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6

MIRABELLA

“K ilian?” I blink a few times, unable to comprehend how the hell the man in front of me is standing in front of me. “You… you’re dead.”

He takes a step closer to me, a smirk on his face. “I assure you, I am very much alive.”

I back up to keep my distance. This may be the man I fell for ten years ago but he broke into my house and has a gun pointed at me. “But… I saw the news. I saw… they said you were dead.”

“I know,” he says as he prowls closer to me.

I back up and glance up the stairs where I see another man with a gun. This isn’t good.

What the hell do they want? What did Ezio do?

I back up into the kitchen as Kilian stalks toward me. I listen for more footsteps, more men. If he isn’t here alone, then he has to be here with more than one other person. A quick glance to my left lets me know no one is in the kitchen. I back my way around the island until it’s my only shield against Kilian besides the gun in my hand.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

He studies me and I have a hard time shutting my brain off to all the memories with him. The secret conversations, the inside jokes, the stolen kisses, the twisted sheets.

“I could ask you the same thing, Bella.” He clicks his tongue as he takes a casual stance against the wall, his gun still aimed at me. “Or should I say Mirabella? I’m not quite sure I know who you are. Who you ever were.”

I gulp at his words. He must have looked for me. Figured out the fake name I had in Dublin wasn’t really me.

“Tell me, is it Bella Gallo or Mirabella Di Masio? Or maybe some other name you are keeping secret.” He takes two steps toward the island until he is leaning over it, his elbows propped in front of him. “Or maybe neither of those names is real.”

I clench my jaw. “I know who you are.”

A diabolical grin takes over his face. “I would hope so, mo stór . We did spend two years fucking.”

I ignore the term of endearment and his crass words for what we had. “You’re in The Partners.”

He blinks in shock so briefly someone else might miss it but he doesn’t miss a beat with his words. “And you are in the mafia.”

“No. I’m not.”

He starts to move around the island but I move with him to keep our distance. “How many lies are you going to tell me tonight, Bella?” He laughs then, a cynical laugh that sends chills down my spine. “Actually, one truth is all I would really like. Since it seems you lied to me since the day we met.”

I swallow and wonder just how much he knows. Does he know about Aria? “I’m not in the mafia.”

“I have evidence that proves otherwise.”

I glare at him. “Why would it matter if I was? You’re in The Partners. Just as merciless as any mafia family.” I pause as anger boils in my blood. “Actually they’re worse.”

His expression remains blank at my accusation. “Where is Nicolas?”

I scrunch my brow in confusion. “Nicolas? I don’t know a Nicolas.”

He continues to have us circle around the island. And I don’t miss what he is doing, trying to force my back to the doorway to the kitchen.

“Is he not your husband? Or maybe your lover? From the looks of it, he isn’t giving it to you like I did.” He inches closer to me as I fumble to keep my footing and my eye on the door behind me. “Do you remember those nights? The ones where I had you tied up and screaming my name for hours. When you let me take a knife and slide it—”

“Enough!” I shout.

“Mmm, you are getting riled up just the way I like it.”

“What do you want, Kilian?”

His playful face turns serious. “Where the fuck is Nicolas?”

I skim my hand along the bottom lip of the island and find the secret door that holds a knife I keep hidden. “I told you I don’t know a Nicolas.”

“He was in your house just a few weeks ago. I doubt you forgot about a gentleman caller?”

I scrunch my brow. What the hell is he talking about? Then it hits me. “You mean Ezio?”

“Ezio?”

“My brother,” I say just as I hurl the knife in my hand and hit Kilian in the shoulder, causing him to drop his gun. My stupid heart not willing to use my own gun to shoot him.

“Fuck!” he yells as he grips the blade with his other hand.

I turn and run, making it through the kitchen doorway and sliding across the tile as I try to make it to the front door. But a large man steps into the hall, blocking my escape. I drop and go to roll underneath him but he’s too quick. All I see is the butt of his gun coming for my head before everything goes black.

* * *

My head is throbbing as I come to. The warm feeling of blood drips down the side of my head and down my neck. My eyes flutter open but the pain of the light is too much to keep them open. I try to gain my senses. I’m sitting in a chair. My arms tied behind me, the cut of zip ties pinching my skin as I move my wrists. My legs are also tied down. All I can think of right now is that I’m happy I let Aria go to a sleepover. I just pray to God they don’t try to find her.

I attempt to open my eyes again as I lift my head. I blink away the pain and take in my surroundings. I’m still at home. In my kitchen. I’m tied to one of the kitchen chairs.

I glance to the side and see Kilian talking to the man that knocked me out. Kilian was wearing a dark-gray three-piece suit earlier but he’s removed the jacket, vest, and shirt. He stands shirtless with a bandage covering his right shoulder, bloodstains still on his skin. I smirk, I hope it hurt when I hit him with that knife.

