Page 39 of As Angels Sin

“I still don’t understand why you’re going to all this effort. I can’t bethatvaluable.” It’s not a pity play. I really don’t understand what he sees in me. I haven’t, since the day we met, but I took his money anyway.

If I’m going down swinging, it would be nice to know.

“But you are, and that’s all I’ll say on it.”Fucker. He won’t even give me the satisfaction of a simple answer.

“I’ll need time to think about it,” I say. I’ll never accept, but I’m not foolish enough to say that outright.

Nowon’t mean walking away freely with Fiametta.Nowill mean a bullet to the back of my head when I least expect it. And I rather like my head these days, shadow and all.

“Of course. I wouldn’t expect you to make a snap decision. In fact, I’d have found it suspicious if you didn’t take time to think about it.” Matteo kicks his feet onto Lorenzo’s desk and gets comfortable. “But Fiametta’s not going anywhere until I know where you stand, Crue.”

“Ah, so the shit thickens. What happened to ‘you can walk away’?”

“Don’t make me slap you like I did him.” Wheezy laughter follows his words. “If you walked out that door with her right now, what’s to stop you from coming back tomorrow and killing Tomas anyway? Or sneaking into my room and poking me with that needle of yours?” He doesn’t include Mark in his fears, believing we’re still the best of buddies.

I don’t think I can use what he says, but it’s worth noting.

“Nothing. I suppose it makes sense.” I start walking backward to the door. Taking my eye off them would be a foolish gamble and one I won’t risk.

“Then take your time or hurry up. The choice is yours,” he says. I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere before. “But I won’t wait forever, Crue. And I’d prefer not having to hunt you down.”

I make my exit, only breaking eye contact with Matteo Baronne when the door cuts our line of sight. As much as I want to escape from this place, I know I can’t. I have to see her again. I have to know she’s safe.

It’s gonna be bad, huh?

“Terrible,” I answer my shadow, as the weight of the world descends upon my shoulders, crushing me until I can barely breathe.

Chapter Eighteen

FIAMETTA

It’s been a whirlwind of a day... a week... a life.

I’m sitting on my bed, staring aimlessly at everything and nothing all at once. A noise comes from my door and a sharp pain strikes my chest. It feels as if someone stuck their hand in there, grabbed my heart and squeezed it in a tight fist.

There is no knock, just the sound of the handle turning and then my door swings open.

The ache I feel fades immediately when I see it’s Crue outside. I don’t feel the same elation he usually brings, but the pain is gone and that’s a positive sign.

“You’re using the door, again?” I want to sound light and airy so I make a joke, but with a raw throat and hours of weepingbehind me, wallowing sadness are all I can muster. “You’re starting to make me think you’re becoming house-trained.”

He comes in, ignoring my sad attempt at a joke, and sits next to me on the bed.

“You should be safe now.” Neither of us look at the other. We stare ahead, into the future that might or might not offer us some hope of being together.

“How can you be sure?” I move one of my hands from my lap and place it onto his. He puts both hands over mine, and squeezes it softly. A thought springs to mind, but I’m not scared of it. I’m casually accepting a fate I sealed for myself, when I told Crue that Tomas killed my father.

“Have you already—”

“No,” he won’t allow me to finish the question. Some misguided attempt at preserving my innocence, perhaps. “But soon. It’s more complex than I originally thought. Time. I need time.” He sighs, and his shoulders slump. “Can you be strong for me, Fiametta?”

“I...” I can’t. I’ve used it all up. I’m spent, exhausted and I want to collapse into a tiny ball and forget this whole damned world exists. “…will do my best.”

“I need you to be brave. It won’t be easy.”

“Not much of one for pep-talks, are you?” Another lousy attempt at easing some of the tension with humor.

He shakes his head. “I’ve always been alone.” Crue stands up.

---