Page 63 of Stolen Queen

I drive straight home. The confrontation with Rinella has left me shaken, and I need to get to Ava.

As I pull into my building's garage, I'm already planning our next move. I grab the envelope folder that’s been living in my glove box for weeks. It's time to get Ava out of Chicago altogether. The thought of sending her away makes my chest ache, but her safety comes first.

The time has come. I have to let her go.

23

AVA

I'm lounging on the couch, flipping through a cookbook and daydreaming about what Matteo and I might make for dinner tonight. I want it to be special to go with the sexy lingerie I ordered that arrived today. I know he’s always extra gentle with me, and I want to push him to be himself. I want to make sure he’s as happy sexually as I am. Maybe the skimpy red lace will help with that.

The sun streams through the windows, making me long to feel its warmth on my skin or the cool, crisp fall air. I sigh, setting the book aside. As much as I appreciate the safety and comfort of Matteo's penthouse, I’m going a bit stir-crazy. Maybe I could convince Matteo to take me out sometime. Just for a little while. To a park, perhaps, where we could have a picnic and enjoy the fresh air together. I know it's risky, but surely, we could find a way to do it safely.

The sound of the door opening pulls me from my thoughts. I turn, a smile already forming on my lips as I make my way to the door to greet Matteo. But as soon as I see his face, my smile fades. Something's wrong.

"Matteo. What's the matter?"

"We need to talk."

Those four words never mean anything good. "About what?"

Matteo makes a beeline to the bar and pours a drink. "Your father came to see Elio today. He had a picture of you from when you went to the drugstore.” He swallows the drink in a single gulp.

A cold chill sweeps through my body. "A picture? From the drugstore? I haven’t left again, I swear." Panic rises in my chest. Is Matteo angry? Will he try to lock me up again? I brace myself for his reaction.

“It’s from before.” He pours another couple of fingers of his drink. "He waved it around like some kind of smoking gun."

I watch him carefully, still unsure of his mood. "Are you… are you mad at me?"

Matteo downs his drink before answering. "No. I'm not mad at you. I'm worried."

Relief washes over me, quickly followed by a new wave of fear. If my father has a picture of me from that day, does that mean he's close to finding me?

"Do you think he knows where I am?"

“No. No one does, not even my family. But your father accused me.”

The situation feels more precarious than ever. Overwhelmed by emotion, I close the distance between us and throw my arms around him. Matteo pulls me into a tight embrace, and I melt into his arms, feeling safe even though I shouldn’t.

I study Matteo's face, noticing the lines of tension around his eyes and mouth. It suddenly hits me how difficult this must be for him, keeping such a massive secret from the people he considers family.

“It’s hard for you to lie to Elio and the others. I know how close you all are."

Matteo's jaw clenches, and he nods slowly. "Yeah, it is. The deceit… it's killing me. I've never kept anything from them before. Not like this. This is big. This could lead to a feud the family can’t overcome."

I feel a pang of guilt coil tight in my gut. "I'm sorry. I never meant to come between you and your family."

He turns to me, his blue eyes intense. "Don't apologize. This isn't your fault. I made the choice to bring you here, to keep you safe. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

He pulls an envelope from his coat pocket but hesitates for a moment before handing it to me. "I've had this for a while. I didn't want to give it to you unless you asked, but… given recent events, I think you should have it."

I take the folder from him wondering what could be inside that he's been keeping from me. I open it. My breath catches in my throat as I see a driver's license with my photo, but a different name. Olivia Russo. Birth certificate, social security card, even a passport, all with this new identity. I flip through more papers and find bank statements showing accounts with substantial balances.

"Matteo," I whisper, looking up at him in shock. "What is all this?"

"It's everything you'd need to start a new life."

I stare back at the documents, my mind whirling. This is what I'd asked for, isn't it? The chance to be free, to escape the life my father had planned for me. But now that it's here in my hands, I'm not sure how to feel.

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