Page 32 of Savage Prince

“I need to speak to Dante Valentino.” I attempt to match her cordial tone, but my voice is clipped and rough from exhaustion.

“I’m sorry he’s not in today. Would you like to leave a message?”

“No, I’ll call his cell, thanks.”

“You won’t be able to reach him that way either. I’m afraid he’s out of town and will be unreachable for the next week.”

I hiss out a curse through clenched teeth. That may be true for business associates, but surely, he’ll take a call from hisdaughter. Too bad I had Otto dump her phone before we took off for Milano. “Fine,” I grit out and hang up.

“What happened?” Serena stares up at me with wide, blue eyes.

“Apparently, he’s unreachable.”

“Not to me.” She holds out her hand, palm up. “Give me. I’ll call him.”

Handing over my phone, I watch as she dials her father’s number, brings the phone to her ear and waits…

“How could he not answer?” she snaps.

“Well, he clearly doesn’t recognize the number.”

“I’ll just call my mom.”

Again, no answer, but this time she leaves a message, and I’m impressed by the coolness in her tone.

“Damned spam block,” she mutters as she drops my phone beside her on the mattress.

“I’m sure she’d return the call if the number wasn’t untraceable.”

“Oh, right,” she grits out. She taps the toes of her good foot on the terracotta tile, her knee bouncing. “Maybe I should just call Isabella?—”

“No!” The shout comes out more forcefully than intended. Softening my tone, I continue, “I don’t want Raffaele to know about this until it is done.”

“Well, he’s going to find out. The moment my father knows, word will spread across the King’s empire. And as Bella’s bodyguard and boyfriend, there’s no way he won’t hear about it.”

“I only hope by the time he does, you’ll be on your way back home.”

“Why does it matter?”

“Because I don’t want my brother involved,” I hiss. Which is ironic since only a week ago, I was considering taking his life myself. Only twenty-four hours in this place and the memoriesof the past have weakened my resolve, turning me into a sentimental fool.

“You think he’ll come after you himself?”

“Not if it puts his preciousprincipessain danger.” Anger coils around my heart like a poisonous snake. My pulse grows more violent, my fingers curling to distract from the onslaught.

“Are you jealous of Bella?”

“No,” I grit out. Aren’t I though? Not of her exactly but that my brother has found a love so deep it’s worth ruining everything for.

Rolling her eyes at me, she glances down at my phone to the black screen. “So now what do we do?”

“We wait.”

CHAPTER 17

LAST BEAUTIFUL THING

Serena

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