I planted a smile on my face, but for a second I wasn’t sure if he would fall for it. With narrowed eyes and grooves on his forehead, he stared at me.
“Okay. I’ll be quick.” He kissed me once more, and I took a few seconds to savor it, committing the moment to memory. After all, it would probably be the last.
I watched as he pulled on some pants and a white t-shirt then opened the bedroom door. “Oh, um…Kate said something in the car. Something that you need to tell me, or she will. What was she talking about?”
My heart sank right down to the soles of my feet, and it took every breath in my body with it.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, sweat beading on the back of my neck. “We can talk about it when you get back.”
He frowned. “You promise to tell me everything?”
“Yes.”No.
“Okay.” He stood still for two more seconds, dark irises seeming like he looked straight through to my soul. “I love you, Layla.”
I choked up and pushed back the heartache that threatened to paralyze me. “I love you too.”
He smiled, then he left, closing the door behind him. And then I heard the click of the lock.
Shit. He locked me in. Son of a—he knew me too goddamn well.
Panicked, I glanced around the room. I wouldn’t be able to control it much longer. It was torture already.
I spotted the phone on his bedside table and realized I only had one option left. I only had one way out of here. One way to keep them both alive.
I picked up the phone and dialed housekeeping.
“Hi. This is Layla. I’m phoning from Dante’s room. Could you do me a favor? I need to get hold of someone…Yes. I need to get a message to Antonio. It’s urgent.”
***
Dante
One thing I’d learned about Layla a long time ago—I knew when she was lying. I saw it in her eyes, playing off like movie credits. Because of the connection we shared, she was incapable of lying to me, which was also why I called bullshit ever since she walked into Vertigo claiming to be with Matteo.
She wasn’t really hungry like she claimed to be. Besides the fact that her eyes never lied to me, I also knew Layla had never been a breakfast eater. I used to constantly remind her breakfast was the most important meal of the day—especially for someone who loved the occasional morning jog. But I never could persuade her to get into the habit of eating early in the morning.
And then there was also the nail flicking she’d been doing before I walked out the door. It always was a dead giveaway with her.
So…she was lying—which was why I locked the door. Something was going on, and since she wasn’t giving me any answers, I needed to find another way to get to the bottom of this. And calling in a favor—which I had held on to as if it was the last ever get out of jail free card—was my only hope.
Dante: I need your help sooner rather than later.
I wasn’t even halfway down the stairs when he texted me back.
Unknown Number: I’m already on it.
Time was running out. I could feel it in my bones. Layla was starting to become desperate, restless. Earlier, Kate had mentioned something I needed to know, but I was one hundred percent sure Layla wasn’t planning on telling me.
“Dante.”
I turned to see Karina walking my way. It didn’t take a genius to notice the worry lines forming grooves on her forehead.
She stepped up and gave me a hug. “Lorik gave me the in a nutshell version.” She leaned back. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”
She scowled at me with her dark eyes under thick lashes. “You’re kidding, right? Dante, you’re the only brother I ever worry about.”