Page 32 of Blood and Lies (A Twisted Duet 1)

“Possa tu bruciare all’inferno.” May you burn in Hell.

The animosity, loathing, and disgust in her words slammed against my chest. And as her dark eyes glared at me, revulsion swirled in them and made me hyperaware of the fact that this woman was fueled by her hate…hate for me.

“You took my son away from me, and for that you will suffer eternal Hell and damnation.”

“I didn’t—”

Another slap to the face cut off my words, ripping more tears from my body. Fire burned my cheek; trepidation charred my insides.

“You deserve every ounce of the wrath Castello will rain down upon you. And I look forward to seeing you suffer.” Her words were gritted between clenched teeth, the veins in her neck protruding as disdain flowed through her veins.

I didn’t dare say another word. There was the same evil darkness in her that I saw in Vico. Castello was dark too, but his was different. It was like he tried to fight his, where this woman and Vico embraced it, fed it…lived it.

She lifted her arm again, but this time a glint of silver flashed under the light. I gasped when I felt the blade against the skin of my neck, and all I could do was close my eyes and hold my breath, anticipating the slicing of flesh.

“Madre!”

The blade pierced my skin, but before I even registered the pain, the knife was gone. The first thing I did was inhale to see if I could still breathe. Thank God, the air filled my lungs, cooling the fire of fear in my chest.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Castello gripping the woman’s wrist with the knife still in her hand.

“Non ancora.” Not yet.

He dropped her hand and eased her back by putting him between me and her.

The woman glowered at him. “Quando?” When?

“Presto, Madre. Presto.”

It was his mother. The woman who almost slit my throat was Castello’s mother…Carlo’s mother.Oh my God.The entire fucking Fattore family hated me, wanted to see me dead. This entire time I had a slither of hope that somehow I might be able to survive this. But now, with all these glaring eyes filled with hate staring at me, I wasn’t so sure. How could I survive all their hate, all their need for revenge?

Castello’s mother lowered her knife and lifted her chin. “Mi fido figlio.”

He lowered his head in acknowledgement, in respect, then waited patiently for her to walk away.

I took a deep breath. “You said soon.”

He turned. “Excuse me?”

“You said soon when she asked when. Am I correct in assuming she meant when, as in when you’ll finally slit my throat or drive that knife through my heart?”

A dark brow arched as he stared at me. “You speak Italian?”

It wasn’t my intention to expose the one advantage I had, the fact that I could understand them without them knowing. But I couldn’t stop myself. I needed to know. I needed to know if my death would come sooner than I thought—than I hoped.

He stepped closer, eyes etched on mine.“Hai mentito.”You lied.

“Io no. Solo che non ti ho detto.”I didn’t. I just didn’t tell you.

“Avresti dovuto dirmelo.” You should have told me.

“Perché? Si ha intenzione di uccidere me.” Why? You plan on killing me.

A smile crept up at the corner of his mouth, and his gaze dropped to my neck. When he lifted his hand, touching the spot where his mother’s knife had nicked me, I shivered, never taking my eyes off him.

“You like pain.” He kept staring at the cut on my neck, his finger still softly touching my flesh.

I snorted. “What kind of person likes pain?”

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