“Earth to Bonnie?” Kelley waves a hand in front of my face.
“Right, yeah. Okay, so Allegra—crazy blonde lady—took me to see Lorenzo.”
“What does he look like?”
“Well, me, I guess.” I don’t want to think about how his hair is the same shade as mine, or how even his chocolate-brown eyes are the same hue and same almond shape, or how he smiles a smile I see in the mirror every day. “He’s tall.”
“The details are astounding,” Kelley deadpans. “Describe him to me like you would a character from a book.”
“But he isn’t a character, Kel. He’s supposedly my dad.”
Ugh, I don’t like how that word sounds. I have two fabulous dads who are loving and kind and most definitely not criminals. Lorenzo is nothing more than a sperm donor.
“Okay, we’ll skip the description. What did he say?”
I think back to sitting in the room with a man that both scared and intrigued me; a stranger looking at me with wonder in his familiar eyes—but a stranger, nonetheless. I couldn’t relate to him in any way, so I sat there silently as he spoke. I sat there as he told me how he’d met my mother and fallen in love, but she was his mistress. And how, if my existence had been revealed, I would have been hurt in the name of retribution. His wife was the unforgiving type, apparently.
He had me and my mother sent away, but his plan didn’t foresee my mother dying during labour. He arranged a closed adoption for me, and as a result, my ties to Lorenzo Ferrante were severed, all in the name of keeping me safe.
“Holy shit balls! That’s intense, Bonnie.”
“Ya think!” Finally, she’s on the same page as me.
“And then what happened?” I’d find Kelley’s enthusiasm funny if this weren’t about my life.
“He said a rift between him and another family is the reason he needed to see me. They found out he had a daughter and threatened to kill me and my dads.”
“Jesus. This is likeMob’s Seduction, Bonnie. We’re, like, living a fictional mob story right now!”
“I wish you wouldn’t seem so happy about it, Kel.”
“I wasn’t in the beginning. I was terrified.”
“And now you’renot?” I screech. “Kelley, look around. This is really happening. We’re being forced to stay here by people who are most likely murderers. This is insane!”
“But it’s an adventure, right? I mean, Pete would think this is just what we need to live a little. He’s been on you for months to get out of the apartment.”
“I highly doubt this is what he was thinking. Christ, Kelley, are you that blinded by Beth’s pretty face?”
“It is pretty, isn’t it?”
Yes, Beth is pretty. Not the point, though, right? What the blazes am I going to do? I thought I’d be in here plotting ways to escape with Kelley, not listing ways to convince her to leave after she’s fallen in love with one of our captors.
“Oh my God,” Kelley suddenly blurts, “you’re a princess!”
Okay, now I know she’s not right in the head. A concussion! That’s the only explanation for this shit show.
“I’m not a princess. I’m a bookstore manager being kept against her will by criminals, as are you, and we need to get out of here.”
“You’re not going anywhere until Don Ferrante says so.” That voice. It sends chills down my spine and fire through other parts of me. I didn’t even hear the door open. Kelley isn’t looking so pumped about our situation now.
Looking over my shoulder, I grit my teeth. “You have no right to keep me here,” I shoot back with as much venom as possible. I won’t let her see how scared I am. Fuck her, and fuck Don Ferrante.
“And you have no choice. You might be his heir, but I won’t hesitate to kill you if you so much as breathe wrong. Is that clear?”
Wow, I didn’t think she could get any colder towards me, but I was mistaken. There is fury rippling off her in waves, and it’s all directed at me. I’ve never met someone who hates me. Strong dislike, yeah, but nothing compared to the hatred Allegra is shooting my way.
Swallowing, I stand from the bed. Kelley’s hand reaches for mine in a silent show of support. “I’m sure Dear Old Dad wouldn’t appreciate that,” I scoff, “so don’t go throwing around useless threats, Allegra.”
