Page 24 of Sinister Intentions

CHAPTER EIGHT

Isighed as I looked around the bustling New York café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the chatter of Fee’s acquaintances. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have come to the city.

Not when my mind was a million miles away, consumed by the feeling of impending doom.

I’d visited Mr. Slatov. And he’d given me one hard, very long look, which almost made me bolt. I was not built for this shit, and for a split second, I almost wished my dad would’ve inoculated me with all things mob business instead of keeping us girls as sheltered and as far removed as he could. Well, apparently, it would take at least a week until my new ID was ready, so all I could do was wait until then—if it wasn’t too late.

Because, honestly, every time I thought about my last chat with Iset, I was flipping back and forth between panic-attack territory and existential regret.

Fee squeezed my hand, her eyes filled with concern. “You okay? You seem…distracted.”

I forced a smile. I didn’t want to dampen her mood with my worries. She’d been so excited to meet with her friends. In that regard, Fee was the exact opposite of me. She was the social butterfly while I’d been socially awkward for as long as I could remember. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about…stuff.”

Stuff. If that wasn’t the understatement of the year.

In mere months, my life had become a tangled web of secrets.

After the event that started it all. After the three of us came back from Italy, all three of us changed. Cara retreated even more into her books, Sophie into her room, and I decided to change my life, to finally start living.

Sitting naked in that dark room. Waiting for someone to come and take me, I’d realized that I hadn’t really lived. I’d indulged in my interest in coding and hacking, had wasted way too much of my time gaming. But outside of my room, I’d done what was expected of me.

When Sophie’s husband and his brothers rescued us, that’s when I decided I needed to start living.

It was a bit ironic where that decision got me.

Because here I was. About to be married off to some Italian mobster, or, depending on what might happen this weekend, my name might be on a list of hackers, ending up in the hands of God-knows-who.

So the threat of exposure vs. the threat of permanent imprisonment through marriage? Hard to believe but my decisions really led to my life still being shit.

I sighed. But let’s be real. Everything beat being held prisoner waiting for your turn to be raped. I shuddered.

So what if that marriage loomed over me like a guillotine while the potential danger lurked just around the corner?

Having to choose, I much preferred this even though my life was a complete shit show.

“Don’t you agree?” Fee said and bumped her shoulder into me.

I froze for a split second. I had no freaking clue what she was talking about, but then, I just nodded, which, apparently, was the right answer because Fee’s friends continued with their conversation.

Only Fee narrowed her eyes and kept her focus on me while the conversation flowed around us.

I couldn’t do this much longer. Somehow being here felt too much. Too exposed, too vulnerable, which was hilarious, because I knew for a fact that outside the café were at least two of Alex’s men to guard Fee, in addition to my very own personal security detail—my father had insisted on sending them with me.

But what good would that do me if my identity was up for auction to the highest bidder?

My heart raced at the thought, and I couldn’t help but scan the café, half expecting to see someone lurking in a corner just waiting for me.

Ever since my little chat with Iset, each potential scenario in my head was more outlandish than the last. What if someone was contacting my dad right now? What if someone was watching me?

I wanted to hide, just disappear, not be out here, feeling incredibly exposed while pretending everything was okay.Should I even meet Iset? Maybe together, we could face this threat head-on with the skills and determination that had gotten us this far.

Skill and determination. Laughable. I couldn’t even stand my ground against Vince Salvini. How would I ever succeed if a whole crime syndicate came after me?

I stole a glance at Fee, her laughter ringing out like a bell.

At least her attention wasn’t on me any longer. She knew me too well, and since Italy, we’d become even more like sisters—not that I needed another big sister.

Wasn’t it amazing, this growing family of ours—spanning multiple continents? Sophie met Gabe, Fee, and Alex… They had found their well-deserved happiness. And I would not put a damper on their happiness.

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