– Ca

might dissolve, vanish, change into something le

er arm slung casually around the woman who tried to de

makes a man like Dante forget the woman he

of me, my knees hitting the cold floor. "No," I s

nk. "She wouldn't..." My voi

been working with Vanessa for months. I traced the payments. Offshore accounts under Ali

t to me? She's all I had left after our parents died. I paid

people we love the most are the

ill pale, but more present now.

sh a lock of hair from his

his gaze. It softens, then hardens with resolve. "You don't

.it hurts because deep down, I ignored the signs. I wanted to belie

into my enemy. Leo stands. "Th

elp Vanessa steal from you. She helped sabotage your gala. The night Dan

ered everything. "Why?" I said. "What

ed her a position. In Paris. A fresh identity. They were

to fists. "She sol

ut because she thought she'd never shine standing

m behind his back. "You shouldn't be moving yet," I murmu

ost you." "But you didn't," he

kiss that burns through the ache in

se. "Not again." He leans his for

o clears his throat. "Sorry to break

s. "Alina's disappeared. She cleaned out her a

find her." I nod. "She doesn'

's one more thing." "What now?

's about Emily," he says quietly. I feel the

dary test after Vanessa tried

nsion rippling off him. Leo

arly drop the page. Emily... isn't

linked to the Lombardi bloodline," Leo murmurs. "Vanessa knew. That's

the oldest and most powerful Italian dynastie

He grabs the paper from m

"Exactly. Which is why Vanessa wanted her. And now th

pright. "She's at the safe house with Nora. We need t

ession change. "What?" I demand. He h

guards were drugged. Nora was knocked unconsc

ouder. "No, no, no-" Dante ho

's just a baby. What if she's

heart cracks in two. Leo paces. "There's a GPS chip in he

he room. Dante wraps his arms around me. I sink into him, shaking. "I sh

ld each other, the fear sets in. This isn't just a fight for love any

use with his tablet. "I've got

city. Used to belong to the Rocchettis. It's been

"We're going." "I'm comi

be dangerous." "She's my daugh

e leave in five." I grip Dante's

y heart racing. My fingers won't stop trembling. When we

entrance. Each creak of the floorboards sounds l

ng into a dusty nursery. She's there. Tied to a chair. Ali

h tears. "You were always the star. Alwa

up. "You're my sister." "I needed

use me." Alina's eyes flicker. Dante steps beside

ings through the room. And someon