and his head drops in between his hands but I hear him loud and clear. “Get out.”

“Jules, I…”

“This is all your fault and I can’t see you right now. Get the fuck out of here.”

“You’re not being fair.”

Faster than I can react to, he grabs my elbow roughly and pulls me on my feet before directing me to the door and throwing me out of his flat. “I’ve lost the love of my life because yours is worth more to every fucking person around me. I don’t care about fair. Don’t come see me until I call for you or I might do something I’d regret.”

He slams the door in my face and I drop to my knees. He’s right, this is all my fault.

THIRTY-FIVE

LANA

HOW TO MAKE A MAFIA MAN

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