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His expression softens slightly, but still holds uncertainty.
“But I can help you.” He searches my face as if looking for something more. “Why did you never confide in me?”
I sigh. “I’m just your executive assistant, West. If you knew who I really was…” My voice trails off as dread creeps in. I shake my head, fighting back tears and frustration building up inside me again. “It’s just not safe for anyone else.”
“So, you’re some mafia princess?” he asks, a ripple running down his throat.
“I was. My mother and father were your modern-day Romeo and Juliet, except they got their happily ever after.” A breath hitches in my throat. “They did—“ I blink back tears. “But their union made me pretty special, and Vincenzo wants his grandchildren to have my blood.”
“Fuck!” West scrubs his hand over his face.
I take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “West, I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I understand if you want nothing to do with me now.”
His eyes lock onto mine, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths. I can see the gears turning in his head, processing everything I’ve just revealed.
“If you help me get a new identity,” I continue, my voice shaking as I think about what I’m saying, “I’ll be out of your hair. Your life. You won’t have to worry about me or any of this mess ever again.”
West remains silent, his jaw clenched tight.
“I have a plan,” I press on, desperate to fill the silence. “I just need a little help, and I can disappear. Start fresh somewhere new, where Giovanni can’t find me. Where I won’t be a burden to anyone, including you.”
My words hang in the air between us. West’s expression is unreadable, his eyes distant as if he’s looking through me rather than at me.
Then he leans back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. The silence stretches on, making each second feel like an eternity.
Finally, he speaks, his voice low and controlled. “You’re right. It is a lot to ask.”
“I know,” I add softly and my heart breaks all over again, “but you have connections. You could help me vanish without a trace. It’s the best solution for everyone involved.”
I nod, bracing myself for rejection. But instead of dismissing me outright, he leans forward, his elbows on the desk as his eyes bore into mine.
“Tell me more about this plan of yours.”
Chapter 15
West
She laughs, but there’s no real humor in it. “There’s no plan.” She shrugs. “Unless you can get me to London. He’ll never suspect I could ever move there.”
“Does anyone else know who you really are?” I ask her, standing up and walking around the desk.
“No,” she whispers, her eyes shimmering like broken glass.
I step closer, my heart pounding. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Her expression hardens. “I have to.” She swallows, glancing at the floor like it might offer her an escape route. “Once this engagement goes public, Giovanni will find me. He might…he might kill me. He might kill you.”
I clench my fists, resisting the urge to shake some sense into her. “What makes you think I’m going to let that happen?”
She meets my gaze, and for a moment, the weight of our shared secret hangs heavy between us. “Because you don’t understand what he’s capable of.” She swallows. “I’ve ruined everything for you. I should never have agreed to this fake engagement.”
“And he doesn’t know what I’m capable of,” I challenge, anger simmering in my veins.
Her shoulders slump as if the very thought drains her energy. “Giovanni isn’t just some guy with connections; he’s a monster.” She draws a shaky breath, steadying herself before she continues. “He won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”
“You?”
She nods. “Unfortunately.”