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“Yes, my heart bleeds for my brother, who helped murder an innocent man.” My tone is dripping in sarcasm.

“It wasn’t like that. If you had…” I slam my hand down on the desk.

“I’d watch what you say Amy, I appreciate you have been told his version of events, but my brother is a dangerous man, I can dial that phone and have you removed from here in cuffs and you can end up where Matteo was.” She shrinks under the weight of my stare, and I nod for her to continue.

“He was asking me for money which I’ve been sending to him for a while and then when he got approved for a parole hearing, he knew we needed money so we could move away, start a new life. When he found out I worked here, he said I should take what was his.”

“What was his? Is he fucking serious? I worked for this. I built this business from the ground up. Me and my friends. Matteo had fuck all to do with it,” I growl, running a hand through my hair, my chest burning with anger.

“I know it was wrong.” She sobs. “I will get the money back. We are leaving tomorrow. I’ll get the money back, just please, please, don’t call the police.”

I brace my hands against the desk just as my phone begins to buzz. Gabriella’s name flashes across the screen and I go to answer, but I need to wrap this up.

“No, you aren’t leaving. You are going to go to Matteo and tell him I want every single cent back or I will be calling the police. Got it?”

My phone dances across my desk, Gabriella’s name flashes up on the screen, but I need Amy gone before I answer.

Amy stands, doesn’t give me a second glance as she leaves my office without another word. I sag into my leather office chair. The phone stops ringing and I stand, pacing the room.

“Fuck,” I breathe out, digging my heels into the floor and hit the files on my desk with my hand. They scatter across the desk and floor. I lean my head forward, cradling my head in my hands.

Things in my life are good, and then this. I have so many questions, ones only my brother can answer.

I’m up and out of my seat, swiping my keys and rushing out my office to head out to my car.

I dial Gabriella’s number; it rings and rings and just when I fear it will go to voice mail someone answers and my blood runs cold when I hear her screaming.

“Help. There’s someone in my apartment.” Her terrified voice has my blood running cold.

“Gabriella,” I yell, but she doesn’t reply.

The phone connects to the car as I drive and panic claws at my throat when I hear his voice.

“Feisty little bitch, aren’t you? You like it rough, huh?”

A guttural roar erupts from my chest as I punch the steering wheel. Horns blast as I swerve to miss a car.

He’s got her. He’s got Gabriella.

Pressing my foot to the floor, my only focus is getting to her.

I think my body shuts down, goes into autopilot because the next thing I know, I am walking into Gabriella’s apartment, where I find her slumped on the floor in her entryway. My legs give way. I fall to the ground and scramble over to her, my heartbeat ringing in my ears.

No, please, please let her be okay.

But I never make it to her. A pain ricochets through my temple and something warm and wet trickles down my face as a voice I haven’t heard in years seeps into my brain.

“Hello, little brother. It’s been a while.”

Chapter Fifty Nine

Gabriella

Everything aches, every part of me feels heavy. I blink, fighting to focus. I see two figures. One in a chair slumped over, another stood beside him.

“Nice of you to wake up. We have company.”

Brad, it’s Brad’s voice. He’s here.I push up on shaky arms and fall against the couch, my body too weak to hold me up.