Page 101 of Crazed

I remove her hands and reply, "Keep the love talk to yourself. Spill it."

She swipes at her cheeks and sniffles. Her voice cracks as she says, "I don't know where to start."

"Pick a place," I demand.

She closes her eyes, takes a few breaths, then pins her glistening blues on me. "I lied about how I escaped Leo."

"Go on. I'm listening," I tell her, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to stop the anger from burning through my lungs.

She hugs her knees then divulges, "I got too old for him. He...he brought a new girl to the house. Then he moved me into the brownstone and told me I needed to work at the library. I was responsible for my living expenses except for housing."

My chest tightens. "And what were you supposed to do at the library? Were you there to make sure my sister was held captive?"

"No! I swear! A long time passed where I only went to work. I convinced myself Leo had forgotten about me. One day, Donato showed up at the library. I-I didn't even know who he was, and I swear I had nothing to do with Arianna's kidnapping! I never lied about that!" she claims.

I breathe through more anger. I kick myself for not taking Donato out when I could have. He should never have gotten to my sister.

"You have to believe me!"

I'm not willing to acknowledge whether I do or don't. Until I know everything, I'm unsure what to think. I reply, "So he put you in the library so Donato would get access?"

She shakes her head. "No. I don't think so. I mean, maybe it was part of it, but I'm unsure. It...it..." She bites her lip and scrunches her face.

"It what?" I seethe, wanting answers and fast.

She swallows hard. "You wouldn't stop coming in."

My stomach pitches. "What are you talking about?"

"You kept coming into the library. Leo...he...he always has people watching me. I never know who. Even Alicia surprised me. I had no idea."

The hairs on my neck rise. "Alicia? What does she have to do with this?"

Katiya releases a long breath. "She's one of them. I found out the other day. The Abruzzos are always watching me. No matter what, I can't escape, and they'll always know what I'm doing."

The pit in my stomach grows. I blurt out, "I told Alicia where we're going."

Katiya nods. "I know. I'm hoping she tells Leo and he doesn't disprove, or he'll have my head when I return. It's why I didn't ask for time off. I didn't have his permission. I already got in trouble for moving in with you."

"Trouble? How?"

"Do you know Tommy Abruzzo? He's his head guy," she relays.

I grunt. "Yeah, I know the douchebag."

She nods. "Well, he came into the library. It's how I found out Alicia is an Abruzzo. They even used to date or something."

I rise and pace the small space, tugging on my hair.

"Massimo?" Katiya asks.

"I'll be back in a minute. Don't leave this room," I command.

"What's wrong?" she frets.

I turn in the doorway. "Leo knows where we're going. We can't go there."

More anxiety floods her features. "But he'll be even more pissed if he sends his guys to follow me and I'm not there."

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