“It’s not,” Zane argues back. “He’s your father; surely he’s not short of allowing you to bargain with him? You just need time to form a proper plan. Now that we’re both on the same page with this we can work toward that forever you keep denying yourself.”
“He’s already threatened to kill me tonight, Zane. There is no way I can escape this one.” I look at him and try to draw from the character I’ve become over the last few months. “I knew he had won the moment I saw you again in that bar. I love you too much to do this. I would rather die than do anything to hurt you. He knows that, too.”
This is no time for words, and Zane recognizes that. He comes to me, pulling me into his embrace, and holds me as I begin to cry heavily. I hold onto him, my fingers digging into him as if he’ll vanish if I don’t. I can feel my tears wetting his skin, and the more they do, the closer he holds me. I cry for what feels like an eternity before I finally break away from him.
I wipe my face and look at him appreciatively. “I just need a moment,” I tell him, and he agrees, allowing me to leave him. Remembering where the downstairs bathroom is, I hurriedly grab my bra dress, and tattered panties and head for the room. Once inside, I use the entirety of my weight to push the door closed. I inhale and exhaling deeply before I start to put some of my clothes back on. When I look up, I’m met with my own mirror image in the large standing mirror and slowly stand up. I approach and I stare at my own reflection. I was dressed to kill. I have a means to kill. But I have a defiant heart stopping me. I’m a failure to my cause. I’m the devil’s biggest loss. But all the time I feel that flutter in my heart, the longer I fucking resist the call of my destiny.
Zane Maverick – you are both a sweet delight and my bittersweet fucking end.
Shaking my head in dismay, I turn away and head back to Zane.
“So, affascinante assassino, eh?” he asks me curiously as I resurface from the bathroom. I see he’s now got his boxers back on, and sitting on the couch waiting for me.
“Yup,” I comment back. “I’m your seductive murderer. Even though I didn’t have to work hard and failed.”
“Come here,” he commands lightly, patting the couch beside him. I obey numbly and sit beside him. “While we’re being honest with one another, I have something I have to say,” he starts, as he licks his lips nervously.
“What’s that?” I ask, not sure if I should back away for this or remain close.
“I’ve been waiting for a while to cross paths with you again for more than just winning you back,” he states, and my heart bottoms into my stomach. “I need to use you to get close to your father.”
“No!” I yelp in horror. “You can’t do that. He’ll kill you, Zane! He won’t hold back.”
“He needs bringing down. If not for all the misdeeds he’s been taking part in for decades, then for the abuse he’s made you and your brothers suffer.” He tries to remain calm as he speaks, but I can see this has been building up. “He is the reason I left before, and he is still the number one reason we can’t be happy together, Amelia. I admit, beforehand, I played a massive part in leaving you behind, but he was the number one contributor.”
“I know,” I agree softly. “Even if we do this, I’m still stuck doing his dirty work.”
“Maybe your statement can keep you free,” Zane offers the idea, and I immediately kill it.
“Maybe my statement will land me in a jail cell,” I remark back unimpressed. “Or better yet, Zane, a mental institution! I’m a fucking murderer who barks when her father calls!”
“Not by will, you aren’t! Your testimony might spare you!” His argument is invalid in my eyes. I live with what I’ve done in the name of family. I can’t see anyone sparing a twenty-three-year-old who should have known better! “There has to be some clause to your father! A way to make him back away from giving you jobs.”
“There are no loopholes in the Abbiatis,” I remind him, crossing my arms over my chest.
“You’re the loophole,” Zane states with a matter-of-fact tone. “You’re the key.”
“But how do we use me if I am?” I ask, wondering what sort of bait I could be. If I’m honest, Zane is the closest to any police officer I want to get close to right now. It makes me apprehensive to rule out getting myself out of this predicament without getting some sort of help from the authorities.
“That’s something I guess we’ll have to work out,” Zane comments and sits there looking increasingly thoughtful. “You just need to get him to give you a little longer on this.”
Then the bright spark of an idea hits me.
“I have an idea that might work.” I look at him and grin. “What if I told him I wanted to lure you to my house to kill you there? Like an ultimate sacrifice. He wants your blood; why not better to do it in the heart of the Dio Lavoro?”