Page 36 of Frayed Bonds

I swallow a lump in my throat at the realisation. It’s fake. His eyes meet mine, and they are unreadable.

“So, where'd you get it?” he asks again, now standing in front of me. Antonio is probably the least intimidating person once you get to know him, but knowing him right now, I’ll admit he is actually terrifying.

I bite the inside of my cheek. This wasn't supposed to get this complicated. I was supposed to drop the letter off and sell the ring. No explanations, nothing. Instead, now it's fake, Antonio is forming his own assumptions, and I have to rehash all the drama I'm hoping to put behind me.

He places the ring in front of me. “I can’t buy a stolen ring, and that’s what I'm going to assume unless you tell me otherwise. It being a fake diamond is not helping my assumptions either right now, Val.”

“It’s mine,” is all I manage to say, and he raises a brow. “It was my engagement ring.”

“Was?”

“Yes, was.” I won't elaborate further. He doesn't ask anything else, instead, he nods and picks the ring up, walking towards a desk.

“Why are you selling it?”

It’s a simple question. So I give him a simple answer. “Because I need the money.”

The bell above the front door rings and Mattia walks in carrying three coffee cups, handing me one.

“I brought some sugar, I wasn't sure how much you’d like.” He smiles and hands me the cup. Now that I have a chance to look at him better, I wonder how I ever missed the Vitale in him. He is the spitting image of his brother, and they all have this signature soft curl to their hair. Even Adriano and Augustus had it before they both shaved their heads.

His brown eyes are the only different feature not shared between him and his cousins, who all have different shades of green eyes.

“So, Valerie, I heard that you work for us now,” he says, leaning against the counter.

Antonio stops to look up at Mattia. “This is why you're single, cugino. You have the ability to ruin the mood whenever you open your mouth.”

“It’s okay,” I reassure Mattia. “I guess I do, Nino helped get me the job.”

“And you work for Ambrose?” he asks. “I bet you aren’t happy about that.” He elbows Antonio

A paper tearing draws my attention before I can even ask Mattia what that means.

“Here, let me give you a ride home,” Antonio says, gesturing to the door.

Taking the cheque, I nod and slip it into my bag. “It was lovely to meet you, Mattia.”

“Likewise, Valerie.” He smiles and waves.

Once we are outside, Antonio stops to look down at me as he opens the passenger door of his car. “Please don't tell anyone about this,” I beg.

His face is hard as he surveys my expression.

“Please, Nino.”

“Get in the car Val,” he says, and I pout before following his instructions.

As soon as he is in the car, the air feels near suffocating, and the tension of unanswered and unasked questions surrounds us.

“How could you not tell me that you are married?”

“Was married, currently applying for a divorce. Hence me selling the ring,” I correct and remind him of the obvious.

“You know what I mean, Valerie.” He frowns, glancing over at me.

I sigh, leaning my head against the window. “I was married to a guy in Paris,” I start and he nods intently. “To make a horrible story short, neither the marriage nor the man were what they seemed. Dark things hide behind pretty lies.” I shrug and his head snaps towards me.

“Did he hurt you, Valerie?”

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