Page 68 of Brutal Crown

He rips free from my hold. “I’m going to fix this.”

“She’ll die if you do anything foolish. You heard them.”

“No. You’re just too scared to do anything.”

“I’m scared to lose her, you piece of shit,” I hiss under my breath.

As we get closer to the car, he looks at me like he’s seeing something he hates. I recognize another look in his eyes, the look of defiance, of stubborn anger, of pride.

As he gets into the car and slams the door, I realize he’s going to do anything to change the tides to his favor.

And I already know I’m not going to like it.

19

LIA

The dresser is not how I left it.

The thought hits me fast and hard. I freeze at the sight, my stomach clenching, blood rushing to my ears. The change is barely noticeable, but I notice it. I keep staring at the slightly opened drawer, trying to tell myself that I might have forgotten to shut it all the way. But I know that is a lie. I always close it flush. Always.

My hand trembles as I slowly reach for the drawer handle and pull. Someone has been here.

“God, please,” I mutter under my breath as I pull the cloth I used to wrap the test.

The pink box is gone.

Gone.

A cold shiver rattles down my spine. My knees nearly give out, and I catch myself on the edge of the dresser. My breath shortens and becomes shallow, like I’m drowning.

I close the drawer and open it again. It’s still gone.

Oh god. Someone knows. Someone else in this house knows I’m pregnant.

“No, no, no!” I groan, burying my hands in my hair and tugging at the roots. “What am I going to do?”

I should be in the kitchen now. The Romanos came back some minutes ago, and the maids were making their dinner when I slipped out to use the bathroom.

But I can’t leave this room. I can’t. If one person knows, then…

“No.” I shake my head, pacing around the room.

My mind races, running through all the possibilities. Did one of the maids see me that day when I stole the kit? Who would take the kit from my room, and why now? Have they told Dante already? Dotheyknow?

I pace the length of the small room over and over, biting the inside of my cheek so hard I taste blood. My hand keeps running over my belly. This tiny, invisible thing I haven’t even begun to understand yet, let alone protect.

I sit on the edge of the bed, then spring up again. I should leave, but how? How am I supposed to escape? The security in this estate is tight. I might have been able to sneak around a few times because I work as a maid and have gotten used to some hidden corners, but leaving the estate entirely is a different ballgame. There is only one entrance and one exit—the large estate gate. And unlike other maids who sometimes leave to go on errands, I am protected property. I can’t go anywhere.

A breath rushes out of my mouth.

That’s it!

I can disguise myself as one of the other maids, act like I’m going on a house errand, and set myself free. I can?—

A heavy knock at the door makes me jump.

Before I can ask who it is, the door slams open so hard that the handle dents the wall. I jolt, heart lurching into my throat. Two estate guards storm in. Renzo—I think that’s his name—is in front, flanked by a younger one I don’t recognize.