“Are you just going to keep me tied to this damn chair, or are you going to tell me what the fuck you want?” I growl to get his attention.

He looks over at me and smiles. That smile that won me over twelve years ago. “Ahh, she’s awake.” He walks over to me and traces a finger down the side of my head where I’m bleeding. “I never would have someone hurt you, anam cara. But you did throw a knife at me.”

“You deserved it.”

“Did I?” he asks as he circles me. I follow his gaze when he reaches my front, lust fills his eyes as he takes in my body. That’s when I notice the silk robe I have on has fallen off my shoulder, revealing my see-through red lace bra. His finger trails over the top of my breast causing goose bumps to flood my skin. “You always had a taste for sexy lingerie. I’m glad to see that hasn’t changed.”

“Fuck you.”

He leans over me, his hands clamping down on my thighs, his face inches from mine. “Maybe in a different life. Now tell me where your brother is.”

“I don’t know,” I spit as I look him in the eyes with fury.

“You know, for someone who claims they aren’t in the mafia, you seem to have a handful of weapons in this house. And your knife-throwing skills are on point.”

I grit my teeth. “I’m not in the mafia.”

He squeezes my thighs harder. “But your family is.”

I keep my face straight, not giving anything away.

“Boss, we found the girl. She is at a friend’s house.”

Kilian glances over at the large man in the doorway. “Good. Send someone to retrieve her.”

“Don’t you dare put your hands on my daughter,” I yell.

He lets go of my thighs and stands tall, then takes one hand and wraps it around my throat, pushing my head back into an uncomfortable position. “Then tell me where Ezio is?”

“I don’t know,” I hiss. “But my daughter has nothing to do with this.”

“I’m not here to play games, Bella. And no harm will come to you or your daughter if you answer my questions.”

“Then take your hand off my throat.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because if you kill me, I can guarantee you’ll be just as dead as I am.”

He leans into me. “Who are you?”

I glance at the man at the door. “Don’t go near my daughter and I’ll tell you.”

“Deal,” he says but doesn’t take his hand off my throat, his grip tightens.

“Only you,” I gasp.

“You know everyone will find out anyway.” He steps between my legs, his knee coming close to my center.

“Maybe I have more secrets that I don’t want the others to hear.”

His eyes take in my body once more. He leans over and whispers in my ear. “I know you liked it rough, Bella. Dirty and raw. But I don’t think I once tied you to a chair and fucked you until you blacked out.”

I swallow down the lust as he whispers those words in my ear. “Get your men to leave and maybe you’ll get your chance,” I lie.

He chuckles into my ear then bites hard on the lobe, causing a muffled scream. “You only wish.”

I meet his gaze and I can see the lust in his eyes. He turns to the man at the door. “Leave. Get everyone out. I have this under control.”

“Are you sure? We can wait—”

“Leave,” he commands, power ebbing through his words.

I glance to the side, see the man nod and leave the kitchen. Kilian’s grip drops from my neck and I gasp in deep breaths.

This is not the man I remember. No this man is like my brother, my cousins. Cruel. Ruthless. Heartless. I don’t know how I ever fell for him. I didn’t even know the lie he was living until the day I left Dublin.

“Who are you?”

I snarl at him. “I thought you wanted to know where my brother was.”

He pulls another chair from the kitchen table and sits across from me. “What is your brother’s name?”

I sigh. “Ezio. I’ve already told you that.”

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and shows me a picture. “Is this your brother?”

I could play dumb and pretend it’s not him. But it is. An older picture from when I used to see him more often. He’s clean-shaven and handsome. He looks like the son of a don. Unlike now, where he looks like he has been living in shambles, hiding out.

“I played by your rules, Bella, and I let my men go. Answer the question.”

I close my eyes. I don’t have much of a choice. If I don’t talk, I know he will kill me or one of his men will. And then what will happen to Aria? I’m sure my uncle will take her and bring her up in the family. The exact opposite of what I want. “Yes, that’s him.”

“Why is he going by the name Nicolas Di Masio?”

Di Masio? He’s never used that name. I shrug. “I don’t know why he would use Nicolas.”

Kilian leans his elbow onto his knees. “But Di Masio is your name?”

I drop my head and look to the side. “Yes.”

He clicks his tongue. “Don’t lie to me, Bella. Or should I call you Mirabella?”

I stay silent as I glance at him. He’s playing with a knife. The knife I threw at him that still has his dried blood on it.

“My name is Mirabella,” I say in defeat.

“Did our two years together mean nothing to you that you couldn’t tell me that?” he asks with venom in his voice.

I snap my eyes at him. “My mother called me Bella. I used to only let those closest to me call me that. But not anymore.”

“Why?”

