Painted Sins

med through the tall windows, making shadows stretch across the polished concrete. I adjusted

right," I whispered, smoo

g tied to it. Now, I was Emma Collins, a respected gallery owner in Miami. I

xt from my assistant, Mia: "Client

gh strange channels-hints of connections that made me uneasy. But the opportu

ignaled the door opening. I put on my b

rted to say, but the words got stuc

pounded, each beat a painful remind

e day I left him at the altar. Lorenzo Caruso, heir to one of N

voice sending shivers down my s

e stay composed. "I'm sorry, sir. You must be mistaken. I'm

ser, each step slow and deliberate. I stood my g

hes from me. "Five years is a long time, but not long en

uely him, brought back memories I had fought to forget-stolen ki

throat dry. "Mr. Ca

nd of hair from my face. I flinched at his touch, and his expre

apart. I took a step back, putting sp

clever as you think, Aria. Did you really believe you co

" I whispered. "You have

e at the altar. You disappeared, leaving me to deal with the fal

pushed it away. He didn'

I said, trying to

ed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "

g if I could escape. As if reading m

arned. "We have a lot to talk about, an

n so careful, covered my tracks so well. How had

desperation into my voice. "You have to lea

I getting into, Aria? What was so bad tha

utside the gallery's windows. A black SUV had pull

oo, his body tensing

creeping into my voic

s went out, leaving us in darkness. The securit

tered, reaching into his jac

ducked instinctively, pulling Lorenzo down with me as

rds the back of the gallery. Lorenz

my hands shaking as I tried to unlock the door. Lorenzo

ow, Aria,"

nd we stumbled into the room. I s

ointing to a hidden door in the wal

from the main gallery. The floor shook,

ne. "Until whoever's trying to kill us breaks in? Wh

, and hurt I had caused him years ago. I knew there

chaos outside. "There's something I need to tell y

ed on my arms. "

thing. But before I could, the storage room doo

appeared, their guns aimed at us. Lore

ng voice said through the smoke.

. It was a face I had hoped to never see aga

e recognized the man too. "It can't be," h

ld and heartless. "Oh, Lorenzo. In our wo

ecame clear, one thought filled my mind: The past I had run