Page 20 of As Angels Sin

Hey. What do you say we kill him?It’s a mighty tempting intrusive thought. If I did, it would be killing two birds with one stone. Avenging my motherandsilencing the black, festering mass in my head.

“I want you to keep an eye on Fiametta for me.” Lorenzo turns away from me once it’s out, as if he’s embarrassed by the idea.

It’s lucky for him, I was going to do it already. But having his approval will make it much easier.

“You want me to watch your daughter?” I lift the brow over my right eye, wondering if it looks normal. “Why?”

“To earn the money I’m paying you, of course.” He laughs as if it’s a great joke.

I don’t get it, but smile ever so slightly, to make it seem that I do.

“If I’m honest, I worry about her,” he continues. “Now, more than ever. You’ve heard about her abduction, I’m sure.”

Heard about it? I did it.

“Tomas will keep her safe in the long run, I trust him with that, but I need someone who can protect her for now.”

“Why me?” I repeat my question.

“You’re mean, vicious and a cutthroat. How many people would have the courage to even think what you said to Tomas? Without fear, especially. It has to be someone like you. Someone who doesn’t care. You can ease her through these troublesome times, when I can’t.”

“I thought you wanted me to kill the person or people that are hunting her.”

“I do,” he sighs, and turns his attention back to the painted sky behind us. “And you will. But this is just as important to me, now.”

“Then consider it done. But if you’ll excuse me, I need to go.” I push out my chair and stand.

“Are you off so soon? You only just arrived.” Lorenzo keeps his head pointed toward the sky.

“I must see to your orders” How did I end up in the Napoli mansion, if I wasn’t summoned? My time is better spent elsewhere, and yet, something compelled me to be here instead. Something doesn’t feel right. The discomfort makes my senses sharpen. Not to the razor’s point I reach when killing. This is more akin to a hunt, where I am always alert, but allow my mind enough reprieve so that it doesn’t swallow itself whole.

“Do me a favor, will you?” Lorenzo turns to look at me over one shoulder, as I walk away.

“Sure,” I say halting. I’m not in any rush to get out of here and go back to my empty apartment. It’s boring there, without Fiametta as a decoration.

“If you see Fiametta, send her up to me.”

“You’ve got it.” I give him a backwards wave and continue through his mansion. I was going to pay her a visit anyway, so his request doesn’t really put me off course.

Chapter Ten

FIAMETTA

“Ihaven’t taken it yet. I can’t. I’m too scared of the result.”

Positive or negative, I’m not sure which one is worse. If I’m pregnant, it’s Crue’s. What kind of world would we be bringing a child into? More concerning than the world itself, are the people inside it. Father would lose his mind if he heard I was carrying a child, and Tomas would definitely send a hit squad after the responsible man.

But is it crazy to think I actually want it to be positive? For Crue to be the father of our unborn child. Is it mad to want a beautiful equilibrium between this nightmare and the peaceful joy of spending our lives together?

Yes, it’s crazy. Beyond crazy, even. Crue has stalked me for weeks, and made numerous threats against my life, before heactually tried to take it, when I was at my most vulnerable. Any pleasant thoughts about this are as absurd as thinking John Wayne Gacy could make a good dad.

“It’s probably best to bite the bullet on this one, Fi-Fi,” Simone says through my cellphone.

After bringing me three tests, each a different brand, on the off chance one wasn’t good, she’s been checking up on me constantly throughout the day. Given how much we’ve spoken, she might as well have stayed here. But she chose to go home, in order to sell the illusion that I’m ill. That and her sudden and deep fear of Father, after the way he spoke to her the other day. I don’t blame her. If I had the option, I’d be out of this place in a heartbeat.

“You’re right. I know. But—”

“Nobuts,” she cuts me off.

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