Snapping Point||Book 1

52.

Xenia Butler

Joanna had lost her mind. Ivan too. Their decision to restrain me from making calls and movements confirmed it. Joanna's frantic search for Ivan after answering my call only underscored her madness. She'd land me in trouble before the day was over. If Romano caught wind of what I'd already told them about our affair, he'd probably be furious enough to hunt me down, because then, discretion would have been ruined. And that could spell trouble for him on this ends.

But what did I care? He'd openly and fearlessly confirmed that I was nothing more than a sex object to Ottavio, who didn't like me. So, he had no right to get angry about me confiding in my sister after she noticed my crumbling emotional state when I returned home two days ago.

I had explained that the whole rape story was a lie and plunged into details no one should know about anyone's affair. I couldn't blame vulnerability; it wasn't the emotion driving me. It was revenge. I'd been hurt to the point of crying and vomiting, and still was, but it wasn't the pain that pushed me into my sister's arms with a confession. It was the impulsive need to do something that defied Romano's expectations, just like he had done to me. A payback of sorts.

Admit to your brother we're just two adults fond of each other in the sheets, I tell my sister the whole truth.

Delusional much.

Now that I'd done it, and Joanna had relayed everything to Ivan—prompting the confiscation of my phone yesterday, shortly after I'd blocked and deleted Romano's number to cut off any contact—I felt stupid. Regret gnawed at me for every impulsive act. It was no surprise why I hated to act on impulse.

This was good reason.

Joanna never handled anything with the best intentions, so what had I expected? Fresh flowers and a cake to congratulate my efforts at destroying my life?

Because hell, that's exactly what she termed it. Destroying my life by getting involved with Romano like that, but mostly for believing he could ever see me that way.

Again, delusional much.

So yeah, I knew Romano was blocked from reaching me, which is why I doubted it was his call that had lifted Joe's spirits. But then again, if Romano wanted to reach me, he had plenty of other ways to do so. So maybe it was him after all. Whatever my caller had told Joe after she left me here was causing both her and Ivan to flit around his room. I could hear their footsteps pacing from one end to the other, their murmured voices, and finally, the sound of his door flying open.

The corridor was terribly lit, making it easy for me to hide beside the console table near Ivan's door. Unseen. Joanna's shadow stretched across the hallway, hurling onto the wall adjacent to Ivan's room.

A shaft of light briefly pierced the darkness before being swallowed again as Joanna closed my room door.

Why had she gone in there?

Impatience grated me as I waited. When Joanna didn't reappear after a few moments, I realized she hadn't gone in there to see me. She probably didn't even want to see me, hell.

Then why?

Hiding here wouldn't provide answers to my endless questions. I rose to my feet and tiptoed down to the threshold. As I tilted the door handle, it emitted a creaking sound and a surge of bright light suddenly flooded my eyes.

"Joanna!"

No answer.

The bathroom was occupied; I could hear water running and her humming inside. She mostly hummed when she was plotting, when her true doppelgänger took over. Believe me, that side of her was her real twin, not me.