He was undeniably gorgeous, but his beauty was more aligned with that of a predator, something to admire from afar but never approach. Well, unless you were one of the women who naively believed they could be an exception or that a man like him would ever be tamed. He regarded me with a slight smile playing on his full lips, but his light-colored eyes conveyed no specific emotion.

  They had a cryptic depth, their hue reminiscent of honey encased within crystalline spheres, giving him an air of being otherworldly. My mute contemplation prompted him to lead the conversation.

  “Don’t take it personally. Katie’s been an embarrassment for far longer than she should’ve been. I’ll handle it.”

  So, he saw that. Or more likely, he heard me when I saw little-miss-cokehead getting her fix in the bathroom. A heavy pause lingered between us. His knowing that girl’s name was no surprise. What caught me off guard was him alluding to the fact that he had been watching me and the offer he’d just made.

  “By handle it you mean..?”

  "I'll take care of her," he reiterated, his tone retaining an unsettling calmness.

  I hesitated, unsure of how to flat-out reject his offer. Finally, I managed to say, "No, it’--please don’t do that."

  He studied me, his expression remaining inscrutable. "Your morality is endearing," he replied cryptically, his undertone of amusement leaving me with a sense of unease.

  I really didn’t want to talk to him, but more than that I needed to change the subject. "Why are you here?" I asked, my voice tinged with genuine curiosity.

  His mouth curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. "I’m actually on my way out. I was making sure you were alright." Each syllable was shaped by a refined accent that danced gracefully around his words.

  Checking on me? That made no sense. Given his reputation, genuine concern seemed highly unlikely.

  I edged back subtly, my arms folding defensively across my chest. Maintaining my composure was a battle of wills as he continued to scrutinize me with piercing focus. The sunglasses were my only shield and the only thing giving me the courage to meet his gaze squarely. A sidelong glance revealed a figure blocking the patio doors, a clear barrier to any potential interruptions from inside.

  That didn't seem coincidental.

  With a swallow, I refocused on the man before me, whose allure was matched only by the sense of peril he emanated.

  “You have no reason to be afraid. I didn’t go out of my way to hurt you,” he assured me before my brain could start sprouting ideas.

  “So, you really came all the way back here to check on me?” I questioned, hedging on the side of caution.

  “That, and I wanted to be the first to welcome you back to the city. Has anyone else done so?”

  “No…you’re the first.”

  “Good. I would be disappointed if someone disregarded my warning.”

  “What?” I blinked; certain I’d just misheard him. “What warning?”

  He grinned down at me, revealing deep dimples in the center of his cheeks. Without answering, he took hold of my hand and brought it to his sensual lips, pressing a feather-light kiss to the back. Had he been anyone else, the move would have been over the top and a major ick, but the look in his eyes had my entire body flushing despite my reservations.

  “We’ll talk soon,” he promised before stepping away. I watched him head towards the side parking lot where a black Benz sat idling with two large SUVs waiting behind it. He gave me one last disarming look as he got in the passenger seat. I caught a glimpse of another man in a suit, his younger brother, before the car disappeared from view, exiting the lot with the other vehicles in tow.

  I checked to see if anyone had witnessed us talking together and saw the man who had been guarding the doors was gone as well. What the hell just happened? I didn’t know where to begin trying to figure out why he approached me. His unexpected attention spun my thoughts into chaos. Now that he had departed, a wave of delayed anxiety crashed over me, a visceral reaction to his proximity.

  The worst thing about it was that there had to be a reason. Could Evie have been caught in his dangerous orbit? The mere thought twisted my stomach into knots, a bitter taste of fear mixed with loss. I rubbed my brow and sighed. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been outside but going back into the venue was out of the question. The fact no one came out to bother me was a silent affirmation that whatever decree he’d given held a disturbing amount of power. A low whistle cut through my thoughts. I looked up, eyes narrowing as a figure approached.

  Recognizing her, I abandoned all pretense of decorum. I took off, poise be damned, moving as fast I could in my heels, trying not to fall and bust my ass.

  “No one seemed to know where you were,” she said as soon as she was close enough to throw her arms around me, pulling me into a bone-crushing embrace. “God, I missed you,” she breathed, raw emotion in her voice. I hugged her back just as tightly, catching a whiff of her rose-scented perfume.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t make the service. I came here straight from the airport.”

  “It’s fine, Mel.” I shoved down a swell of emotion and blinked back tears before pulling away.

  “I take it you’re out here to get away from everyone in there?” she nodded towards the large brick building.

  I nodded. “I couldn't stomach it any longer.”

  “And no one would dare say shit about it, if they don’t want an eight-inch Louis V shoved up their ass.” She surveyed me from head to toe, her perusal softening into a smile. "You look good, El."

  Her infectious grin sparked one of my own, clearing away some of the fog from within. I appreciated her not outright asking the common questions. The grim secret that my sister wasn't in either of the caskets was known only to my family and whoever was responsible for her disappearance. I longed to confide and vent to her, but the danger that could put her in had me biting my tongue.

