Page 144 of Crazed

As if she can read my mind, Arianna smirks. "Don't worry, I didn't poison it. I didn't know you were coming down here to prepare."

"Arianna!" Bridget reprimands.

"What? Don't stick up for her and act like she's an innocent bystander in everything. I could have been raped or killed!"

"I didn't know why Donato wanted access to that room," I declare.

"That's convenient for you." Arianna huffs.

"It's true!"

"Sure, it is." She scowls.

I scoot my chair out and rise. "Sorry I interrupted your breakfast."

Bridget grabs my forearms. "Katiya, wait! Don't go!"

I lock eyes with her.

She nods to the seat and softens her voice. "Sit down."

"Sorry, I'm not very hungry anymore."

Massimo's voice rings through the air, scolding, "Arianna, you have it wrong. All of you have it wrong."

I spin, relieved he's okay and happy to see him, even if this is super uncomfortable. But my relief is short-lived.

The lines around his eyes and forehead look deeper than usual. His eyes are bloodshot, and it's clear he didn't sleep at all. He steps next to me, puts his hand on my lower back, and leans down to kiss my head. He locks eyes with me and questions, "Did you sleep okay?"

I respond, "Yes. Is everything okay? Your father said something happened with the club?"

He grinds his molars for a moment. "Things are taken care of for the time being. I'll fill you in later."

His answer doesn't relieve all my anxiety, but I'm glad things are okay for now.

He turns to Arianna. "We need to talk."

"Yeah, we do. Don't we?" she claims.

Massimo squeezes my waist. "I'll be back soon. Have some breakfast. You need to eat." He walks over to Arianna and holds out his hand.

She refuses to take it, grasps the table's edge, and pries her very pregnant self out of her seat. After giving Massimo another look of death, she leaves the room with him in tow.

More tense silence builds. I blurt out, "I'm telling the truth! I didn't have anything to do with her kidnapping except for showing Donato how to access the room. And that was weeks prior to when he abducted her!"

Bridget and Cara exchange a look I'm unsure how to interpret. I say, "Fine. Don't believe me." I turn to leave, and Cara grabs my arm.

She demands, "Sit down, Katiya."

"Why should I? Neither of you believes me. Or maybe you don't want to," I hypothesize. And I wish I wasn't disappointed, but I am. I shouldn't have thought things could be fine between the Marinos and me. Perhaps they'll always think the worst of me.

"I believe you," Bridget offers.

Surprised, I glance at her. "You do?"

"Yes."

"Why? No one else does."

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