Page 22 of Deception

That has to be them.

Even with the hat and glasses on, the older one—the incredibly good-looking one—matches my photos. As best as anyone could from a distance.

Both have that attitude, like they own the place. They’re clearly related, and while their clothing suits both of their muscular figures, something about it seems off. Not worn in enough.

Listening is easy from here, and there’s a soccer game playing on the TV near me, giving me an excuse to be where I am. So I sit quietly, unnoticed as they get wasted in the back corner. Right up to closing time, when the taller one, wearing that absurd newsboy hat and fidgeting with his glasses, heads to the bathroom.

I wait in the hallway, trying to catch a glimpse of his face when he exits the restroom, pretending to exit the ladies’ room myself.

Our eyes meet and my heart stops.

They are dark, deep.

I’m instantly drawn to him, his presence. And I hate how good-looking he is and how it makes my pulse beat quicker.

His face, that jawline, and the muscles bulging under his button-up. He’s incredibly tall in the small space, easing back against the wall to let me pass.

I try to ignore the shape of him in his tight pants so near me.

Why am I thinking aboutthatright now?

Must be the wine.

He stares blatantly, and it simultaneously makes my body temperature rise and makes my skin crawl. Thoughts sprout out of the intense look in his eyes; thoughts of him throwing me up against the wall right here in the hall, kissing me.

Taking me.

Get your head out of the gutter, girl!

This guy is the worst of the worst. A crime lord. A murderer.

I linger near the stairs to the rooms, waiting to see them leave. The younger brother helps Alessandro out the door and they spend some time clearing their car. Sneaking out after them is a simple thing. I blend in with the few others leaving and the crowd heading home.

My own rental car is fairly buried, but I manage to slip in, start the engine, and warm it up while they laugh and stumble around in the snow.

“This is it. Just need to follow them to where they’re staying, and then I can go back tomorrow to see what I can find,” I mumble, needing to bolster my courage. The snow is pouring down now.

Their vehicle is way better equipped for the weather, but I manage to keep up, the taillights guiding me through the whiteout.

Soon, we’re ascending right up the mountain, and I clench the steering wheel in a death grip, regretting my decision. It’s all I can do to keep up, keep my wheels from spinning out on the road. There’s no way I can turn back now, or even turn around on this narrow road.

“Merda, merda, merda!” I yelp as I lose sight of the red lights ahead of me.

The next turn levels off onto a drive, and I nearly cry with relief. Warm, orange lights glow faintly ahead. Windows.

I kill my headlights and ease to a stop once I spot the SUV across the way. A few minutes pass, and I hope they’ve made their way inside.

“What the hell am I going to do now?”

The blizzard is blowing snow sideways, piling against the car, the front of the house. It’s so cold that the heater in my car can’t keep up. My feet are freezing. My hands are numb.

This was a huge mistake.

I’m trapped up on this mountain. I’m going to die in this stupid economy car.

Panic threatens to choke me, making it hard to breathe. I have to do something, or I’m in big trouble. There’s only one thing to do.

I stumble out into the blasting winds, clutching tight to my scarf and coat. The house looms across the drive, feeling so far away. More like a mansion. I can barely make out the profile of the building, but I can tell it’s huge.

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