Page 16 of Till Death Do Us Part

Felice said nothing as he led me to another area. This one felt even colder. My breath turned into clouds as I breathed out, and I huddled deeper into my coat. I pulled my hat down some and took a sip of my coffee, but it had cooled down and was almost cold.

We stopped when we came to a password-protected door in the back. A red light on the wall blinked after Felice put in the code. The lockclickedand we were allowed through.

Was he taking me ice skating? Because that was how cold the air was. But deep down I knew he wasn’t the kind of man who took a girl ice skating or gave her sweet gifts. He was a carnivore, like the dinosaur purse he’d given me, and it wasn’t in his nature.

I sensed something then, but it was too late.

He opened a door to a locker—like a humongous freezer. After we went through a couple of slabs of beef, he had to catch me before either my legs gave out or I bolted. My mind was giving my body opposing orders. I didn’t even notice when my coffee slipped out of my hand.

“Roma,” Felice’s voice was warm and close, but I couldn’t respond.

Hanging from hooks that had been shoved up their asses were the guys who had attacked me and my sister. They were slumped over, feet dangling.

“Look at me.”

Felice’s voice broke through the terror, the shock, and my eyes snapped to his.

“Someone hurts you, I kill them.” Felice took the first guy by the hair, so I had a clear picture of what had been done to him.

Was I still breathing? Even my chest felt completely numb as he took turns with each one.

Faces were frozen in screams. Eyes were like glass under cloudy water. The only one who didn’t have both of his eyes was Ben. Curly Locks was unrecognizable except for his hair.

“Sick.” The word seemed to come from far away, but it was loud inside of my head.

I flew toward the door, a hand covering my mouth. I slipped some but managed to get out right before all the coffee I’d drank made a comeback in a hall trashcan. Or whatever the hell it was. It was filled with what seemed like lard, and it stunk.

I felt eyes on me when there was nothing left in my stomach and my jaw relaxed. When I looked up, Felice was watching me. He stood with his back against the wall, hands in his pockets. In his fancy suit and gorgeous coat, he looked like a fine businessman, but beneath the clothes, he was something else entirely.

“You did that to them?” I asked, wiping my mouth.

He nodded. “For you. For the sister you love.”

“That’s what you consideragift?”

“It’s a gift that’ll earn your trust. Or would earrings made from their blood have been better?”

“You’re psychotic.” My voice came out shredded and raw.

“Somewhat.” His eyes were as cold as the freezer, even if his voice carried summer in the Mediterranean in its tone.

“Take me back to the museum,” I whispered.

He nodded and went to touch my lower back again, but I stepped away from him. He stared at my face as the door buzzed open but said nothing. Neither did I. Not even when he dropped me at my car.

Felice “John” Maggio had killed my nightmares and earned my trust—and that scared me more than what he was capable of, because it only made me want to spend more time with him.

Chapter7

Roma

Friday Felice had given me the “gift.”

Saturday, I slept like I did before the attack—solid.

Sunday night I tossed and turned all night. I couldn’t stop thinking about Felice.

What he did for me.

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