Page 45 of Dancing with the Devil

“What?” she gasped and I nodded. “So Antonio asked you to marry him? And what did you say?”

“I need time to think about it.”

Her jaw dropped and her hands landed on her hips. “Thatman asks you to marry him and you respond with ‘I need time to think about it’?”

“A week, actually. I said a week,” I clarified, staring at the blank wall. “And yes. I do.”

“No, what you need todois get your head checked out,” she laughed and I frowned. “But I guess you’re right. What do you even know about him?” she sighed and crashed down next to me.

Another little detail I almost missed.He’s still a stranger.

CHAPTER 10

Nirah

I WOKE UP Wednesday morning feeling calmer than usual, which, in my case, meant something bad was going to happen.

My whole day went by smoothly, and I finally got back home after my shift at the cafe. It was almost seven when I started to get ready for the club.

I had a quick bite to eat, and halfway through my meal, my doorbell rang, and I groaned, getting up.

I wiped the sauce off my hands with a paper towel before tossing it into the bin. I opened the door but no one was there, except a little package. I looked around before bending down.

It was addressed to me, so I cautiously picked it up. I put it down on the kitchen table before grabbing my keys. I slowly cut through the tape on the box, pulling the top flaps back.

I gagged, covering my mouth as an awful stench hit my nose. I took a step back before gathering myself. Hesitantly, I opened the box and looked inside. Oh—my—God.

* * *

‘I’m always watching’.Silvia translated the little white cardboard card, flipping it back and forth.

“This was the only thing in the box? Except for the… well, you-know-what,” she whispered, and I nodded.

I came straight to the club to tell Silvia—who was in our dressing room—about the littlepackageI received earlier on.

“Yeah,” I nodded, holding onto the sides of my arms as goosebumps rose on my skin.

“Do you have any idea who could’ve sent this?”

“No,” I shook my head. “Sylvester is the only person who comes to mind, but he’s never done something like this before.”

“Maybe he got someone else to do it.”

“No. Sylvester works alone. He wouldn’t risk it.”

She looked at me wearily, then hesitated. “What?” I asked, tipping my head forward.

“What if it was…him?”

I knew she was referring to Antonio. “He wouldn’t,” I shook my head defensively. “Come on, Silvia. You don’t seriously believe in thatDevilcrap, do you?”

She only shrugged her shoulders and lightly scrunched up her face.

After I told Silvia about the proposal, she decided to do some research of her own to make sure that he was who he said he was. She wanted to make sure that I’d be safeifI agreed.

Unfortunately, we were both in for a jaw-dropping surprise. Rumors danced around the city of the infamous Made Men. Two dangerous brothers in particular. They were vile, deadly, and ruthless as they ran the city.

No one dared to put a name to a face, but as soon as their eyes fell onHim, they didn’t dare to meet his gaze.