Page 60 of Twisted Fate

He makes a tsking sound. “Don’t lie to me, Alina. This won’t go well for you.”

I stare up at him. Every cell in my body wants to cower, but I won’t let myself. I won’t give him the satisfaction. I glare at him, gritting my teeth.

“Do you think your show of bravery will convince me?” he asks, whisper soft, as he leans close, his black eyes blazing. “You work for the Ivanovs. I know it, you know it. Now I only need you to admit it out loud.”

My eyes widen. He doesn’t just think I’m involved because I dated Enzo. He actually thinks I work for the Ivanovs. “You think I’m a spy? I’m not a fucking spy! I...I dated Enzo for a couple of months, but I’m not a spy for anyone!”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

His smile is chilling as he rests his hand around my throat, thumb on one side, fingers on the other. I hold his gaze, my fingers twisting in the sheet, as if covering my nakedness will save me.

“Where. Is. Bianchi?” He growls.

“I don’t know.”

He nods as if approving my answer, but his grip tightens ever so slightly.

My heart slams against my ribs. I try to wriggle away, but he shifts forward, crowding me against the seat back.

“Who does Bianchi work for?”

“I don’t know.” The words come out on a rasp as he tightens his hold even more.

“And who do you work for, Alina Madsen?”

His grip grows tighter, tighter…

I let go of the sheet and scrabble at his hands, but my nails are short, and I can’t even manage to scratch him. I can’t breathe, I can’t think. The world starts to go dark at the edges.

I’m not a spy!

I try to speak, but I can’t form any words, just pathetic gurgles.

And then Leo suddenly pulls back from me, and I gasp and sputter and try to find my breath again. My hands are at my throat, protective, as if I could ward off another attack. I’m shaking, my head spinning. I think I might throw up.

Then I realize that Leo didn’t let me go by choice.

Damian shoves his brother against the wall so hard that his head snaps back and slams against the gleaming pale wood paneling. He presses his forearm against Leo’s upper chest, pinning him to the wall. They’re about the same height, same size. But Damian has rage on his side.

“What the fuck are you doing to her?” he snarls.

Leo slaps Damian’s arm away and jabs his finger in my direction. “You’re blind. You know that? She’s a goddamn spy!”

Damian’s dark eyes flick to me, but only for an instant. “So you were going to fucking kill her?”

“I was questioning her.”

They glare at each other, and I feel like they’re having an entire silent conversation.

“The cops went to the warehouse,” Leo says. “Strange how they got an anonymous tip. Lucky that Luca was thorough.”

“She didn’t fucking know anything about the warehouse,” Damian says.

“She went through your phone. You have no idea what she knows.”

“There was nothing on my phone to find,” Damian says. “Just like there would be nothing on your phone. On any of the family’s phones. You take me for a fucking moron?”

I’m shaking so hard that I know my legs won’t hold me if I try to stand and flee the suite. Besides, where would I flee to? There is nowhere to run. So I shrink back in the chair and try to make myself as small as possible.

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