Page 111 of Mafia Don's Secret Twins

“Next time, take me with you. You would not have fallen if I was there to protect you,” he finally says.

But the words aren’t even remotely warm. Andrei isn’t exactly a warmand fluffy guy, but I’ve come to recognize what counts as affection from him.

And what doesn’t.

My spine tingling with unease, I nod. “I know. It was just clumsy of me, especially with all the rain. But I’m fine. I’m going to go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning,” I say softly.

I turn to leave. I can feel Andrei’s eyes on me as I open the door to my room, but I don’t turn back to look at him.

Once inside, the door safely locked behind me, I step into the bathroom. I turn on the tap for the bath, and that’s when I finally let myself sink, sliding onto the tile floor.

I put my head in my hands.

You’re a fool, Marisol.

I underestimated Andrei. I believed him when he said he wouldn’t hurt me. The man that I just saw in the hallway? He’s the type of man who would hurt me.

The type of man who absolutely would want to hurt me, if he didn’t get his way.

I can’t keep him at arms length for too much longer. I need to either bring him in closer, or…

There is no other plan.

I can’t show Dino any type of favoritism. I can’t do anything to show my hand, because if I do, my father will kill Dino.

And Andrei will be more than happy to do it.

I also need to make sure that there’s enough distance between Dino and I. After tonight, Andrei is not going to just let meswim by myself. He thinks something is up. After seeing the marks on my knees, it’s little wonder that he does.

It looks like I was kneeling on the cold, hard ground.

Which I was.

Andrei isn’t safe. I let myself trust that he did have my best interests at heart, but it’s clear to me now that I shouldn’t have done that.

He is not a sheep in wolf’s clothing. He’s a wolf. Through and through.

And a predator will always try to go for the kill.

The roar of the bathwater fills my ears as shame pulses through me. How could I be so stupid?

How have I put myself into this place again?

There’s no denying that I like Dino. I like being around him. There’s some kind of animal attraction between us that I can’t keep myself from participating in.

I can’t stay away from him, honestly.

But I have to.

Andrei suspects something. He’s going to look at Dino first.

I can’t be the reason Dino dies.

You have to stop seeing him.

The pain of that realization lances through me, a little crack in a heart that I didn’t think could break anymore. With the bath running, I tuck my head onto my knees, pulling them close.

I start to cry.

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