My mind warned me, but I let myself drown in those glacier blue eyes.
My heart told me it was wrong, but I fell weak against those scarlet red lips that lured me in.
I let her beauty hypnotize me. She was like a drug, so tempting, but yet forbidden...
I feel the whole room around me spinning and I grab onto the closest thing, Derek.
"Samantha, what's wrong?" He asks visibly concerned.
I hand him the note as I continue to support myself with his arm. It could simply be a joke, but Luca wouldn't go this far.
"I think he's trying warn me," I state as I notice Derek's perplexed expression.
"Warn you of what?" Derek asks with a confused expression. My deadly silence answers his question as realization dawns on him. "He can't be back. You have seen no sign of him, no feelings of being followed."
"Luca wouldn't just leave me this note for nothing," I reply.
"What are you going to do?" Derek raises an eyebrow. He then looks over at Brian. "Are you going to tell him?"
I follow his gaze. Brian is standing a couple of feet away from us. He laughs at something one of the man with him says, but his attention turns to us as if sensing our eyes. He gives me his usual sweet smile, as if asking, 'are you okay?'
I smile back and nod. His diverts his gaze back to his friends and the other men. They seem important. They have nothing but designer clothes on, only the best of the best.
"No," I sigh. "Brian is close to securing a good position for himself and I can't risk that for him."
"But Sam, this is a life or death situation!"
I look down at the note then up at Derek with a determined look.
"I need you to stay here and if Brian asks, tell him I went home because I wasn't feeling well," I explain as I grab the note and stuff into my clutch.
"But-"
"I am going to call Luca and find out what he meant by this note," I reply. "I will not flee without being certain. I am done running away at the thought of that man."
Derek's lips part as the worry in his eyes grows. He wants to say something, but instead sighs and gives me a firm nod of agreement.
"Be safe," he pleads before I walk out of the store.
The chilly breeze makes contact with my skin as I walk back to the apartment building. I look back after every step, making sure no one is following me. Nothing. Only the yellow cabs driving up and down as usual.
"This could just be a joke," I tell myself as I reach the apartment. "—a very sick joke."
I rush over to the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water. Small ripples appear due to my shaky hand. I manage to bring the cup to my lips and I gulp down the cold liquid.
I reach over to my purse and take out my phone. My trembling fingers glide over the screen and stop when I find Luca's name.
"Please answer, please answer, please answer," I chant as I wait for the ringing to end.
"The number you have called is currently unavailable. Please leave a voice message after the beep."
A loud beep echoes through the room and I groan in annoyance. I throw the phone onto the counter and clutch my forehead, leaning my elbows on the counter.
"You should not bother calling him."
I freeze at the voice. I try to convince myself that maybe I am hallucinating. I perk up and my blood runs cold.
"My brother has been looking for you everywhere and here you are."
When I turn around I find a red-haired woman dressed in a black suit-dress and black red-bottoms. Her light blue eyes staring at me with a mischievous glint and her scarlet lips curled up in a side smirk.
"Caterina," I hiss, my long buried Italian accent resurfacing.
"Hello, cognata."
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Author's Note 😱😱😱 Caterina Villanueva has entered the chat! What do you guys think she is going to do? Will she take Samantha to her ex-fiancé? Will Brian find out? So many questions that will be answered in the next chapter. I will be posting the next part later on today so be on the lookout. Thank you so much for reading my lovelies! I'll see you guys later!
