Page 4 of Devious Lies

An important man.

That means the funeral is packed.

I tug my black coat tighter around me and shiver against the cold.

None of this feels real.

As we make our way from the graveside to the limo waiting for us, I help Mami inside first.

Then Enrico Sanchez steps in front of me.

“Allow me to accompany your mother, nena. We have much to discuss,” he says.

I look at my mother, and she’s almost catatonic.

I want to refuse, but I can’t.

This man scares me.

I look around at the dozen or more soldiers in all black, their jackets bulging with what I can only guess are weapons, and I shiver.

No, I can’t refuse him. He’s the boss and I’m just the daughter of his dead general.

“You can ride with me,” Matteo says, and before I can protest, Enrico Sanchez’s son grabs my arm and tugs me towards a large blacked out SUV.

“Get in,” he says with a slight shove.

I climb in.

I have no choice.

But I don’t know what he will try to do on the short ride to my house.

I sit as close to the door as I can and try to make myself small.

Matteo is the kind of man who even though he is only five foot six, needs to feel big. I’m five foot nine.

I know this pisses him off.

“Look, Mia, I know you had feelings for Carmine, and I’m sorry for your loss,” he says, but he sounds anything but sorry.

“Thank you,” I reply.

He scowls at me. Matteo looks mad that I interrupted him, so I close my lips tighter.

“You should know, my brother wasn’t half the man I am. I’m gonna take good care of you,” he says, and his meaning is clear.

I back up as far as I can into the door.

But it’s no use.

Matteo is fast for a small man.

He grabs my thigh with a bruising grip and pulls me towards him.

Next, he presses his hard mouth to mine and I feel his tongue lick the seam of my lips.

I don’t open them.

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