She was slipping out of the ballroom.
Good. That made it easier for me to see her, to tell her I would get her back. Maybe even to give her a piece of my mind for dragging me through this bullshit with all her lies. She had forced me to break the treaty and chase her to Chicago.
And where the fuck did I find her?
Not locked in a cell, pining for me. Not on the street, running from her family to get back to me and our son.
No. I found her dressed like some beautiful mythical creature, a goddess, trying to attract potential husbands at a stupid fucking masquerade ball.
As discreetly as possible, I made my way through the sea of sequined dresses and tuxedos to the other side of the ballroom. When I stepped through the same double exit doors Val had used, the hallway beyond felt far too empty.
With every step along the red carpet runner, following her, my blood boiled hotter and hotter.
She had caused this mess.
Now I had to risk everything for her—again.
I watched her enter the ladies’ room and headed that way.
Before I could grab the ornate golden handle, the door opened for me. Then a hand darted out and clamped down on my arm to yank me inside.
No light. The room was pitch black.
Someone shoved me against the wall and held a knife to my throat.
The lights came on—and there she was.
Valentina Moscatelli, furious, glaring at me while wielding a fucking butter knife.
I grinned. “Found you, mia bellissima diavoletta.”
CHAPTER 14
VAL
I held the blade to his throat, not because I could do anything with a stupid fucking butter knife, but because I feared what he might do to me.
Stefano wouldn’t hurt me the way Aris and Saul had—that I knew. He had every right to be angry with me, though. Furious even. And I couldn’t stop myself from trying to stay ahead of it.
I had my own reason to be pissed off anyway.
“How dare you?” I hissed.
He bent his neck, dipping his chin, pressing the dull knife more firmly against his throat.
“How dare I what, Valentina Moscatelli?”
I winced, then corrected my expression.
“How dare you show up here with her.”
Tears burned my eyelids, but I willed them away.
“I should slit your throat and let you bleed out on this floor for betraying me like that. Were youthe one who called my family? Did you set this up to get me out of the way? So she could raise my son?”
Stefano pushed my hand down and took the knife.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”