Page 36 of The Villain's Beloved (The Villain's Duet 2)

“Took you?”

I shifted from one leg to the other. “Elijah and I didn’t exactly meet the old-fashioned way.”

Saint lifted a brow but said nothing and allowed me to continue.

“He said that Gianni Guerra was my grandfather.”

“Yeah.” He wiped at his nose—red from the cold—then glanced at the crowds before looking back at me. “I did some research, and it turns out that part is true. Gianni Guerra did have a daughter.”

“My mother?”

He nodded, and a sliver of relief flooded through my chest knowing at least one thing Elijah told me was true.

“What else has he told you?”

“That Gianni is in some prison, waiting to testify against the Bernardi family. And that I was in danger, because the Bernardis know if they have me, Gianni wouldn’t testify. That’s why he had to take me.”

“To protect you?”

I nodded.

“What else?”

My thoughts were frantic, trying to search through every memory, every conversation we had. “Just that he had to watch over me for three years, did everything he could to keep the Bernardi family from finding me.”

“So, he stalked you?”

“Observed was the word he used.”

Saint rubbed his temples. “Anything else?”

“I don’t know. Everything that happened the past few months is like a giant goddamn blur.” I was frazzled, trying to sort through my thoughts. “Um, there was Josh.”

“Josh?”

“Yeah, this guy back in New York. He worked for Elijah, I think, but then Elijah shot him, saying that he was a traitor.”

“When was this?” Saint didn’t seem surprised at all at the mention of Elijah killing someone.

“Um”—I scratched the side of my neck—“it was the night of the attack at Elijah’s apartment. Someone was shooting at us. I don’t know who it was, I just remember Elijah saying that they found me.”

“The Bernardis?”

Shrugging, I replied, “I guess so.”

“This doesn’t make sense.” Saint paced in front of me, staring at the ground as he seemingly tried to piece it all together. “This happened the night you flew from New York to Rome?”

I nodded. “Not like I could remember anything. Elijah drugged me. One minute I was in the back seat of the car freaking out, and the next I woke up on your yacht.”

Saint stilled. “He phoned me that night. He said Plan A had been compromised.”

“I remember him phoning someone, yes. That was you?”

“Yeah.” He frowned, his eyes hard and expression stern. “Listen, Charlotte. The Bernardi family, they’re not after you.”

“What do you mean they’re not?”

“It’s not you they want.”

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