Page 48 of Dance of Deception

The two guards each grab an arm.

She thrashes, heels slipping and sliding on the polished marble. “Get your fucking hands off me! Goddammit, Nero! You psycho!”

Suddenly, the heavy doors to the study slide open. A gruff-looking Carmine Barone steps out, brows drawn, sleeves pushed up like he was in the middle of something. A terrified-looking young woman scurries out of the study after him, like she can’twaitto be done with the interview.

I swallow nervously as my eyes land on the man whose hand was wrapped around my throat in the dark alley the other night.

Carmine’s eyes immediately lock on Nero.

“What the fuck is going on?” he growls.

Nero barely glances at him, the corners of his mouth twitching up in mocking amusement.

“Sorry to crash your…whatever this is,” Nero smirks.

Carmine exhales slowly, rolling his shoulders as he steps forward.

“Keep your family issues under your own roof,” he murmurs quietly to Nero.

“Working on it, pal,” Nero mutters back.

Okay, clearly, they know each other. Well. And whatever "prickliness" between their families Milena was talking about before doesn’t seem to be there right now.

I glance at Milena, who's still watching them with the same keen curiosity.

Nero shrugs, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Anyway, I’m out of your way as soon as I can take out the trash.”

“Fuck you, Nero!” Gabriella fires over her shoulder.

Carmine scoffs, but there’s no humor in it. “C’mon, man. Be nice.” He smirks. “Or maybe I’ll have to pick her for my wife just to piss you off.”

Nero smiles. And holyshit, is it a deranged one. More like a flash of teeth from a rabid wild animal before it attacks.

“I think you know me well enough to understand what a godawful idea it is to piss me off.”

Carmine says nothing.

“Anyway, enjoy this…truly romantic occasion, Carmy,” Nero snickers, turning to glance at the girls. He gives Carmine one last nod before he turns, ignoring the hurled curses from his sister as his men drag her out through the front door, with Nero following right behind.

Carmine exhales slowly. “Fuck,” he grunts to no one before turning and walking back into his study, closing the doors. Suddenly, I hear a gasp behind us.

“Guys?”

Milena and I spin at the same time to see a confused-looking Bianca staring at us.

“Um…” Her face pales. “What thefuckare you doing here?”

Milena giggles quietly. “Don’t worry. We’re just here for the show,” she snickers, elbowing me. “It’s not like either of us areseriouslyhere to audition to marry?—”

“Lyra Ostrova?”

My spine snaps rigid.

“Ostrova,” the man with the iPad who checked me in earlier grunts, louder this time. “You’re up.”

My face turns bright red as Milena and Bianca both turn to stare at me.

“Dude… What are you doing?” Milena hisses.

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