Page 84 of Remy

“I am bound by silence and honor,” Lorenzo continues.

She sucks in a breath. “I am bound by silence and honor.”

“Until death claims me.”

“Until death claims me,” she whimpers.

With the last word of the oath I snatch the card, the flimsy board melting into my fingertips. I throw it to the large crystal ashtray on Lorenzo’s desk, the flames flickering with the momentum.

“You’re whipped and it shows,” Salvatore mutters under his breath for only me to hear.

“Grande.” Lorenzo beams with false praise. “You are now part of the family, mia cara. You are one of us.”

I breathe through the resentment as Ollie stares at the burns on her skin, no doubt a myriad of troubled thoughts hidden behind solemn eyes.

“Are we done?” I shove my hands in my pockets, fists clenched, knuckles aching.

“Almost. I have one more question.” Lorenzo raises an aged finger, pointing it back and forth between us. “Is there something romantic going on here that I need to know about?”

“No.” Ollie scrunches her nose. “Not at all.”

Salvatore snorts, enjoying her exaggerated display of distaste.

“Figlio?” Lorenzo narrows his gaze on me. “Is that true?”

“Yes.” Wanting to fuck her isn’t romantic, right?

“You have not slept together?”

I don’t blink. Don’t even twitch. “No.”

He leans against his desk, nodding. “Good.” He returns his attention to Ollie. “I like you, Olivia.”

I’m not stupid enough to be relieved by his statement, and being the incredibly smart woman Ollie is, she doesn’t relax either.

“I’d hate for that to change,” he adds.

A whisper of a chuckle escapes her lips. “Believe me. I don’t want it to change either. I prefer being on the living side of my mortuary gurney if I can help it.”

Lorenzo grins. An earnest, charm-fueled expression that quickly fades. “With that being said, I would feel more at ease if we had someone to keep a close eye on you for the time being. Someone that preferably isn’t my nephew.”

“It’s already been taken care of.” I jerk my head toward the hall, encouraging Ollie to get moving.

“How so?” Salvatore asks.

“I’ve arranged for a close contact I trust to gain employment at the funeral home. He met with Carlo yesterday. My expectation is that he’ll be introduced to staff sometime this morning.”

Olivia stiffens.

Lorenzo nods his approval. “And outside of work?”

“Spyware has been installed on her devices and men have been scheduled to keep watch.”

Surprised hazel eyes turn my way, the heavy sense of betrayal eating up my periphery.

“Perfect.” Lorenzo clasps his hands in appreciation. “Then please consider your time with Olivia now officially over. I want you to drive her wherever she needs to be, then leave her in peace. There’s to be no further contact between you two unless an issue arises. Understood?”

17

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