Page 19 of Vengeful Mafia Prince

But when she looks back up at me again, I can see this pain in her eyes, this pain and terror, like all the dust is clearing and she can finally look at me again. And the man she sees... the man she sees is not one she likes at all.

"Johnny— Giovanni... I..."

Hearing her say my real name like that, it's more than I can take. I don't want to do this with her, I don't want to have this conversation with her. I tidy myself up as best I can and then leave the alleyway, heading back to my car.

My head is a mess. I'm exposed. There's no way I can continue with the plan now. And... would Elena have tried so hard to find out who I am, no matter how she had done it, if I hadn't gotten involved with her? The question torments me like nothing else in the world. If I had been able to keep my distance, would this have happened? I told myself from the start that she would be an easy target, but I was forgetting that it made me one, too.

I drive fast, not even sure where I'm going, until I pull the car up outside the family mansion. I know Marcus and Valentina will be inside. They've planned a meeting for all of us to touch in on what's going on with me, how my plan has been unfolding.

And I know I have to tell them the truth. There's no two ways about it. I have to come clean about what I've done. They're my family, and if there's anyone in the world who would never forgive me for lying to them, it's them.

Which leaves me with no choice but to declare my allegiances. To my family—not to Elena.

Even if all I want to do right now is turn this car around and drive straight back to her.

I step out of the vehicle slowly and make my way up to the door. When I arrive there, Valentina is already waiting for me. The look on her face tells me everything I need to know.

She's already well-aware of the mess I've made.

"You were with her, weren't you?" she spits. She's right. I can't deny it, much as I want to. I wish I could tell her she's wrong, that I was doing nothing of the sort, but it's not true.

"Get inside," she orders me sharply. "We need to talk with Marcus. And try to piece together this shitshow you've started."

I follow her in. I don't see what other choice I have. I need to try and make things right—even though I'm pretty certain I've just screwed things up beyond all repair.

Chapter Eleven—Elena

I hesitate outside of the door of his gorgeous apartment block. I know I shouldn't be here. It's risky, even being this close to him, after everything I know he's done.

But it's been a day since I found out the truth, and after that, I had sex with him. I had sex with him. I can't believe it's even true, that I would even do something so abjectly stupid, but I did. I wanted him, and I still want him, and I need to handle this for the sake of my own sanity as much as I do anything else right now.

I stroll up to the doorman and offer him as bright a smile as I can muster, given the circumstances.

"I'm here to see Giovanni," I explain, and he steps aside and gestures for me to go in. That easy, huh? Almost as though he's been waiting for me...

I head for the stairs. I can feel the blood pounding in my ears, through my entire body, like it's lighting every piece of me on fire at once. I don't even know if he's in, don't even know if I will see him right now, but every inch of my body is crying out as though it already knows.

And when I step out of the elevator, there he is, leaning in the doorway, barefoot in jeans and a tee. He's holding a glass of scotch, and he takes a long sip as he observes me.

"I was wondering when you'd come."

He turns and heads into the apartment, leaving me to catch up with him.

"How— how did you know I would come?" I ask him, stunned. Surely, after everything that's happened, he should be trying to put as much distance between the two of us as possible.

"How did you know I'd be here?" he counters. I part my lips in surprise. I guess he's right. After all the lies he's told me, why would I believe that he would tell me his real address?

"I just had a feeling," I whisper, finally.

He nods. "Yeah. Me too. You want a drink?"

I nod, and he pours me a scotch and gestures for me to come out onto the balcony with him. I hesitate before I follow him. Am I really safe going out there with just him? He could... he could hurt me.

But the look in his eyes soothes that instinct in me, and before I know it, I've followed him out onto the large balcony that overlooks the city below. It seems tiny from up here, pinpricks of light scattered all over the place.

"You know who I am." He speaks slowly, with certainty, making sure I've heard him.

I nod and move close to join him. "Yeah, I think I do," I reply. "You're... you're Giovanni Corelli. Your father—"

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