I drop my head again, realizing I said more than I wanted. His presence is causing me to lose my composure. And I can’t afford that. But I was never able to keep my composure around him.

I feel the cold blade of the knife under my chin as he lifts my head so our eyes meet. “Why, Bella?”

I flinch at the name. But then his hand touches my cheek and I can’t help but relax at his touch. Even if he has me tied to a chair.

“Fine. If you aren’t going to tell me that, then tell me where your brother is.”

“I’m telling you the truth. I don’t know.” I say in defeat.

“Why was he here then?”

“He warned me that I was in danger. Wanted me to come home,” I lie.

“And where is home?”

“Venice,” I lie again. I know we have some distant family there. It should keep him off Ezio for a bit.

“So I’ll find him in Venice?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. That’s just where he told me to go.”

He stands up and circles me again. “And why would you be in danger?”

“I don’t know, Kilian. Okay? I live out here on my own with my kid. Ezio has always been trouble and I try to stay away from him,” I explode.

His fingers trail over my shoulders and I feel his breath in my ear. “If he were to show up here again, would you tell me?”

I could give two shits about my brother. But I don’t want Kilian to know that. I can’t trust him. “Can you guarantee nothing will happen to my daughter?”

He circles back around me and sits down, studying me. “Yes.”

“Then fine. But the last time he was here was the first time I heard from him in over a year.”

Kilian twirls the knife in his hand. “If he is worried about you, he may come back sooner rather than later.”

“Maybe.” I shrug.

He leans back in his chair. “Well, that’s settled then.”

“Then untie me.”

He gives a derisive laugh. “I like seeing you like this though.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Kilian.”

He takes the knife and presses the edge of the blade against my breast, then slowly drags it down my stomach, pushing the silk fabric of my robe open as he does it. “I missed you, Bella. I went back to the bar the night after you rushed out of my home. They told me you quit. I went to your apartment, the landlord said you moved out. What happened?”

I take a shaky breath. I can’t tell him. I can’t risk it. Instead, unwanted tears come to my eyes and I fight like hell to keep them in.

“Why did you leave without a goodbye, Bella?” he asks as he slices through the sash on my robe, causing it to fall open. His voice turns soft, almost broken. “Why did you leave me?”

I can’t hold back the tears any longer. I bite my lip as I try to keep my uneven breaths in. But being around this man I would have given my whole heart to is making my walls crack. This man I thought was dead. The man that has owned me since the day I met him.

Suddenly I feel the knife against my ankles, the zip ties snapping off. I open my eyes to find Kilian kneeling in front of me, a look of despair on his face. “Why?” he pleads.

I shake my head. “I can’t… I can’t.” I struggle to get the words out as I look into those sapphire eyes I spent so many nights staring into. Nights we told each other everything. Everything except for what made up the core of us.

His hands move up my thighs, to my hips, and slowly along the outside of my breast before his hands cup my face. “Why?” he asks again.

“Let me go,” I cry. “Just please, let me go.”

He drops his hands as his head falls. He slowly stands without another word. He cuts the ties on my wrists then walks toward the window across from me.

I pull my hands in front of me, rubbing the red lines on my wrists. I stare at Kilian’s back. I can see the sadness and the defeat in his shoulders. I also see scars and marks that weren’t there ten years ago between the ink of his tattoos and I wonder what he has been through. What has changed him from the carefree man I knew so well. Because now he is a stranger.

I am standing and walking toward him before I even realize what is happening. My hands land on his back and memories hit me as I feel my hands on him again. “Kilian,” I whisper.

He spins around so fast I nearly lose my balance but his hands grab my hips and he presses me into the brick wall behind me. His nose is in the groove of my neck and he inhales deeply. “You still smell like you used to. Of lemon and patchouli.”

“Kilian,” I whimper as his hands tighten on my hips.

“I never thought I would find you, Bella. Never thought I would see you again. But for years I told myself if I ever saw you again, I would never let you go.”

I shudder at his words. At the meaning behind them. Knowing he felt the same way I did even though neither of us actually said it.

“But I can’t be with you.” His lips press into my clavicle, across my neck, and up behind my ear to that spot that makes my toes curl. Then his lips are on my temple, my cheek, the outside of my own lips. I want to grab him. I want to pull him into me. But I don’t. I slowly put a hand on his chest and feel him shake underneath my touch. His lips graze against mine. “I can’t be with you until you tell me the truth.”

He pulls away and I feel the sudden chill from the loss of his body heat. “And I don’t think you will ever give me that.”

He picks up his shirt from the table and pulls it on. I watch as he buttons each button, then pulls on his vest, then his jacket. He slips a card out of his pocket. “If you see or hear from your brother, call this number. They will get in contact with me.”

He says nothing else as he walks out of my house and I am left standing with my heart in shambles in the kitchen.