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“They can ask me to do whatever they want but I don’t follow through.”

“Who have you been meeting with?” he asks me.

I shift against the wall, trying to get him off me but to no avail. “I don’t know what you are talking about. I am not meeting with anyone.”

“Liar, liar,” he growls.

“I seriously have no idea—”

“I’ve watched you. Someone is protecting you.”

He has to be lying. If he was watching me, Kilian would have found him already. “Get your hands off me, Ezio.”

He smirks at me, then shoves his hand into my pocket, right where I stashed the burner phone. He pulls it out and steps backward, finally freeing me from the wall. Rain pours down all over me as I toss the broken umbrella to the side. “Give that back.”

He doesn’t say anything as he opens it. “Who is this?”

“Some guy I’m fucking. Clearly you can tell from the messages.”

He paces, blocking me from getting out of the alley. “No, no, no. I know who this is. Sister, are you fraternizing with the enemy?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

He pockets the phone before pulling a gun. I keep my hands up to not provoke him. I am positive he has lost his mind.

“Since it’s your birthday, I won’t shoot you. But watch your back, Mirabella. Good things won’t come from this.”

He drops the gun down, then takes off around the corner. I grab my purse and run after him but through the pouring rain it’s hard to see a thing. I check the next block and can’t find him anywhere.

I run to the restaurant, worried as fuck. What the hell just happened?

And now he has my only way of getting in contact with Kilian. What if he uses the phone to lure him out? No, Kilian is smarter than that. I know he is.

Then I remember that first time I saw Kilian. When he broke into my house. He left a card with a number to contact someone who could contact him. But that’s buried in the junk drawer at home. I can’t go back there now. It would be too obvious. I’ll just have to wait until later.

I push open the back door to the kitchen of the restaurant.

“What the hell happened to you? You look like a drowned rat,” Magda says as she wipes her floured hands on her apron.

“Nothing. My umbrella broke.”

She gives me a curious look but then goes back to the bread she was working on. “Horrible thing to have happen today of all days. Happy birthday,mimma.”

I smile at her and head to the bathroom. I shut the door, locking it behind me, and want to shout or cry or both. I have no idea what the hell just happened. What is going on with Ezio and why he was asking about Dante and Giancarlo. A fit of anxiety hits me as I think about Aria and immediately dig my real phone out of my pocket and call the school. Luckily no one has tried to pick her up and I told them only I am allowed to. They probably think I am crazy but I am so worried that the threats Dante made will come to fruition. Especially now that Ezio has that phone. I don’t believe for one second he isn’t still working for Giancarlo. Dante’s words from weeks ago echoing in my brain, telling me not to worry about him.

Magda knocks on the door of the bathroom. “You alright in there, Mira?”

I press paper towels through my hair. “Yeah, just trying to dry off.”

“I may have some extra clothes upstairs for you. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you,” I mumble through the door.

I try to pace my accelerated breathing to calm my heart and my worry. I just want it to be tonight. I want to make sure Aria is safe. And I need that number to get in contact with Kilian.

* * *

I managed to fake it last night around Aria. We had my birthday celebration as usual. Maybe because I felt safer once I picked her up from school and got home, set the alarm and texted that number Kilian gave me months ago. I didn’t expect a response. But a few minutes after I sent the text I got one back that said more eyes were on the house. The rest of the night went smoothly and Aria’s positivity kept me relaxed.