Page 73 of Malevolent Secrets

“Hey Carla, I know I still have a few days left in my leave of absence, but I wanted to come in and apologize for taking so much time off without any prior warning.”

She grabs hold of my hand and shakes me a little.

“You’re not listening to me. You should not be here. Ay Dio Mío, Lorenzo is gonna freak out.” A Spanish accent I didn’t even know she had suddenly shows up in her voice. I’m confused.

“What’s happening, why shouldn’t I be here?”

She takes my hand and starts leading me to the back of the club, towards my office.

“Carla, stop.”

She stops walking and turns to look at me.

“What’s going on? Where’s everyone? Where’s Lorenzo?”

“He’s dealing with a mess. Massimo is on a rampage. You don’t need to hear all of this. Somebody should’ve been watching you at home.”

Watching me?

“I’m not a child.”

“In this world, you are. You are a little clueless child, and you’re here now, and I have to protect you. Your man will have my head on a fucking platter if anything happens to you. Now, come with me.”

She takes hold of my hand again and we keep walking. We pass my office and she doesn’t stop, not until we get to the inventory room. She opens the door with a flourish and I see Maria bent over a table. She frowns when she sees me.

“What are you doing here?”

Why does everyone keep asking me that?

“She needs to stay here with you. She can’t leave because we don’t know how many men that bastard actually has here. Please do not let her leave the room until you get the okay from me.”

Maria nods with a serious expression, and it feels like I’m losing my mind.

“Can someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?”

Maria nods at Carla, and she leaves.

“Listen to me, Daniella. There’s a war going on right now between two families, the Raineris and the Duretti’s. It’s been brewing for years, and it has finally boiled over. Massimo Raineri is the son of Bruno Raineri, and the next in line to be their leader, but he is also a hot-tempered fucker.”

It’s so jarring to hear her swear, but at this point, I think everyone here has a foul mouth. Plus, what she’s saying is too important.

Massimo was the one who gave me the information about Jeremy and Lorenzo. He’s the whole reason I’m here.

“I-is he here?” I ask, trying not to let my trembling show. If he is here, he is going to recognize me, and he is going to out me to Lorenzo.

I don’t even want to find out what happens after that.

“Let’s hope not. He is a cruel bastard. My husband was working for him, and that’s what got him killed. It seems like he has more men planted on our side, and after what Lorenzo did to him, Massimo is out for blood. He wants carnage. And he’s already getting it.”

“I don’t understand, explain everything to me.”

She shakes her head.

“I can’t because I don’t know the full story. Lorenzo is the one who does, maybe he can answer your questions. Or his sister, I heard the three of them have been connected for a very long time.”

I frown.

“His sister?”

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