Blurred Line

Chapter 4

Maya White

I've begun to believe that divinity punished me for my parents' sins. I understood early on that life wasn't fair, but mine seemed to surpass unfairness and plunge into outright cruelty. It dangled hope of survival before me, only to shatter my dreams at moments of peace.

After narrowly escaping Rafael's interrogation, the urge to flee seized me. Yet, a stubborn resolve rooted me in place, reminding me of my sole reason for endurance. Instead of bolting, I sought refuge in the women's bathroom, discreetly texting Tania to alert me when Mancini departed the gala. She misinterpreted my message as a plea to evade an unwanted flirtation.

As I attempted my exit, John Moore intercepted me. "Any idea why Rafael Mancini inquired about you to our CEO?"

Swallowing hard, I struggled to form a coherent response. "We conversed, nothing of consequence. Why? Is there a problem?"

He stood there, his gaze disquieting. I prayed Rafael hadn't disclosed anything regarding our encounter.

"No, I simply want you to know he's not a good man. Don't be deceived by his faux air of gentility."

Oh, John! His concern was endearing, but I was more acquainted with the darkness than anyone in that room.

So, I smiled genuinely, "Thank you for your concern, but nothing happened, nor will happen, for that matter." Well, nothing beyond a potential murder—either mine or his.

He acknowledged my determination and bid me farewell with a kiss on my hand, a gesture so uncharacteristic of him that it caught me off guard. For the first time, a fleeting thought crossed my mind, but I brushed it aside for the moment. Perhaps I was reading too much into it.

"It's time for me to leave. Have a pleasant evening and weekend, John."

"You too, Maya, you too."

Exiting the building, paranoia descended upon me. I scrutinized every car and passerby suspiciously as I awaited my Uber. Now, with two dangerous families gunning for my head, I had to confront my problems one at a time. Running was no longer a viable solution, prompting me to reach out to my detestable father first.

"I failed. Tell me, what else can I do to keep innocent people out of this?"

His call in response was furious.

"What the hell happened? I made it clear that failure was not an option."

Entering the black sedan, I wondered if every conversation with my father was destined to occur in a cab.

"He's not the boy you once knew. I escaped before he could interrogate me about who gave the order."

The driver met my gaze in the mirror. I realized I needed to exercise caution in our conversation. The sound of glass shattering on the other end of the line startled me. Lorenzo was enraged, and I had to placate him before he unleashed his fury on my friends.

"He seemed interested in me. I can still accomplish it. Just grant me more time."

I heard another sound, resembling a table slap.

"This Sunday, all his vassals will gather in the city to recognize him as their Capo. Time is of the essence."

"So what?" I asked, bracing myself for his reaction.

"Are you that stupid? They'll vow to protect him. Killing a Capo is much more challenging than killing just a son. Not to mention, it's forbidden by the Don to incite a war between the families by assassinating a leader. Why do you think I didn't attempt to abduct Piero Mancini all those years ago and went after his heir instead?"