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“I’m not. I just forgot to switch the laundry,” I lie.

“I wouldn’t leave this room, Mirabella.”

Despite the fear this side of my family puts in me, I glance over my shoulder and snap. “You can’t control me, Dante.”

I barely make it through the threshold of the door before my uncle, Giancarlo, is in my face.

“He might not. But I do.” His tone is raw power.

I stumble back a few steps and realize I am cornered in this room. I thought last week was bad but at least then I had a knife and a gun. I have no weapons in here. Instead I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down, remembering the meditation exercises I used to do when I moved here and feared for my life.

“You are a part of this family, Mirabella, whether you like it or not,” my uncle says to me in a calm but lethal voice.

“No, I’m not. The second my parents were murdered, I became an orphan.” I back up until my butt runs into Aria’s desk.

“You know that isn’t true. I became your guardian.”

“And a hell of a job you did at that,” I mutter.

He seethes at my attitude as he steps closer to me. “You listen to me, Mirabella. You are to do what I say. You’re lucky I have kept you on such a long leash, giving you more freedom than I would ever give one of my children. But as a member of the Renzetti family, a blood member, you are expected to help the family as I see fit.”

My knuckles grip the edge of the desk, knowing I am playing with fire with my next words as I stare at my uncle’s scarred face. “I don’t have to do shit.”

“Your defiance will be the death of you. And I have no trouble burying your body right next to your parents.”

I shake in rage. I am sick of this bullshit. The expectation I am supposed to commit crimes just like anyone else in this family. “My father would have been much better as the boss of the Renzetti family. He at least had compassion for his own blood. If he hadn’t died, you know grandfather would have had him take over. You just fell into the role because you were next in line. You are a tyrant, Giancarlo. Not a leader. Not a boss. You are no—”

He backhands me across the face then pulls me into him, spitting across my cheeks as he talks. “You listen to me, you weak girl. You will do as I say. Because I know your secrets. I know that you think the father of that child of yours is hidden. Some random man from a one-night stand. But I am no fool. I know who the father of that child is. And I am not afraid to use that girl against you.”

My chest deflates at his words. My heart rate picking up speed. He can’t have any idea about Kilian. No one knows he’s the father. Not even Kilian.

Rage starts to burn through my veins at the thought of him using my daughter against me. Blackmailing me to commit crimes for the family. But I won’t risk her, not my little girl with so much life in her. A life she deserves to have. “What do you need me to do?”

His devilish smile takes over his face. “First, you need to learn not to show your weaknesses, Mirabella.”

I frown at his words. A lesson my father always taught me and here I am showing firsthand that Aria is my lifeline.

“I just need an envelope dropped off to someone. I even made it easy and have it at the hotel you are staying at. Three p.m. on Friday. Cocktail bar, seaside. Third seat from the right. Set it down and keep walking.”

How the hell does he even know about my trip? I booked it this morning. “That’s it?”

He finally lets my arm go. “That’s it. Now just think if you listened in the first place, you wouldn’t have given away so many of your secrets.”

He says nothing more as he walks out of my house, my cousin right behind him. I touch my face where he hit me and feel the warm blood on my fingers. I’m sure the family ring left a nice mark on my skin.

* * *

“Are you sure you are okay with this?” I ask Magda as I drop Aria’s weekend bag in her foyer.

“Of course I am. You know she is like my granddaughter and I want to spend as much time with her as I can.”

“Yes, but she has football practice and games and—”

“And you have a flight to catch.”

I frown. I don’t know if I am worried about Aria and Magda’s safety or if I am more worried about leaving my daughter for the first time ever.

“Mom, you are acting like I’m a baby. Magda is perfectly capable of taking care of me. Besides, I’m old enough to take care of myself.”