The Billionaire's Sweet Revenge

FIFTEEN

Shock rolled through Gabe as he switched his attention back and forth between Adrianna and Dante. Gabe's mind numbed...as did his heart. And yet his heart argued. He couldn't jump to conclusions. He needed to find answers now.

"What are you talking about?" Adrianna threw a glare at Dante. "I'm not Valerie, you i***t. I'm her twin sister."

"She's lying." Dante shook his head as his stare stayed on Gabe. "She has a birthmark on her neck. I saw it."

Adrianna hitched a breath and slapped her fingers on the back of her neck. "Of course I have a birthmark. Are you addled or something?"

Dante scowled at her. "Only Valerie has a birthmark on her neck. She told me when we were dating."

"Seriously?" Adrianna shook her head. "You dated my sister for a year and you think she has a birthmark? No, I'm the one with the birthmark. That's how my mother was able to tell us apart."

Dante folded his arms smugly and lifted an arrogant chin. "Oh, believe me, I saw her birthmark. She told me only she has the birthmark, so you must be Valerie."

Gabe's mind swam with confusion. Who should he believe? And there had to be an easier way to straighten out this mess.

Adrianna's chest moved from her deep breaths and she bunched her hands into fists by her side. After a few silent seconds of shooting Dante with invisible daggers, she swung to Gabe. She touched his arm and peered up into his eyes.

"You can't believe him. You know I'm not my sister. I...don't know how else to convince you, but I'm not Valerie."

He wanted to believe her. His heart was telling him to trust her word. And from what he'd heard about Valerie from Dante after they'd broken up, the woman that Gabe had given his heart to was definitely not a conniving, petty, selfish woman.

Gabe shook his head at his friend. "No. This is not Valerie. The woman I have been with these past two days is a loving, kind-hearted woman." He met Adrianna's stare again just as her expression relaxed with relief.

"Thank you," she mouthed, but he didn't hear her voice.

"You are going to believe her over your best friend?" Dante's voice escalated. "I'm telling you, she's only acting this way to try to wrap you around her little finger. Then she will drop you, just as she dropped me."

Adrianna swung back toward Dante and folded her arms smartly across her chest. "The reason my sister dropped you was because you were using—and selling—cocaine. She didn't want anything to do with you because of that."

Dante's eyes widened. A humorous grin touched his face as he ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. "You...think I do drugs? Obviously, your sister was high on something if she told you that."

Adrianna huffed and pushed the palms of her hands against Dante's chest, making him stumble. "My sister isn't a liar. You are."

He arched an eyebrow. "Then I guess it is her word against mine, and I have the better reputation." He shook his head. "But actually, you have it all wrong. Valerie—you—are the one who snorts cocaine. You wanted to try every drug out there just to fit in with the crowd, if you remember correctly. The fights we used to have were because you were stoned out of your mind and I was trying to clean you up."

Gabe watched Adrianna's expression. Anger mixed with doubt flitted across her face, before hurt and betrayal finally stayed. Tears collected in her eyes. "Valerie always wanted to fit in with the crowd," she whispered brokenly. "As girls, she used to tell me stories. I always believed them, but then I discovered some weren't true and it broke my heart." A tear slid down her cheek. "Valerie has a disease, which is making her lose weight and making her body weak, so I'm going to overlook what you have just told me, because I want my sister to find a doctor who can help her. And if it takes us admitting her into a drug rehab center, then that's what I'll do."

She turned to look at Gabe again. Her eyes were filled with tears. "I would like to leave the party now if you don't mind."

His heart twisted to see her in such agony. She'd believed her sister, only to be lied to over and over again. "Yes. I'm ready to leave."

Just at that moment, Dante's phone chirped. He pulled it out of his suit's breast pocket and answered, stepping away from them.

Gabe opened his arms for Adrianna, and immediately, she was against him, burying her face in his chest. His throat tightened. He stroked her bare back as her body shook with silent sobs.

"What do you mean someone broke into my home?" Dante's voice lifted in anger.

Gabe switched his attention to his friend for a moment.

"Did you catch the thief?" Dante clipped.

"What? You cannot be serious. Valerie is standing right here."

