Page 109

“Oh, I’ll do whatever I please, Mrs. Winston.” A small smile dances on my lips. She’s scared.Good. “And even after all this is done, I’ll still have eyes on them, just in case you suddenly get remorseful and feel like confessing your sins.”
She gasps, grunts a curse, and hangs up. I set my phone down, my fingers tapping against the desk. These will be the longest three days of my life. But once they’re over, all the troubles of the past few months will be over, too.
My attention returns to Cortez, who’s been silent all along. “Any unusual activity around Aria lately?”
Cortez shakes his head. “Our guys say everything’s clear. She’s fine.”
I nod, but the weight in my chest tightens. “That doesn’t mean they have to relax. I don’t trust this silence. By now, Marcus knows she’s my weakness. If he wants leverage, he’ll go after her.”
Cortez studies me for a moment. “We’ve got people watching her. If anything changes, you’ll know.”
I drag a hand down my face, exhaling slowly. “It’s not just about knowing, Cortez. It’s about making sure she’s untouchable.”
He leans forward. “You really think he’d move on her?”
The mere thought of it causes my fingers to curl into fists. “I know he would. If anything happens to her...” My voice thickens from pain infused with rage. “If Marcus so much as breathes in her direction, I’ll burn everything down to keep her safe.”
“But,Capo,” Cortez infiltrates my thoughts, “are you sure Aria’s worth fighting for? I’ve always wanted to bring this to your attention, but with everything going on, we’ve been too busy…”
My brow jerks in inquiry. Cortez has his eyes pinned on me like he always does when he has something important to say.
“What’s this about?”
“Capo, I’ve had a tab on Aria since you asked me to, and recently, I discovered she’s been feeding her journalist friend information about us… our operations.”
My jaw drops open.
“What? Are you certain about this?”
“Positive,Capo. I have some of the recordings on my phone.” He reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone.
Aria’s voice plays out, revealing as much as she knows to Mia. To think that she’d looked straight into my eyes and lied that she hadn’t told anyone about me…
My hands run through my hair in frustration. Sharp pain tears through my heart, casting doubts over the trust I put in her.
For once, I opened my heart, but could that have been the biggest mistake of my life?
Chapter thirty-six
Aria
I step out of the lecture hall, adjusting the strap of my bag as I walk right into the flow of students pouring into the hallway.
Usually, I’d have been bubbling with excitement, especially since I just returned to school, the nostalgia seizing me and completely erasing whatever had the capacity to distract me, but today, I barely paid attention to what the lecturer had to say.
My dad’s words kept resonating in my ears; they’ve been echoing non-stop since the first day he said them to me.
I’ve never been in love or felt those mushy butterflies in my belly before, but with Elio, everything just seems different.
It’s not just feeling good about the fact that an impossibly attractive man, a Greek God kind of one, is interested in me. It’slike a conviction, a strong feeling that Elio’s meant for me and no matter what has happened, I still know he’s the only man who can truly make me happy.
Every time I remember my dad’s words, saying our relationship cannot work and that love isn’t enough, I feel a sharp sting in my heart.
Now that I think about it, ever since I met Elio, I can’t remember having successfully pictured my future without him in it. Much less so when I’m carrying his baby.
The discussion on tort law crosses my mind again, and on any other day, I’d have headed straight for the library but my stomach growls in protest. I should probably grab something to eat before heading to the library.
Just as I turn the corner, my phone vibrates in my hand. A smile creases my lips as soon as the caller ID pops up.