Page 87 of The Thief

“If you insist.”

She maintains her glare for another beat, and then her expression softens. “Thank you for coming with me.”

My heart squeezes in my chest. She’s seen the real me, the person behind the facade. She’s seen the hurt child and the angry teenager. She knows the thief who stole to survive and the man who will not hesitate to kill to protect the people he cares about.

She’s seen every version of me, and she’s still here.She still chose me.And to someone who was abandoned as a baby and rejected by his family, being chosen is a powerful,irresistiblelure.

And I’ve taken the bait.

I’ve fallen in love with Lucia, and I’ve shown her, through my words and actions, that I’m not going anywhere. I promised her that her heart is safe with me, and I meant—mean—every word.

But I can’t shake off the feeling that I’m making a mistake. If something were to happen to Lucia,it would wreck me.

And yet, I’m gambling with her safety by letting her be associated with me.

45

LUCIA

Before I invited Antonio to be my date for the gala, I was planning on wearing my black cocktail dress. It has a conservatively high neckline, the hem brushes my knees, and it’s perfect for a work-social event.

But now that I’ve invited Antonio, I need to up my game. I text Valentina.

Help. I need a dress.

She calls me back immediately. “A dress for what?”

“I’m going to the Palazzo Ducale gala with Antonio.”

“Antonio’s going to that?” She sounds surprised by my revelation. “And Leo cleared it?”

“I don’t think he knows yet.” Antonio’s security chief has one goal—to keep us safe—and he’s extremely single-minded in his pursuit. If he had his way, we wouldn’t leave the house until the threat was over. “I asked Antonio about it, and he said, and I quote, ‘Leo isn’t in charge. I am.’”

I don’t add that Antonio also said that he was besotted with me and wanted the world to know. That moment is just for me.

“Leo is going to flip his lid when he finds out,” Valentina predicts. “Which will be fun. For as long as I’ve known Leo, I’ve never seen him lose his cool.”

“Can we get back to what I’m going to wear? Antonio offered to get me a dress, and I loftily announced that I’d take care of it myself. But the gala is next week, and I have nothing suitable.”

“I know just the person you need to see,” she announces. “You remember Rosa Tran? She was a few years behind us in school.”

I search my memory. “Quiet, skinny, always had a sketchbook with her?”

“That’s her. She went to design school and apprenticed with several Paris houses, but then her mother got sick and she moved back. She has a boutique on Calle del Traghetto in Dorsoduro.”

Calle del Traghetto is close to the university and littered with trendy shops, bars, and restaurants. Good for Rosa. “You think she can squeeze me in on short notice?”

Valentina chuckles. “You’re going to a gala as Antonio Moretti’s date. Everyone is going to be wondering who you are. Rosa’s not an idiot—she’s not going to pass up a chance to dress you. I’ll call her and make an appointment.”

Rosa agrees to fit me in on Wednesday. Valentina and I go to the studio, and after the initial greetings, we get down to business.

“Green is the obvious color, of course,” Rosa murmurs, studying me with narrowed eyes. “But one must always try to do the unexpected. Do you already have your jewelry picked out?”

Is this how the rich live? Do they really have their gowns designed to match their jewelry? I feel like I’ve walked into the middle of a patch of quicksand. “I have this,” I say, showing her my ruby pendant. “I’ll wear this; I always do. And I have a matching bracelet.”

“You do?” Valentina asks immediately. Damn it; I should have known she’d pick up on that. My best friend doesn’t miss a thing.

I feel myself flush. “Antonio gave it to me.”

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