Page 166 of Carnal

Pina locks eyes with them and almost collapses to the ground. I hold her up.

Bridget cautiously steps forward. In a quiet voice, she states, "Pina, I'm your friend, Bridget. This is your friend, Arianna. Do you want to come to my room with us?"

Tears stream down Pina's cheeks. She glances between the two women, whimpering.

Bridget adds, "It's safe. I promise. We've been your friends for a long time."

Pina glances at me and then at Bridget. "Can you keep him away from me?"

28

Pina

I don't knowthese men. Dante and the others scare me, but Tristano frightens me more. Biagio claimed he kidnapped me. And I don't remember him, yet he looks familiar.

If he kidnapped me, he would look familiar.

What if Biagio was lying?

What if he wasn't?

I assume Dante is his brother. He's familiar, too, but I'm still scared. All I want to do is escape everybody so I know I'm safe.

Two women rush out of the house. One resembles Tristano and Dante. The man who came out before them might be the men's father. He has the same dangerous aura that Tristano and Dante have. Still, their danger doesn't feel quite like Biagio and Jacopo's. But I'm so confused about everything happening and not being able to remember anything that I'm not taking any chances.

The woman with blonde hair tells me her name is Bridget and the dark-haired woman is Arianna. She says stuff to try and calm me, but I barely hear her.

The other woman stays quiet. She has a kind face full of sympathy. It makes me realize I'm probably behaving like a wild animal.

Bridget claims she, Arianna, and I are friends. They appear nice and trustworthy. In fact, they're the friendliest people I've seen since I woke up from the accident.

"Would you like to come inside with Arianna and me?" she inquires again, and I realize she’s been talking to me but I've barely heard her.

Inside. Is that smart?

I glance around the property. The sun has almost set. A gorgeous pink hue streaks across the sky. The large iron bars enclosing the property loom in the distance.

I'm trapped here, just like at Jacopo's.

I study the women and decide it's better than staying with the men.Surely, they're safer?

"Okay," I meekly agree.

Bridget and Arianna step on both sides of me. As I step into the house, another sense of panic rushes through me.

It's overwhelmingly huge, just like Biagio's father's house was. I don't want to be here if it's anything like Jacopo's. I blurt out, "Get me out of here." I turn around to leave, but Tristano is right behind me and I collide into his muscular torso.

He wraps his arm around my waist, pleading, "Baby Girl, please. It's me."

Why is he calling me baby girl?

I shove out of his arms, feeling on edge again.

Bridget puts her arm around my shoulder, ordering, "Tristano, give her some time. Pina, let's go up to my suite, okay? I promise you, everything will be better soon."

I lock eyes with her blues, fretting, "I don't want any of them coming near me."

She keeps her voice soft. "I promise, Arianna and I are the only ones who will go with you."

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