Adrianna snapped her head up and fixed her stare on Dante. "What about Valerie?"

"I will be there shortly. Do not let her go." Grumbling, he stuffed his cell back in his pocket and marched toward them, glaring at Adrianna. "What are you and your scheming sister up to now?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about," Adrianna said in a tight voice.

"My butler just caught a thief sneaking into my house. It's...Valerie."

Adrianna swayed, and Gabe quickly tightened his arms around her. "What do you mean?" he asked his friend. "Valerie is sick. She doesn't have the strength to do anything like that."

Dante gave him a smirk as he motioned his hand in front of him. "Then please, come with me so we can see for ourselves who the thief really is."

* * * *

Numbly, Adrianna sat in the limo next to the window. She stared blankly through the glass. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. She didn't know who to believe anymore. How could Valerie have let her own sister down? Adrianna had paid money out of her own pocket to go on this trip with her sister. She'd wanted to help Valerie because the disease had made her twin weak.

Had that been a lie, too?

Gabe and Dante had been silent during the ride, which suited Adrianna just fine. She didn't want to hear Dante's accusing voice, and she especially didn't want to see the distrust in Gabe's eyes when he looked at her.

In more ways than one, her heart had been broken tonight. Although Gabe had told his friend that he believed her, she wondered if he was lying, too.

Trying to prove her identity, exhausted Adrianna. She didn't have the strength to argue any longer. If they believed she was Val, she'd let them. And, no matter how hard her sister tried to beg her to stay the full month, Adrianna would be on the first flight to the U.S. tomorrow morning. The sooner she could get out of here, the better.

Tears stung her eyes again, and she blinked them away. Remembering the doubt on Gabe's face hurt more than she was prepared for. She had definitely given her heart to him. She had loved him unconditionally. Now she realized what a fool she'd been.

Why had she allowed her sister to convince her to come to Italy? And why had she let Valerie talk her into switching identities? It had been fun as children, but now...the pain in her heart was real. Betrayal left a bitter taste in her mouth.

The limo came to a stop in front of a ritzy home. She'd seen some fancy homes in Venice, and this was definitely owned by someone with a lot of money.

Frowning, she crinkled her brow. Would being a buyer-purchaser for Elena's fashion company really make him that much money?

Quickly, she shook the thought from her head. What was she doing? Obviously, she was still trying to make excuses for her sister. Part of Adrianna still wanted to believe that her sister was innocent.

The driver opened the door for Adrianna and offered his hand. She took it and climbed out of the vehicle. Gabe was seconds behind her. He linked his fingers with hers as they walked toward the door. Dante rushed ahead of them. His butler waited at the front door with it opened.

"Where is she?" Dante snapped.

The middle-aged man wearing a white shirt with black pants, pointed to a spot inside the house. Without another word, Dante hurried inside.

Adrianna was also eager to see if it truly was Valerie who'd broken in the house. Questions swam inside Adrianna's head, but none of them made sense. And even if Valerie explained what happened, would Adrianna believe her? Did her twin know how to tell the truth at all?

Gabe quickened his step, and so Adrianna had to walk fast to keep up. As they walked in the entrance-way, the large front room opened up into a spacious area with vaulted ceilings. Adrianna skimmed her gaze past the expensive rugs and paintings, searching for her sister. Within seconds, she noticed Gabe standing in front of someone who was tied to a dining room chair.

Dante cussed. "What do you think you are doing?" His voice boomed through the room. "And...who are you? Valerie or her twin sister?"

Adrianna pushed away from Gabe and rushed toward them, only slowing her steps when she recognized Valerie all dressed in black with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Val sat with her head down, not looking at anyone. Her arms were tied to the armrests of the chair, and her feet were tied to the legs.

"Val?" Adrianna asked hesitantly. "What are you doing here?"

Valerie's head snapped up and her eyes met Adrianna's. "Oh, I'm so sorry." Tears welled in her eyes as she shook her head. "I-I-I needed more. Only Dante has what I need."

Dante's gasp ripped through the room. "You are Valerie?"

Frowning, Valerie nodded. "Of course, you dimwit. How would my sister know which house to break into and where to find your stash of drugs when she never met you while we were going out?"

