Page 48 of Dangerous Attraction

thirty-one

MADISON

I never thoughtmy life could get any more fucked-up than it already was. I was wrong. Staring out the tiny window of Massimo’s private jet, my mind drifted back over the last twenty-four hours.

A woman was dead—a warning to Massimo that went wrong. Instead of Krissy being the girl lying on the floor with lifeless eyes, it should have been me.

“Madison,” Carlisle’s deep voice snapped me from the nightmare playing over and over in my head. “We should land in Paris in about forty-five minutes.”

“Paris?” I held Carlisle’s concerned eyes. “I thought we were going to Italy?”

He chuckled. “We are, but we have to stop to refuel. We’ll only be on the ground long enough to do that.”

“Oh.” I shrugged, turning back to look out the window. It was then I noticed the lights below us, indicating civilization.

“You slept through the first refueling. Are you hungry?”

“We landed before?” I rubbed my head, shocked I’d slept through anything.

“Yes.” Carlisle reached across the seat and pressed his hand to my leg. “You should really try to eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Carlisle made a face at me but nodded and stood up. “That’s fine for now. When we get to Sicily, I’ll expect you to eat then. I’ll be back. I need to speak with the pilot. The restroom is back there.” He pointed to the back of the plane. “Go freshen up. It’ll make you feel better.” He walked toward the cockpit and disappeared behind the door.

Pushing myself up to stand, I gripped the back of the seat and steadied myself. I made my way to the rear of the plane before locking myself inside the lavatory. I expected it to be smaller, but knowing Massimo, it wasn’t a surprise to see he made sure it was comfortable.

The room had a standup shower, toilet, and vanity. Pressing my hands against the edge of the porcelain counter, I cringed at my reflection. My hair looked as though it hadn’t been brushed in days, and my face… well, it was swollen and red. Turning the water on cold, I dipped my hands beneath the stream, filling my palms, then pressed the cool liquid against my skin. I snagged a hand towel off the wall, wiping it across my wet skin until it was dry. My eyes looked tired and weary, making the reflection staring back at me in the mirror a stranger. I quickly used the bathroom, washed my hands one more time, then cut off the faucet.

Making my way back to my seat, I took a deep breath, giving Carlisle a half-hearted smile. He was watching me as I slipped back into my seat.

“Buckle up.” Carlisle reached across me and snapped my belt into place.

“What will happen when we get to Italy?”

“Antonio will be waiting when we land. Massimo has briefed him on the situation back in Vegas.”

“Will you stay?”

“No, I am needed back at Discoteca.”

I blew out a breath to avoid crying again.

“I’ll be there with no one I know.” My voice cracked, tears building up in my eyes, anyway.

“Antonio will take care of you, Madison.”

“Why is he still in Italy? Shouldn’t he have gone home by now?”

Carlisle held his tongue, searching for the right words. “Antonio is struggling with his grandfather’s illness. Massimo and Vincenzo felt it was best that he stayed behind until…” Carlisle paused.

“Until their grandfather dies?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Antonio has always been the odd man out of the three brothers. He doesn’t see himself as being their equal, but his grandfather always made him feel important.”

“Great, so two fucked-up people will rely on one another.”

“You’re not fucked-up.”

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