But he's here.
"Out," he says, his voice low.
I scramble forward, accepting his offered hand to help me down from the truck. His grip is warm, steady, gone too quickly. My legs shake as they hit solid ground.
The compound spreads out before me. All stone and iron gates and cameras I can feel watching from every angle. The main house rises like an Italian fortress, cream-colored stonethat probably cost more than most people see in a lifetime. A fountain dominates the circular driveway, water flowing down marble tiers.
This is where they'll decide what to do with me.
"Scared?" Lorenzo asks, studying my face.
"Yes." There's no point lying.
"Good. You should be."
At least he's honest. I spent those twenty minutes in the dark running through my options, and they all end the same way. Death. The only variable is how much I'll suffer first.
If the Sartoris kill me, it'll probably be quick. A bullet, maybe. They're business people. Efficient.
If Francesco finds me, if Daniil gets his hands on me...
"I know I'm probably going to die," I say, surprised by how steady my voice sounds. "I just... I'd rather it be quick."
Lorenzo's jaw tightens. "Nobody's killing you today."
"Today," I repeat. "What about tomorrow?"
He doesn't answer, which is answer enough.
Liam appears beside us, giving Lorenzo a nod before heading toward what must be a security entrance. Dante's car pulls up behind the truck, engine purring to a stop.
"Pietro's waiting," Lorenzo says. "Along with the rest of the family."
The rest of the family. How many Sartoris will be there to judge me? To decide if I'm lying, if I'm another Luna sent to destroy them from the inside?
"Will you be there?" I hate how small my voice sounds.
"Yes."
"Do you think he'll believe me? About Francesco, about the marriage?"
Lorenzo looks at me for a long moment. "Pietro doesn't trust easily. Especially not Torrinos."
My stomach twists. "Because of Luna."
His expression hardens. "We don't talk about her."
"But that's why everyone thinks I'm here to?—"
"Enough." The word cuts through the air between us. "You want advice? Answer his questions. Don't lie. Don't embellish. And whatever you do, don't mention her name again. Never."
I nod, wrapping my arms around myself.
"Lorenzo?" I call as he starts toward the house.
He pauses, glancing back.
"Thank you. For coming out here. For not just sending me in alone."
