THE WRONG DE LUCA

t she could ke

alized with blood-stained contracts and whispered threats in shadowy rooms. But as she stared

g interrupted

fr

his time. Her eyes fl

li

ette dangled from his lips, the glow barely illuminating his smirk. His black shi

ng to jump?

g the flutter in her chest. "Wh

tepping into the moonlight.

ms. "You're not su

are you, sweetheart. You're

ld have. Celeste turned her gaze away,

o's uncle. Thi

ith a mockery of innocence. "And come on, pr

sn't wrong. But she wasn

herever you s

e between them shrank, char

ke? Baby, you haven't

top him. The kiss he left on her kn

nished int

tin and diamonds. Damiano had arranged a

smiles. The house staff scurried around with champagne flutes an

mpagne silk, clinging to her like a warning. Her hair

r cheek. It felt

cameras, fiancé

rner of the ballroom like sin made flesh. H

e her g

ter and toasts. Celeste excused her

s crunching on gravel. The silenc

it sha

ared from t

me now?"

you don't faint

eyes l

re," she said, but h

another. Until she could fee

ve. Really mean

r mouth. No s

brushed h

st lik

les

mi

ght like a gunshot. Julian stepp

landed on her

the garden

t reach his eye

ething in her had shifted.

ano had

night, th

office, dark as a tomb. No sm

the t

rade, Celeste. Damiano p

him. Words w

ughter in this.

alls felt like t

ast the guards. Into the storm that had starte

lurred her vision. Her heel

up. Black. Wi

enger do

li

t i

e hesi

dn't

st wa

she g

going. She only knew she was no

en straight into t

d the windshield like nature was

e second thoughts. Her teeth chattered-not from the cold, but from the chaos that had deto

from Damiano. F

on the wheel, the other resting casually on the gearsh

the silence. "Wh

d toward her. "Somew

otice I'

unting

ve terrified h

t. But he was the only one who hadn't lied to her. The only one who ha

g with fire,"

orless laugh. "Ba

city-more fortress than home. Armed guards nodded as

as he led her down a long hallway. At the end was a door t

towel. "You'll

with modesty. He'd seen more than he

" she said, more t

th deliberate calm. "You go back, and he'l

yours t

you. I'm givin

"What choice? You and Damiano are

n said, voice low, steady. "I want to w

ade he

n know me," sh

a girl raised in glass towers. You f

shaking hands. "You m

loser. "No, I ma

en them wasn't physical anymore-it wa

a raindrop-or maybe a tear. "You want him to fear

nd screamed at her to run

leane

her lip

e forgot he

nd, she turned her f

he stepped back. "I wasn't

ad sna

was going to le

, part of he

away. "I ne

est room down the hall. Lock the

she walked out, her bare fe

oor behind her did she a

. there was n

rom D

rom J

ot from the girl