Page 33 of Fatal Love

I called out as I stood to greet them. “In here.”

Carmela pulled me into a hug. “Have you heard?”

“Yes, Michael just called me.”

“I’m relieved. Celestina and I were about to use the plane to go to the States. Now we can wait until the morning.” Carmela smiled.

“No. You need to stay here. Your presence in Vegas would create a complication they don’t need right now.”

“What? Are you serious? I’m tired of being told no, Antonio. We weren’t allowed to go when he got stabbed. And now he’s awake and we still can’t go?” Celestina folded her arms across her chest.

“Ivanov could use you against Vincenzo. You know that. I want to be there too, but I know it’s safer for me to be here.”

“Right. Because of Rachel.” Carmela rolled her eyes. “Where is the little woman?”

“Upstairs sleeping. She isn’t feeling well.”

“Is she pregnant?” Celestina laughed at her own joke. I held my sister's gaze, her words rolling around in my head. Could she be pregnant? Lord knows we have had plenty of sex. Even before we came to Italy. “Holy shit. You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“I mean—” I ran my palm down my face and sighed. “It’s not impossible.”

“Jesus Christ. What is it with the Anastasi men and accidental pregnancies?”

“It could be Michael’s just as much as it could be mine.”

That seemed to sober the twins up. They both stared at me wide-eyed as my words resonated with them. “She needs to see a doctor.”

Carmela pointed at me. “You should make her.”

“I can’t make her do anything, Carm. She’s a grown adult, not to mention wildly stubborn. But when she wakes up, I’ll talk to her. In the meantime.” I walked past them towards the kitchen. “You two hungry?”

They nodded and followed me out of the study. I'd let Rachel sleep, but when she woke up—we'd have a serious conversation about the thoughts rolling around in my head.

Seventeen

Michael

Something was wrong. I tugged at my hands that were bound behind my back. My head felt like it was a weighted balloon as I tried to regain control of my faculties. Tiny dots swam through my vision as I blinked the fog from my eyes and forced them open. The inside of my mouth felt like it was stuffed full of cotton, even though it wasn’t.

When the haze clouding my vision finally cleared, I realized I was tied to a chair in what appeared to be a basement. The walls were made of gray cinder blocks and the floor was concrete. It had only one window near the ceiling of the room. And you could barely classify it as a window. It appeared to be a two by four rectangle with bars on the opening.

I wiggled, trying to loosen my hands free. But the movement sent a lightning bolt of pain up my arm. When I glanced down, I could see the pool of blood gathering beneath the chair. What the hell was going on? I couldn’t remember anything. I closed my eyes and searched my memories. The last thing I recalled was walking out of the hospital after Vincenzo was released. Massimo had put them in his car, and I told him I would be by later. Then I got in my car—at least I think I did.

“Ah, I see you're awake.” The thick Russian accent sent chills through my veins. “I bet you're wondering where you are and how you got here?”

The overhead light came on, bathing me in a florescent glow. I squinted my eyes, trying to shield them from the pain the bright light was causing.

“Ivanov?” I gritted my teeth, pulling against my restraints. “How?” I shook my head, sickened that he'd nabbed me.

“One of my men was waiting in your car. You didn’t even notice him lying in the backseat. Nor did you fight when he jabbed the needle in your neck.” He stepped closer. “I was surprised your bodyguard didn’t put up more of a fight when his throat was slit.”

I closed my eyes and hissed. One of Miguel’s men had been assigned to watch over me. And now… he was dead. “They’ll come for me.”

“You’ll be dead. I’m not using you as bait, Mr. Brighton. I’m using you as a catalyst.”

“A catalyst?” I furrowed my brow.

“When I dump your remains at the doorstep of the Anastasi Family. Your lover will be beside himself with rage. He’ll slip up, giving me the opportunity to kill them all. Imagine—the entire line of Anastasi men gone. My life will be mine again and I can continue doing what I do best—controlling others.”

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