Page 75 of Wounded King

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She widens her eyes at me in aI dare youway.

My phone vibrates.

Luciano:

What do you mean?

Me:

I mean, the guys he has watching me. They stand out like a sore thumb.

Luciano:

Where are you?

A very, very deep sense of unease fills my stomach.

"What's wrong?" Pippa asks, picking up on the drop in my mood.

"I don't know, hold on."

Me:

At a restaurant with a friend

My phone rings.Absolutely not, don't you dare answer this, aka, Marcello is calling.

"Ping me your location. Stay where you are. I'll be right there." He hangs up.

I stare at Pippa. "Well, he's coming."

"What? He's coming?"

I nod.

"Here?"

I nod again.

"Why?"

I wish I knew, but I have a dark feeling.

"So ever since I broke it off, there have been these men?—"

"What men?"

"Men," I elaborate. "In dark suits, with sunglasses. I thought he sent them after me, but…"

"But?" She looks breathless, like someone waiting for the dead person to jump up and attack the heroine. Only for her, it's excitement, not fear.

"I don't think they're his men."

"Oh dear."

"That's one way to describe it."

"Are they here now?"

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