Page 35 of Blood Ties

My iMessages had popped up with a notification.

Unknown Caller: Ask your little boyfriend why he was supposed to kill you

Disbelief lodged my words in my throat. At first, all I could get out was a whimper.

My chest tightened painfully, and I choked out, “You were going to kill me?”

“Fuck,” he whispered, and I dragged my attention from my screen to look at him.

Those electric blue eyes practically burned through me before he flattened his lips and closed them. “Yes. But that was be—”

“Don’t,” I gasped as I held up a hand, the other clutching my tablet to my body.

Rapidly, I blinked, trying my best to dispel the tears before they fell. My lungs were frozen, unable to bring much needed oxygen to my body. Before I could collapse and break down in front of him, I turned and rushed for the bathroom.

Only after I was in the safety of the small room did I crumble. Leaning against the door, I slid down until I was sitting. In a desperate attempt to breathe, I sucked in shallow inhales until I exhaled on a sob.

“Niv, please let me explain,” I heard him say through the door.

“Go away. I don’t want to talk to you,” I called out in a voice watery from crying. I heard a small sound, then the door shook slightly. I could practically picture him with his head resting on the door.

He must’ve decided to grant my request because I heard him leave and the bedroom door closed.

Then I blinked down at the message that taunted me and started a new message to my dad.

Me: Come get me out of here. Now. Please

Dad: Be there in a sec

I didn’t ask him how he knew exactly where I was, and he didn’t ask me why. I assumed Alessio made up some story about me pouting in the bathroom or something. Hell, maybe he told him the truth.

Me: Hurry

Dad: I’m here, sweetheart

The knock on the door was followed by my dad’s voice through the door. “Honey, I’m here.”

I got to my feet and opened the door a crack. “You’re alone?” I asked, hating the way my voice cracked.

“Yeah.”

I swung it wide and pushed past. After stuffing my iPad and the few things I had left sitting out into the bag, I put it over my shoulder. “Let’s go. I want to go see Mom for a while.”

He nodded and we walked out together. I had a deadline on my sculpture, but I would email them and tell them I needed a little more time due to the death of my biological father. They would understand.

As we hit the common area, Alessio stood up from the table with Facet and few others.

“Nivea,” he started, but I ducked my head and hurried past, thankful my dad stayed with me.

“Nivea!” Alessio shouted. In my periphery I saw him lunge for me, but chairs scraped and the men he’d been sitting with held him back.

I rushed out the door and fell against the side of the building. My chest caved and I couldn’t breathe. Tears burned my eyes and my throat. My brain was scrambled and all I could think was he was supposed to kill me.

Alessio was supposed to kill me.

Dad burst out of the building, and he helped me into his truck. Once we were on the road, he glanced my way. “You wanna tell me what that was about?”

“I got a message from Jade,” I whispered.

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