Page 36 of Diavolo

"Listen—"

Was that why Stefano and Mikey brought him to her apartment? Without letting him finish, she demanded, "Did you know who I was from the very beginning?"

"No, I did not confirm your identity until I returned to Europe."

Did she believe him? Not really. He continued waxing poetry at her, "Even if you were not your mother's daughter, I would have found a way to help you. Stefano and Mikey needed to know their place."

She looked at him with renewed suspicion. "Sounds like you threatened them."

"I did."

"Then Stefano missed your memo. He was still hounding me for payments after you left."

"Was he now?"

"Yes."

"Good," Alessandro praised. "I am glad he followed through."

Her eyebrows snapped up. "What are you talking about?"

"I ordered him to keep pressuring you. I needed you desperate. Otherwise, you wouldn't have considered my job offer."

"You needed me… desperate?"

"SÌ."

Outrage trembled through Elyse. This bastard was more insidious than she could've ever imagined. "You're starting to make me hate you."

"Even if you hate me, you must admit—you are better off without them."

"You know, Stefano has been very quiet ever since I arrived in Switzerland," Elyse suddenly realized. "Did you have something to do with his change of heart?"

Alessandro's eyes gleamed like the devil. "Naturally."

She fought to stay calm. "Oh,Dios…"

"I told Stefano to behave around you. Or else he might end up like his friend."

Was Mikey's disappearance related to Alessandro, after all? Unease struck Elyse. "What the hell did you do to Mikey?"

He answered as though she'd merely asked about the weather, "Nothing, really."

Elyse's pulse sped up like a crazed drum. "Then why has he been missing?"

"Who knows."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, but—"

Alessandro's evasiveness was beginning to piss her off. She wanted the truth. "Tell me everything. Or you'll never touch me again."

Her threat made him scowl.

"He hurt you," Alessandro finally answered, "so I hurt him."

"What did you do to Mikey?"

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