Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 51733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Giancarlo turned to Justina after dropping his phone back in his pocket. He considered telling her about Viktor but decided not to. The fact that she didn't like talking about her past was telling, and there were times when it was better for one's demons to simply disappear without having to face them.
"I need your help with something," Giancarlo said finally. "Nassif needs me at the palace tomorrow." Justina would demand to be involved if she knew what was going down tomorrow, and this was the best way to distract her from thinking anything was amiss. "And I'm starting to think you're right about being suspicious towards Tueur. Do you think you can keep an eye on Sarica while I'm away?"
Chapter Eleven
THE LABNEH AT THE DESERT Royale was perfectly creamy, served with warm pita bread and a drizzle of local olive oil. But Sarica barely tasted any of it, with her mind still spinning from yesterday's revelations.
A commotion at the restaurant's entrance drew her out of her thoughts, and Sarica stiffened in her seat when she saw two uniformed officers heading her way.
They gave her the usual spiel, but Sarica only nodded without hearing anything. She knew exactly who was behind all of this, and she didn't put up any resistance as they escorted her out of her hotel.
A car was waiting for them by the driveway, an unmarked car with a government license plate, and Sarica was unsurprised to see Justina already inside.
"I'm sorry for the fuss."
And yet she didn't sound sorry at all, Sarica couldn't help but notice.
"But I'm afraid I couldn't afford to waste any time."
"For what?" Sarica looked outside the window as she asked this. Where were they going?
"Please don't take it personally, but I need to get you as far away as possible from Giancarlo."
Sarica fought to keep her expression blank, but the way Justina looked at her with pity made it clear that she was doing a really bad job at hiding her feelings.
"I know you still have feelings for my husband—-"
"In name," Sarica heard herself say.
"Excuse me?"
"I have my own ways of finding information, too," Sarica said evenly. "And although I already knew yesterday you were lying about your marriage—-I can't say I didn't welcome actual proof about the real state of your marriage."
"It seems I've underestimated you."
Both of them did, Sarica thought.
Justina obviously saw her as too young to see past her charade while Giancarlo...
I just don't know what to do, God.
The marriage between Giancarlo and Justina had been conducted by a Kivran minister. This might have made it official in most people's eyes, but when one did enough digging, they would soon come to realize that such marriages could only be consummated after a year of courtship...and terminated by something as simple as the husband declaring the whole thing null and void in front of two witnesses.
"But I'm afraid that won't change anything."
Sarica's head jerked up at the sudden coolness of Justina's tone.
"I owe it to Giancarlo to do what's right for him, and while you may not believe me—-what's right for him is to not have you around. Ever."
Sarica had every intention of challenging this.
But she wasn't given a chance, with the car already slowing to a stop, and what she saw outside made her heart nearly stop beating.
"You're putting me on a plane."
"I'm also adding your name to Kivr's blacklist," Justina said calmly, "in case you're thinking of flying back."
"Does Giancarlo know you're doing this?"
Justina met her gaze unflinchingly. "He entrusted you to my care."
No. No. No.
"What do you think that means?"
It was so easy to tell that Justina was not lying, and Sarica could only follow Justina out of the car in a daze.
Why did Giancarlo still want her to leave?
Why?
Security let them pass through one of the private entrances at the side of the airport, and Justina motioned for Sarica to take a seat. "Wait here, please." She needed to look for the immigration officer she had spoken to earlier. The sooner she had Sarica aboard a plane, the sooner it would be better for all—-
No.
Fuck.
No.
Justina saw her worst nightmare come back to life at about the same time Sarica spotted Viktor Biancardi enter the same holding office from another door.
Sarica's mind urged her to run.
Because this was not her fight, and she was better off playing it safe.
But all she could do was stare as he walked closer and closer.
He was exactly as she remembered.
Tall and golden-haired.
Breathtakingly handsome like an angel.
The kind of man that no one would ever suspect of abducting women to sell them off as slaves. The kind of man who would arrange for his friend's murder if that was what it took to save his own neck.
Justina and Sarica turned to look at each other.
But when they looked back at Viktor at the same time—-