Page 68 of Cruelest Contract (Storm’s Eye Ranch)

Inside the small room, he flicks a switch.

This room is the size of a large closet and the walls are lined with the same wood paneling found in the study.

A bench seat runs the length of the wall and doesn’t look very comfortable.

There’s also a small refrigerator, a large safe that likely holds more weapons and a table with a small lamp.

“Do you have your phone?” he says.

I shake my head. “It’s up in my room. Dinner rules, remember?”

He breathes out a tiny laugh. “Right.” Then he pushes his chair into the safe room. Louisa, unwilling to move from her seat, comes along for the ride. “You’ll be more comfortable on this. If you need to open the door, press this red button on the left. But Cecilia?”

I’m struggling to focus. For a few seconds I don’t realize he’s waiting until he has my complete attention. “Yes?”

Julian’s father leans closer. “Do NOT open the fucking door unless it’s one of us. You hear?”

Crying would be the most pathetic thing I could do right now. I exhale and force my head to nod. “I understand.”

He backs up and pulls a pistol from the holster on his hip. “You don’t know how to shoot, do you?”

I look at the gun and notice it’s very similar to the one Julian taught me how to fire during our honeymoon picnic.

There were no bullets in that gun. I’m sure there are bullets in this one.

I can almost feel Julian’s lips on my neck, his hand under my skirt as I lifted the barrel and fired.

Even though the chamber was empty I felt so good, so powerful.

Or maybe I felt that way because Julian’s hands were on me.

What I’d give to return to that moment in time…

“I can manage,” I say.

He points the weapon down and shows me the loaded chamber. “Six shots. If you need to use them, don’t hesitate.”

The gun feels much heavier in my hand than the other one did. Bullets must weigh a lot.

“Got it,” I say.

He tries to smile. “Don’t worry, Cecilia. My angel is watching over you.”

I can hardly nod. I bite my lower lip to keep it from quivering.

With the utmost care, I set the gun down on the small table beside the lamp.

Louisa allows me to sit on the armchair beside her and she promptly snuggles close, already purring.

I keep my tears at bay until Julian’s father shuts the door.

As a sob shakes me to the core, I cover my mouth with my hand in case this room isn’t soundproof.

That solitary cry is the only one I’ll allow to break through. I refuse to grieve. I insist on believing Julian will be back soon, just like he promised. Julian always keeps his promises.

I haven’t prayed in so many years. I forget where to start.

Spreading both palms over my belly doesn’t nearly cover the bulge. My left hand is bare, my rings left behind in their velvet box because my fingers were too swollen this morning. This feels like a bad omen now, as if I’ve severed a connection with Julian.

My babies can surely feel my level of distress and I breathe in and out, shutting my eyes, summoning calm. It’s not easy to come by here in the safe room while wearing a bulletproof vest with a loaded gun sitting nearby.

A sudden loud bang is terrifying. Louisa’s hair stands on end. I cannot tell if the noise comes from inside the house or outside. I will know nothing until it’s all over.

Being in here is helpless torture. I can’t stand it. And I have no choice.

But I trust Julian. I trust all the Tempestas. I trust them more than my own blood.

“Protect them, Teresa,” I whisper because this can’t hurt. If Cass believes Teresa watches over us all, then I want to believe it too.

Minutes pass. At least, I think they do. I’m reminded of the horrible day in the vineyard with grass tickling my nose amid the sound of gunfire and screaming. Time lost meaning then too. I never knew how long I was lying there on the ground. I wonder if Julian knows.

A tiny foot kicks right under my hand. “Shh,” I tell my babies. “Mommy is here.”

I’m filled with an overpowering urge to soothe them. My mother had a lovely voice and often used to sing lullabies. I can’t even carry a tune but I’ll sing for my babies anyway. I sing Hush, Little Baby because it’s the only song I can remember just now. When I finish, I start over again.

But as I sing the ‘mockingbird’ line, I hear an unknown noise and quit singing. On instinct, I reach for the gun, suddenly comforted by its weight.

The noise repeats and it’s a voice. It’s faint but I think that’s just because the safe room door is thick. But I’d know that voice anywhere. I’ve heard it my whole life and I know exactly who it belongs to. We arrived in the world together.

“CICI!”

“Gabriel,” I gasp and scramble out of the chair to reach the switch.

The door opens with maddening slowness.

“Cici!” my brother shouts from somewhere in the house.

“Gabe!” I yell back.

Footsteps pound in this direction and my twin brother runs into the room. Relief floods his face when he sees me exiting the safe room. Louisa hisses at him and runs under the desk.

“Come on,” he says with a firm grip on my arm, pulling me into the hall. The gun is still in my other hand but I don’t want to let go of it just yet.

“How did you get free?” I ask. “Did they come back? Where did Cass go?”

All other questions die in my throat because the last one has just been answered in the worst way imaginable.

Cassio Tempesta lies on the floor by the foot of the stairs. There’s blood pooling around his head and a man stands over him.

The man is my brother, Angelo.

A scream dies in my throat. Cass is not moving. He lies on his side and the blood leaks from a gash in the back of his head. On the floor by Angelo’s feet is the heavy marble rolling pin I’ve seen Enzo use in the kitchen.

“What did you do?” I shriek at my brother.

But Angelo simply stares at me.