Adrianna sighed. At least that was out in the open now. But...did that mean Valerie was telling the truth about the drugs?

"You are such a little liar. I do not even know what you are talking about." He pulled out his cell. "I'm calling the police now."

"Wait!" Valerie shouted. Her gaze switched to Gabe and Adrianna. "I can see by your expressions that you don't believe me, but I can prove that Dante is a drug dealer."

"That's enough." Dante stepped in front of Valerie. "Nobody believes your lies anymore. Not even your sister."

"Actually," Gabe said, stepping closer to Dante as his stare stayed on Valerie. "I want to ask Valerie a question first, as well as your butler." Gabe narrowed his gaze. "Where were you caught after you broke into the house?"

Valerie motioned her head toward the dining room. "I was crawling through the window when the butler grabbed me."

Gabe swung his attention to the older man. "Is this correct?"

"Sí." The man twisted his hands against his middle.

"So, if Valerie was caught there, she would not have had time to sneak through the house?"

"No." The older man's panicked gaze kept moving to Dante.

"Now, I would like to see what Valerie has to show me." Gabe moved in front of Dante as he loosened the ropes.

"Gabriele, she's lying." Dante tugged on Gabe's arm.

"Actually, I would like to see it, too." Adrianna moved to help Gabe.

"Oh, this is ridiculous." Dante shook his head as he dialed a number on his cell. "I'm calling the police."

"Go ahead, Dante," Val said with encouragement in her voice. "I'm sure they would like to see your rooms that look like a freakin' pharmacy."

Hope grew inside of Adrianna. Please let my sister be right...

The other man glared at Valerie. Fear crawled over Adrianna. The man looked pissed enough to kill. She prayed he wouldn't lay a hand on Valerie, and if he did, she prayed Gabe would come to her rescue a little quicker than he had earlier when Dante made such terrible accusations.

Once the ropes dropped to the floor, Val jumped to her feet. "Come on. Let me show you."

Adrianna watched her sister move past them and up the stairs with much more energy than she'd had for quite a while. Once again, Adrianna's heart clenched. Obviously, her sister had been lying to her about the disease. And yet that didn't really explain why Val had lost so much weight. Perhaps she really was sick with something, even if it was a drug addiction, it was still a sickness.

"Stop where you are," Dante shouted from the hall. "If you go into my rooms, I will charge you all with trespassing. Even you, Count Marcelli."

Gabe glanced over his shoulder at his friend. "Just try and stop me."

From that point, he seemed to take the stairs two at a time as he moved past Valerie.

"I have a gun. I know how to use it, Gabe. You know I'm serious."

Fear ran through Adrianna's veins. It wouldn't come down to that, would it? She tried to keep up with them, but her heels and new gown kept her from sprinting like the other two were.

From down below, Dante grumbled as he marched away from them, shouting at the butler to get his gun.

A sob caught in Adrianna's throat and she tried to hurry faster. She needed to stop Gabe. But then, why wasn't he stopping on his own? He'd heard Dante's threat.

She finally reached the second level just as Gabe and Valerie were entering a room. Gabe stopped, waiting for her to catch up. He reached his hand out to her as she neared.

"Dante is getting his gun," she whispered.

Gabe shook his head. "I have already called the police. They are on their way."

He wrapped his strong arm around her waist and pulled her inside the room. Valerie stood in the middle of the room, motioning to all the wooden cabinets with glass doors filled with small bottles and clear bags of powder.

Adrianna sucked in a quick breath. Valerie had been right!

When the booming of footsteps echoed on the stairs, Gabe rushed to the door and closed it, locking it with the bolt. He then grabbed Adrianna's hand and pulled her away from the door. Valerie hurried ahead and led them into another room. Once again, when Adrianna entered, she lost her breath. Guns!

Gabe swore and shook his head. "He sells weapons, too?"

Sadness coated his handsome face as he stared at the evidence before him. Adrianna slid an arm around his waist, holding onto him. Her heart ached for the betrayal she knew he was feeling.

The first gunshot rang through the drug room. Shattering of glass quickly followed.

"Get to the floor," Gabe said as he pulled Adrianna down. "And pray the police will get here soon."