Chapter 4

Aaliyah’s POV

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Iris’ voice travels through the estate’s garden as soon as she lets go of my arm. 

“Iris, this isn’t what…”

“It isn’t what I think, right?” she laughs creepily. “I have heard that line a million and one times. So, you can’t blame me if I am not buying it from you.”

“I was just trying to talk to him!”

“Everyone bloody saw you both dancing like you were in some tango competition. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought you both were doing something behind me. You almost kissed him!”

“No, I didn’t!” I yell, shaking my head in exasperation. “Don’t you get it, Iris? I freaking hate Max and want nothing to do with him. And if you had any inkling of what I know, you would hate him too.”

"You've been going on and on about how he's dangerous, but isn't Dad dangerous too? We were born into this family, and it is none of my fault if you have refused to be fine with the system." She glares daggers at me, and I realize just how long it has been since I last saw her.

She has changed. 

“It is not about the system!”

"Right," she nods, a mocking look in her eyes. "Want to know what I really think, baby sister? I think you have a crush on my fiancé, and every single time I talked about him when we were younger, you acted like I was going insane. You didn't want me to end up with him because you wanted him for yourself."

“Iris!”

“It won’t be far-fetched since it has always been this way,” she continues, taunting me even further. “You were so angry that Daddy paid attention to me and neglected you in the process. I took ballet classes while you played rugby. That must have gotten you really mad.”

“I didn’t care!” I scream, running my hands through my hair. “I didn’t want any of that.”

"Or you did and pretended not to. Maybe you always wanted what I had, and when you saw that I liked Max, you decided to go after him, too. It took you nine good years, but yet, here you are."

My sister either has to be the dumbest person alive or doesn’t know me at all. 

“Iris, you need to listen to me.” It takes everything in me not to grab her and shake her back to her senses. “This isn’t about what you think I want or don’t want. Max is dangerous.”

“Tell me what you know then,” she dares. “You claim that you have seen something, so why don’t you let me in on it?”

I open my mouth to speak, but snap it shut again.

Iris rolls her eyes. "I thought as much. This is the last time I am going to be talking about this. Stay away from me and Max, and don't go dancing with him like you're about to kiss him. You look at him like he wants to break you and own you at the same time, and I freaking hate it."

“Iris…” My hands reach out to her.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” she screeches. “And go back to Rome. Dad is fine with me getting married into the Bianchi family, and his say is all that matters."

I watch her stomp back in the direction of the hall, leaving me standing in the middle of nature. I hate that I could not say anything when she asked me, but how on earth can I tell her that I watched our mother die that day?

And that I think Max has something to do with it.

Iris was right. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.

Returning to the hall, I grab my suitcase and make my way to the estate gates. I have reserved a hotel where I will be spending the night because I have no plans of staying under my father's roof.

I'd rather watch the world burn than spend more time than necessary under the stifling rules of the mafia. I spent thirteen years behind these walls and do not want to spend one extra day.

The two guards from earlier appear again in front of me. I sigh in frustration. I really do not want to deal with any more drama today.

"What?" I mutter. "I'm not allowed to leave, too?"

They nod, but the sneer in their expression is gone now that they know who I really am. 

“We are really sorry about earlier, but you can’t leave yet, Miss Moretti.”

“Who gave that order?”

“I did.” 

Max saunters in behind me, one hand in his pocket and the other sampling a huge cigar. It makes me scrunch my nose in disgust. 

“What do you want, Max?”

“Me? Nothing.” He shakes his head. “But I know what you want, and rather than let you leave without it, how about we play a little game?”

I arch my brows in suspicion. “What game?”

“If you are going to stop me from getting married to Iris, you will have to do it from the inside.” He tilts his head like he knows something that I don’t. “The moment you step out of these gates, you know your father might not let you back in anymore. How do you plan on reaching out to your sister?"

“You’re going to ask for something else for this information,” I mutter, staring him straight in the eye. “And I don’t want to live here with my father. He hates me.”

“Max shakes his head slowly. “I know. And I am not asking that you move in with Vincenzo.”

“So how do I get through to Iris to not get married to you, and what do you stand to gain from doing this?”

He shrugs, the smoke from his cigar billowing in the air. “Why don’t we take it one step at a time?”

Grudgingly, I ask. "What's the first step?"

“Iris is moving in with

me tonight. You should come live with us.”