Page 121 of Phantom Mine

On the eighth day of Matteo’s absence, around last call, Enzo bursts through the doors of the VIP lounge. My heart skips a beat the second my eyes land on him. He’s been with his cousin this whole time so if he’s here, Matteo can’t be far.

Whatever.

I’m going to play it cool.

“Enzo,” I hear myself call.

So much for that plan.

Enzo pauses at the sound of my voice and turns towards me. Stoic eyes watch me approach.

I don’t bother withhello, how are yous. He knows why I stopped him.

“Have you seen Matteo?”

My pride takes a hit having to ask him where his boss is, but behind the anger simmering inside me, there’s concern.

If he knows the cartel is behind the kidnapping, then he’s going after my brother and his men. I know exactly how dangerous they are, how merciless they’d be if an Italian crossed their paths, not to mention a Leone.

I need to know he’s okay, that he’s safe.

“Where— Is he…Is…” I swallow and fiddle with my hands. “Just tell me, is he alright?”

Enzo studies my features before speaking. “He’s fine.”

“Good,” I answer, wishing he’d tell me more. “That’s good.”

I bounce back and forth on my heels instead of walking away, trying to think of how to ask him when he thinks I’ll see Matteo again. I can’t quite find anything that doesn’t come off exceedingly pathetic.

Enzo watches me with a penetrative stare. Finally, he clicks his teeth in frustration and glances away.

“Matteo is now the interimDonuntil Augusto is found.Ifhe’s found,” he says, and I don’t miss the upward curl of his lips that tells me he hopes he isn’t. “He’s been busy running theFamigliaand simultaneously looking for his father, that’s why he’s been gone.” He looks down and away, shifting uneasily. “He has other priorities now. Today, he was meeting with Marina and her family to make their engagement official and set a date for the wedding.”

Pressure explodes in my chest. It compresses my rib cage around my heart and lungs and mercilessly squeezes the life out of them both.

“Oh.” It’s more of an expulsion of air than an actual response, the sound heavy and gutted. “Oh.”

One syllable somehow says it all.

As does the look Enzo levels at me, one that hovers suspiciously close to pity.

He did warn me.

You’ll watch someone else walk down the aisle to him.

The pang in my stomach is as disappointing as it is painful, like being ripped off of cloud nine and falling tens of thousands of feet to the ground. I guess thefunis over.

Just like that.

I didn’t expect it to feel like taking a knife right to the heart.

When Enzo places a comforting hand on my shoulder, the feelings that felt suspiciously like hurt and betrayal recede behind the anger and a burning need to get even.

“I’m sorry,” Enzo says.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” I pull my shoulders back. His hand drops by his side as I meet his gaze squarely on. “Thank you for letting me know.”

I walk away but instead of going back behind the bar, I head straight for the dancer’s changing room. If Matteo was off meeting his fiancée while I stayed home missing him, then he can kiss the precious rules he has for me goodbye. I won’t be made a fool of.

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