Page 23 of Promise Never

“I miss you, sis.”

I remain in the spot until the tears dry and thepain crawls back inside the vault.

Somehow, Alessandro sneaks into my head yet again.

I rise from the armchair and peek through thewindow at the well-lit courtyard.

Guards are on patrol. One glances at theguesthouse and keeps moving.

I check the clock on the wall. It’s past one, andstill, Alessandro isn’t back.

Had he beenkilled,thenews would have reached his home by now. Sofia’s wails would fill the quietnight.

SoI’massuming he’s all right.

Why am I worrying about Luca’s brother, anyway?

Sucking my teeth, I wander to the backdoor andstroll outside to the pool. I slide off my sneakers, lower to the concrete, anddangle my feet in the cool water.

In the middle of staring at the starry sky, I hearthe backdoor open. I snap my head around, feeling a sudden swish in my chest asAlessandro walks over.

Stop it.He may not be an enemy, buthe’s related to that monster.

Do not care for him.

“I saw the lights on,” he explains, stoppingbeside me. “I have some news.”

Tilting my head back, I peer up at him. “Yeah?”

“That dealer is dead. Someone murdered him a fewdays ago.”

I gasp. “After I left for Sicily?”

He nods. “Zeno must have orchestrated his murder.”

“Shit.” I stare at the water and the blue lightcircling the pool. “I wonder if that guy’s people will blame me. Maybe that wasZeno’s intention.”Does that mean I can’t ever return?

My heart rate increases speed as Alessandroremoves his shoes and sits beside me, hanging his feet in the water.

I drop my gaze when he looks at me.

“That was all I discovered—still nothing on Zeno’swhereabouts.”

“Hm.” I slowly flap my feet in the water whiletrying to quell the jitters from our closeness.

“I’m sorry you have to stay here longer.” And yet,he hardly sounds regretful.

I shrug a shoulder. “It’s better to deal with allthe shit now, so when I get back, I won’t have to worry about it.”

“True,” he agrees, voice low.

Silence engulfs us until an idea pops into myhead. “What if you used me as bait to lure him out?”

I look up to view his reaction.

Alessandro crumples his thick brows. “No. That’stoo risky.”

“I’ll go back to the café in Messina. He obviouslyhas eyes in the area. They’ll see me alone, and Zeno will make a move.”

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