  “You look amazing, too,” I returned her appraising compliment meaning every word. The beautiful woman in front of me was the same Melody Bellucci I’d been best friends with since middle school, but her outward appearance was almost that of a stranger. Her messy, lopsided ponytail had been replaced with silky dark curls piled on her head in an elegant updo. A classy navy dress clung to a beautiful body with generous curves that had once been petite and always covered by oversized hoodies.

  “I want to say I’m glad you’re back, but considering the why, I’d feel like a vain bitch.”

  “I can’t believe I’m here either. Never thought I would be,” I replied with a wistfulness I couldn’t hide. “But what are you doing here? I told you to finish your trip.”

  “Hm, lounge on a beach and drink cocktails, or go home to support my best friend who I haven’t seen in far too long, on what has to be one of the hardest days of her life? God, the decision was such a hard one to come to.”

  I ignored her blatant sarcasm. “Did Peyton come with you?”

  Just as I finished asking, he came around the corner half jogging to reach us.

  He threw his arms around me as Melody had, but where her hug was bone bone-crushing his was debilitating. “I’m so fucking sorry, babe.” He shook me side to side, crushing my face into his solid chest.

  “Don’t break her, Peyton,” Melody chided, smacking his muscled arm.

  “Oh, please. She can take a lot more than this.” He let go and smiled down at me with a wink, his hazel eyes full of concern. Peyton was one of the only people I would accept it from.

  I smirked at his lobster-patterned bowtie and blonde coiffed hair. Unlike Mel, he really hadn’t changed a bit. He fully embraced who he was, and I loved that for him.

  “People are starting to leave. Didn’t think you’d wanna be the last one here. Ride with us? I can drop you at home later.”

  I could’ve kissed him for that. “I think that sounds like the best idea I’ve heard in a long time.”

  “I do my best.”

  I flashed him a grateful smile, allowing him to link our arms together. Part of me considered going to tell my uncle and grandma goodbye, but then I’d have to go back inside. Sending a text would have to suffice. If this had been a true memorial for Aunt Molly, I wouldn’t dare leave like I this, but the cold hard truth couldn’t be ignored.

  “Were you two able to come straight back here?” I asked, needing to distract myself and genuinely curious.

  Melody slid a glance my way, taking possession of my other arm. “Funny you ask that because I was told where to go by a man known to work for Escuro.”

  “Me too. What’s up with that?” Peyton asked.

  So, he’d really told people to stay away from me? “I’ll explain in the car,” I muttered, knowing they would want full disclosure and answers as to why he sought me out, answers I didn’t have.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I closed my eyes, soaking up my last few moments of peace.

  “Are you going to be—?”

  “Nope, you two aren’t allowed to ask me those questions right now, remember?”

  I peeled my eyes open to Melody scowling at me from the front seat. “It was about the house.”

  “Ugh, not that either,” I huffed in response, glancing over at the home in question. It looked like something out of Martha Stewart magazine, white stucco with light grey accents and a tiny rose garden in the very front. Nothing like it did when my parents lived there.

  Peyton broke the silence in the car. "Just to clarify, you're serious about what we discussed earlier?"

  I met his gaze through the rearview mirror and nodded confidently.

  "I can't just accept things as they are. I need answers and I want to know why the head of a criminal empire is suddenly taking an interest in me.”

  Peyton scoffed and Melody's expression turned into a scowl. I raised my hand to stop them from starting another argument. "I'm not saying I'm uninteresting, but there's no logical reason for him to personally greet me upon my return to his city."

  "Yeah, I have no idea what that could be about. It's unlikely he has any connection to what happened," Melody replied.

  "Well," Peyton said slowly, considering his words carefully. "You are the long-lost heir of the Castello family, and that would definitely catch his attention."

  They both made valid points, even though they were slightly flawed. As we ate earlier, I had already thought about it and knew that he couldn't possibly be involved in what happened with my aunt and missing sister.

  He had no reason to care or be concerned with who any of us were. However, there was no doubt in my mind that he knew something. I wasn’t desperate enough to ask him yet. I didn’t know how to go about even doing so and I hoped for all our sakes I’d never have to figure that out. No one would willingly consort with the devil unless touched by madness. I looked back at the house and spotted my grandmother not so discreetly watching us from the front bay window.

  “And what are we going to do about that?” Melody asked.“ Your nonna is not going to let you become Nancy Drew. You’re all she has left besides Luis, and we all know what a massive cazzo he is.”

  I laughed. “I can placate her for now. At least until I’m confident enough to lie to her face.”

  Peyton turned and grinned at me slyly.

  “What?”

  “Your mama would be proud.”

  “Would she? My father wouldn’t,” I mused, feeling the familiar pang in my heart when I thought of them.

  It had been years, and the ache still hadn’t dulled. Losing Aunt Molly and not having my sister had brought it all back. Grief was like a relentless storm that I couldn't escape. Some days, it raged with such ferocity that it threatened to engulf me. On others, it became a familiar drizzle, a constant presence that oddly anchored me in its persistence. If there ever came a day that the storm ceased; I’d be dead.

