Page 81 of Beautiful Liar

We reached the narrow-wooded path that led to the already lit cabin. It was a two-story structure. Too elegant to be inside such a wild scenery. It stuck out. Didn’t belong. Luca stopped the car. A man peeled out of the shadows garbed in black, even his face hidden. But not the assault rifle in his hand. He didn’t even lift it to Luca as if he knew it had been Luca arriving.

“Luca,” I said.

“Shut up,” he said.

“Thank you. If it doesn’t work out tonight, I just … I want to say it isn’t your fault. And maybe, one day, we both won’t need our masks anymore.”

He dragged his eyes to the rearview mirror and speared me with a look that made my skin crawl. “Shut up. Got it,” I mumbled.

He got out of the car and yanked me out. I stumbled. Wanted to call him a jerk but bit my tongue. Without a glance at the guard, Luca led me to the door and shoved me inside harder than necessary. I tripped and the bright light made me flinch. It took some time for my eyes to adjust.

Enzo was there.

Like when I saw him last night in the restroom, he looked well put together. As if no time had passed. Except time had passed. And a lot of in-betweens.

He looked at me with the familiar adoration he’d always had, then dragged his eyes to Luca behind me with such distaste I felt the hatred like a breathing, living thing warped by time. Alessandro Mancini despised Luca. A small part of me felt bad for Luca. I knew what it felt like to have a brother who couldn’t love you back. Miguel was dead. “Luca, you look ridiculous. What did I tell you about wearing that shit in front of me. Go clean up before I shoot you myself.”

Luca squeezed my arm, leaving behind a bruise, I’m sure. Then he released me and started for the stairs.

“Luca,” Enzo said clearly irritated.

Luca slowly turned. The paint hid the small muscle spasms on his face. His eyes revealed nothing. “Cut these. We won’t be needing this.” He gestured to my restraints. Then he gave me a slow look. “You are a mess,” he said, cupping my face. I preferred the dirt on my body than his soft touch. “You took the collar. I didn’t think you would.”

“He took it to save a friend,” Luca said, almost as if defending me. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, or a thing at all, but I would’ve preferred if Luca shut the fuck up.

Enzo bit his bottom lip. Something he did when he became upset. The strike against Luca’s face was sharp and fast. I felt the air ripple from the movement before I heard the loud smack. Luca’s head whipped to the side, but he didn’t fall. Instead, he turned back to Enzo, his eyes dilated, blood on his chin from his split lip. “Tell me you killed this friend.”

“No trace will ever be found.”

Enzo gave Luca a curt nod.

Luca pulled out his blade and for a moment, I thought hewas going to stab Enzo in the neck with it. He didn’t. Instead, he freed my hands. I rubbed my raw, tender skin at my wrist and watched Luca sprint up the stairs.

“Come, we should talk.” Enzo gestured to the pristine living room. Everything about Enzo was perfect. From the way he moved, spoke, lived. The way he gave you the attention you needed. I could see why Maddox had fallen for it. I had fallen for it too. It made me sick.

I stopped. “I don’t want to dirty anything,” I said, because I knew it would put him at ease. I needed to be the boy he wanted. Not the one I’d turned into. I had to wear the mask. Not let him see the real me. Just like Luca.

Enzo spread a blanket on the chaise. “There. The blanket is easier to clean. Please.” He motioned to the chair with that same smile that had once put me at ease. Now all I felt was dread. Not even fear. I couldn’t fear him anymore.

I sat.

He took the sofa across from me and stared at me. Scrutinizing every inch of me, from my dirty boots, my pants, my shirt. His slow perusal made me hyperaware of the slow tick of time. His eyes landed on my neck and the corner of his lips lifted. “You do look good in my collar.”

My stomach revolted. How had I ever thought Enzo loved me like a son? How had I missed the insanity just underneath the surface? I’d been so desperate for someone to care for me, I had imagined everything I felt for him. He wasn’t my knight in shining armor. He hadn’t rescued me from my mother. He simply became my captor. He had been biding his time to show me who he really was.

“Why?” I blurted.

Enzo lifted his drink to his lips, tasting it slowly. “I never hurt them. I gave them things, experiences, treasures they would take with them always.”

I swallowed the bile in my throat. “Why did you hurtme?”

“You fought me.”

“Bullshit. You drugged me.”

He shook his head. “That wasn’t me. That was your mother.”

I clamped my mouth shut. He was right. It had been my mother who drugged me. The reminder of her hatred still hurt like a throb behind my heart. She was dead now. She’d never be able to hurt me again. “You killed her.”

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