I just didn’t know when.
After what I learned from Papa, I now understand why Luca wishes me harm. He’s obviously an enemy of my father’s and has been using me all along.
Just like Adrian.
No. My husband might have wanted to use me and even planned to, but he didn’t go through with it. In fact, he hates that I got myself involved in the whole scene.
“Luca.” I try to pull my hand from his as he drags me forward.
He drove here—after he shoved me in the trunk—so I have no idea where we are.
It mustn’t be too far away, though, because it didn’t feel like he drove for a long time.
We’re in what seems to be a forest, or the outskirts of one. Tall trees are the only things in sight and they appear like monsters’ arms in the darkness. The only light illuminating the way is the one coming from the cottage Luca is pulling me into.
It’s small with a wooden patio and flooring. He shoves me inside and I stumble, catching myself at the last second before I hit the entrance hall.
I expect someone else to come, but no one does. I remain at the entrance while Luca pulls all the curtains closed with his gun still in hand as he peeks outside through the window.
Goosebumps cover my skin from the cold. I left Sergei’s house in a hurry and didn’t bring my coat out, so I’m only in my dress.
My gaze flits from Luca, to his gun, and then to the door. If I attempt to escape, he’ll catch me in no time, considering he obviously knows the area better than me.
Or maybe he’ll hurt me.
Besides, I can’t escape before I sort all of this out.
Hugging my arm, I stare at Luca. He’s wearing black army fatigues and a baseball cap that casts a shadow on his face. He’s removed the mask, so at least he’s not a dark shadow anymore.
“Now what?” I ask.
He keeps staring at the window. “Now, you shut the fuck up until your daddy pays a price for you.”
“A price?”
Luca spins around and crosses his arms over his chest so that the gun is facing forward. “If he wants to get you back alive, he’ll have to give us a share of his South American drug shipments.”
“I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m not important enough that Lazlo Luciano would sacrifice anything for me.”
“Nice try. But you forget that we’ve been hiding you all along, Duchess. Lazlo won’t turn a blind eye on his only blood offspring.”
“So it’s true? You’ve been keeping an eye on me?”
“What do you think?”
“How about Adrian? Why did you have me spy on him and then plot to kill him?”
“Because he’s a threat to us, too. Not as much as Lazlo, but he’s close behind. He’s been killing every one of our guards who knows about your identity.”
He’s been doing that? I scoff internally. Of course he has. He said it himself, that he’ll kill people if he thinks they’re a danger to me and that I’m not to question him about it.
I focus back on Luca. “And let me guess, you didn’t want him to uncover your identity and your plan about using me?”
“Something like that.” He throws his weight onto the sofa, swinging his arm to hug the back. “Now be a good little Duchess and sit with me for old time’s sake.”
“What old times? The ones when you lied to me? Why didn’t you tell me you were a Rozetti?”
“You wouldn’t have understood.”
“I could’ve tried.”
“Tried? You should’ve tried to spy on Adrian or at least not gotten in the way when I went to kill him, but you were more trouble than you were worth.”
“You’re such an asshole, do you know that?”
“Thanks.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be a compliment. And if you had told me what type of role I played in your life and was genuine about it, I would’ve willingly helped you with Papa. But you had to go and stab me in the back.”
He retrieves his phone and taps on it as he speaks, “Aren’t you the dramatic one, Duchess?”
“Dramatic? Yeah, I guess I can be dramatic if I find out that the person I thought was my friend was only using me because of family feuds or whatever.”
“Family feuds?” He glares at me over his phone. “My fucking parents were murdered by your damn father, and my few remaining family members put me with a make-believe adoptive family of