Page 31 of The Devil We Know

My anger and frustration leave my body, and I back away, sitting in the chair against the wall. I lean forward and brace my forearms on the tops of my thighs as I stare over at her and say, “This is really fucking bad.”

“I kind of gathered that.”

I shake my head as I reply, “No, really. If he tells them that you’re full of shit, you’re a goner. And it won’t be an easy end, either.”

“And if his story matches mine?”

I groan, sitting back in the chair; my hands come up as I shrug with my entire body. “I honestly don’t know if you’re better off being dead or married to Matteo.”

She sighs, sitting on the edge of the bed as she says, “Well, it’s not really your problem, Matt.”

“Not my problem?”

“Yep,” she says shortly. “I came here to make sure you were all right, and clearly you are. So, I’ll just have to take whatever comes and hope for the best.”

My eyes practically bug out of my head as I parrot, “Hope for the best?”

She nods, and I can see she believes her bullshit lines as best as she can, given the circumstances. “The ship has sailed, and I’m doubtful I’ll be able to get off, so it is what it is.”

“It is what it is,” I parrot again.

She looks over at me, quirking a brow as she asks, “Are you all right?”

The fury that had left me only a few minutes ago suddenly rushes back, and I jump to my feet, crossing the room in a few long strides. I stop in front of her and grasp her by her upperarms as I lean in close and say forcefully, “No, I’m not fucking okay.”

She glares up at me, pushing against me and shaking me off. When I step back, she jumps to her feet and shouts, “Well, too fucking bad. If you think you can go gallivanting off without giving anyone any information until they worry about you, then you’re a moron. But now that we know you’re okay, I guess I’ll just have to pay my penance for giving a shit.”

I deflate a bit, wishing there was a way for me to explain without giving her information that will just put her more at risk. I’ve always been a straight shooter, and the last couple of years of having to toe the line at every turn has become exhausting. I’m sure the expression on my face is pained as I say softly, “I don’t know if I can save you from this.”

She gives me a bland look and says clearly, “It’s not your job to save me.”

My first instinct is to call bullshit on her statement, but I do know what she means. Sometimes, we have no choice but to save ourselves.

I nod, and she steps back and resumes her previous seat on the bed and then mutters, “So you can just go and get yourself hitched to somebody’s sister without fucking worrying about me.”

Shit. I forgot about that.

“Jessica,” I begin as I take a short step toward her. She puts her hand up, and I stop my forward momentum, but then I add, “It’s not what you think.”

She puts both her hands up. I snap my mouth shut, and then she says, “Just save it. It’s just something else that’s irrelevant, given our current circumstances. Though I do find it amusing that we’re technically both betrothed to other people.”

I wince at the wordbetrothed. I also can’t give her a proper explanation, and since I do my best not to blatantly lie, I just keep my mouth shut.

She’s quiet for a few moments, and I stand there rather awkwardly, and then she says, “So I guess we just wait?”

I nod. “It’s all we can do. I’ll try to get as much information as I can ahead of time in the hope it can be fixed, but I don’t have the control here that I have in the outside world.”

“What the fuck are you doing here, Matt?”

I just look at her, hoping she can see in my eyes all the things I want to say to her—that I’m just not allowed to. And maybe she can, but I’m sure that doesn’t take the sting out of my silence.

Finally, I say, “I assume Antoinette and Carolina gave you a full briefing before sending you in here?”

She nods. “Yes. Right down to the tiniest, most violent detail.”

“So, they’ve told you how to react and how not to in most situations?”

She nods again. “Yes. I think I have it under control now, though, for a few minutes in the beginning there, I almost fucked it up royally.”

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