Page 34 of Sweet Deception
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After leaving the prison that day, I couldn’t stop thinking about my siblings, Matteo, Vincenzo, and Salvatore. Three years is such a long time. Seeing them again last week shattered me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. I’d spent the past week locked away in my room, refusing to leave, refusing to face the world. Every meal... breakfast, lunch, dinner, had been brought to me here, but I barely touched any of it.
A sharp knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts.
“Anna, there’s a problem.” Zoya’s voice, tense and urgent, sent a shiver down my spine.
I sat up immediately. “What happened?”
“Can I come in?”
“Yes.”
Zoya slipped inside, shutting the door behind her with an unusual amount of caution. Her eyes darted around the room, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress, a rare display of unease.
“Mr. Antonio is here.”
My brows furrowed. “Who?”
“Gleb’s uncle.”
Oh. I hadn’t met any of Gleb’s family yet. Not officially.
“Should I be worried?” My pulse picked up speed. “Isn’t he here to see Gleb? You can just tell him he’s not around.”
Zoya let out a humorless laugh. “You don’t get it, do you?” She took a step closer, lowering her voice. “His whole family hates you, Anna. They want you dead.”
The breath left my lungs. “Is he here to kill me?”
“I don’t know. I tried calling Gleb, but his number isn’t going through.” She swallowed. “There’s a secret exit. You should leave. At least until I know what his intentions are.”
I hesitated. “Leave? Go where? I don’t know my way around Moscow.”
“Gleb will find you.” Her gaze flickered to the door as if expecting someone to barge in at any moment. “But you need to be safe first.”
I clenched my fists. Running had never been my style. But I wasn’t foolish enough to think I could fight Gleb’s uncle and survive.
“Fine. Tell me where it is.”
Zoya exhaled. “Come with me. And be quiet.”
She led me out of my room, through a dimly lit corridor, and into a large storage room. At the far end, a sleek, glass-paneled door stood against the wall. She typed in a code, and with a soft mechanical click, the door slid open.
Beyond it, a narrow staircase spiraled downward.
Just as I was about to take the first step, a deep voice rumbled behind us.
“Trying to help her escape, Zoya?”
I froze. My heart slammed into my ribs as I turned.
A tall, broad-shouldered man stood at the entrance of the secret passage. He looked about my father’s age, but with none of the warmth. His dark eyes gleamed with something sinister as he stepped closer.
A wicked smirk curled on his lips. “How disappointing. I thought you were loyal to our family.”
Zoya shifted, moving protectively in front of me. “Antonio, please...”
His hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of her hair. Zoya let out a pained gasp as he yanked her head back.