  “I think they’d both be proud of you for coming back here when you have every reason to run,” Peyton said softly.

  I wasn’t so sure about that. My parents had known exactly how brutal and unforgiving their world was. I couldn’t be sure they’d ever intended on having kids, but nonetheless, here I was. “I want to say one more time, whoever is behind this won’t like anyone digging into it. You two don’t have to help me.”

  “If you’re doing anything remotely insane and chaotic, you won’t be doing it alone,” Melody countered.

  Peyton nodded in agreement. “She’s right. No matter what happens, we do this together. Besides, you’re going to need us.”

  I relented with a sigh. “As long as it doesn’t endanger either of you. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to you guys because of me.”

  “It wouldn’t be because of you,” Mel reasoned.

  I looked at them and could practically feel their love for me. Distance—being worlds apart—hadn’t severed our bond in the slightest. It felt like we were picking up right where we left off. I was blessed to have them. Which is why I felt terrible about not divulging the truth about Eva. It’s not like I didn’t want to. I would’ve loved to bare my soul and confess my sister wasn’t in that casket.

  But I couldn’t.

  Not yet.

  Revealing that kernel of truth felt so much more dangerous than telling them I wanted to know who was behind what happened to her and Aunt Molly.

  “Let me get inside. She’ll stand there all night if I don’t.” I opened the door and was immediately engulfed in heat. “I’ll text you guys.”

  I made my way into the house, feeling as if I’d been cast in a horror movie. Any second now, Aunt Molly would appear and point in the direction I came from, warning me to turn back and stay the hell away from here. I smiled to myself, hearing her Southern voice in my head. If only I could do that Molls.

  My grandmother and uncle were in the foyer before I was all the way inside, one concerned and the other visibly annoyed. She had to of moved pretty damn fast to get here before I did.

  “Are you alright?”

  “You’ve gotta be missing some brain cells, girl. You wanna run off, take someone with you,” my uncle’s raspy voice drowned out her question.

  “Like who? You?”

  He opened and closed his mouth, no words coming out. He’d clearly forgotten how far our house had fallen, too caught up in his feelings.

  “You can’t just go off on your own, Elena,” he practically growled.

  “I wasn’t alone, and Grandma was fine with it. Besides, I rode with Peyton and Melody. You remember them, right?”

  His mouth opened and closed, the tick in his jaw a tell. There wasn’t anything he could say about that. Both of them came from families of much higher standing than ours these days. Families that probably would’ve destroyed what remained of us Castello’s long ago if not for my friendship with their children. Not only had I lucked out with the greatest of friends, but their families weren’t like the rest of the power-hungry savages around here. They were content with what they had while remaining prominent by their own consistent methods.

  Uncle Luis blinked, his round dark eyes blazing into mine before roaming over my body from head to toe. It made me highly uncomfortable. He’d always been an unusual guy, but at least back then he didn’t look at me the way he does now. My father would’ve killed him—brother or not. Doing my best to ignore his sick probing, I diverted my eyes to Grandma.

  “I would like to get cleaned up.”

  He guffawed, preparing to say something condescending no doubt, but my grandmother spoke before he could. “Of course, diosa. We can talk later.” She gave me a smile that wasn’t entirely genuine.

  I gave one back that was just as fake and walked away.

  I felt their eyes on me the entire way up the sweeping staircase. Once I was inside my room, I locked the door and began stripping out of my clothes. I headed directly to the adjoining bathroom and stepped into the shower, resolute in my intent to cleanse myself of the day's filth and gather my thoughts. It was then, amidst the heated cascading water, that the fragile barrier holding everything back finally shattered.

  “Goddamnit, Eva,” I cursed my sister’s name, excessively scrubbing my skin with a purple loofah.

  The grey and white mosaic tiled wall blurred through a curtain of tears. I’d told her countless times not to come back to this place, but she wouldn’t listen. Glamour and wealth were powerful addictions to girls who felt they had nothing but poverty and squalor. She soaked up this lavish lifestyle and all the attention people gave her like a sponge.

  She immersed herself further and further past the point of no return, overly indulging in everything our father had tried to distance us from. Even when he promised our new living arrangements were temporary, it was obvious when he came to get us it wouldn’t be to return here. I never got the chance to ask what led him to that decision. We hadn’t received one phone call, letter, or e-mail since the day we said goodbye to him and our mother.

  Eva thought they were happy to shove us out of his life. She swore Dad had a mistress and didn’t want his family anymore. It was a regular argument between us no matter how much I pointed out our mother would sooner castrate him than ever let that slide. A lot of women considered their husbands straying to be something they needed to accept. Many were more than happy for another woman to take up the gauntlet, or when their husbands paid for pleasure because they’d married for power and not love.

  Some had no choice at all.

  Mom had been one of the brides who barely knew her husband, our father, but they’d fallen head over heels for one another. Dad would’ve leveled the earth for her. It was tragically poetic that they had died together. Yet still, my sister refused to believe the truth. She grew even more irrational after they were killed. Instead of feeling broken and mourning them like I had, she was pissed that our father didn’t leave us any of his assets.