Chapter 4
740 Words
CHAPTER FOUR
THE THING I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SEE
Lina was beginning to suspect Victor's apartment had more secrets than furniture.
She discovered the first one while looking for coffee.
The kitchen was enormous, the cabinets were annoyingly beautiful, and somehow there wasn't a single packet of instant coffee anywhere.
“Rich people are useless,” she muttered.
She opened another cabinet.
Nothing.
Then she heard voices.
Lina froze.
They were coming from the hallway.
Victor had returned.
She glanced at the clock.
He'd been gone barely two hours.
His voice was low.
Another man answered.
Lina wasn't trying to listen.
She genuinely wasn't.
She was simply standing beside the kitchen entrance when Victor's voice suddenly sharpened.
“I told you nobody touches her.”
Lina's eyebrows lifted.
Her.
She leaned slightly toward the hallway.
“She's not part of this,” Victor continued.
The other man's voice dropped too low for her to understand.
Victor said something else.
Lina caught only three words.
“Find him. Tonight.”
Her stomach tightened.
Find who?
She stepped backward.
Unfortunately, her elbow hit a decorative vase.
It wobbled.
Lina grabbed it.
The vase survived.
Her dignity didn't.
“Lina?”
She closed her eyes.
Of course.
She slowly turned.
Victor stood at the end of the hallway, jacket removed, sleeves rolled to his forearms.
Behind him stood a stranger in a black suit.
Both men were staring at her.
Lina smiled.
“Hi.”
Victor's eyes narrowed slightly.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for coffee.”
The stranger glanced toward the kitchen.
Victor looked at her.
“Coffee?”
“Yes. Very dangerous activity. Apparently.”
His mouth twitched.
The stranger looked between them, visibly confused.
Lina pointed at him.
“Who is he?”
Victor didn't answer immediately.
The stranger suddenly straightened.
“I'm Marco.”
Lina waited.
Marco looked at Victor.
Victor looked at Marco.
Lina folded her arms.
“Does Marco have a last name or is this one of those secret-agent situations?”
Marco's mouth twitched.
Victor sighed.
“Marco Bellini.”
“Nice to meet you, Marco Bellini.”
“Likewise.”
Victor gave Marco a look.
Marco immediately became fascinated with the ceiling.
Lina noticed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
She looked at Victor.
“What exactly were you two talking about?”
“Business.”
“Of course.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Lina.”
“What?”
“It's nothing you need to worry about.”
She stared at him.
That sentence had become dangerously familiar.
“That's exactly what people say before something becomes my problem.”
Victor almost smiled.
Almost.
Marco's phone suddenly buzzed.
He checked the screen.
The humor vanished from his face.
He showed Victor something.
Victor read it.
His entire expression changed.
Lina saw it happen.
The warm man she'd been teasing disappeared.
His jaw tightened.
His eyes became cold.
“Where?” he asked.
Marco answered quietly.
Victor immediately reached for his jacket.
Lina's smile faded.
“What happened?”
Victor looked at her.
For a second, he seemed to consider lying.
Then he stopped.
“Someone tried to get information about you.”
Lina went still.
“What?”
“We don't know who yet.”
Her heartbeat picked up.
Victor's voice remained calm.
“It's being handled.”
Lina swallowed.
She wanted to panic.
Instead, she looked at Marco.
“Is this because of Victor?”
Neither man answered.
That was answer enough.
Lina turned back to Victor.
“So my father wasn't completely crazy.”
Victor's expression tightened.
“No.”
That single word landed harder than she expected.
Lina stared at him.
“Then what exactly did I leave home with?”
Victor looked at her for a long moment.
“A man who loves you.”
Her chest tightened.
“And?”
His silence returned.
Lina nodded slowly.
“Right.”
She didn't demand answers.
Not this time.
She simply walked past him toward the bedroom.
Victor caught her words as she disappeared down the hall.
“I still need coffee.”
For the first time that evening, Marco looked amused.
Victor stared after her.
Then sighed.
“She's going to be a problem.”
Marco smiled.
“Definitely.”
Victor looked toward the window.
His expression hardened again.
Because whoever had started looking into Lina hadn't made a mistake.
They had sent a message.
And Victor Leonardo understood messages very well.
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