Fatal Alliances [✓]

11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

MALIA

I WAS A LIAR FOR SURE. Just not the pathological one Mateo Izaac was claiming that I was. The way he purposely targeted me, made it seem like he had something very personal against me.

He continued to watch my every movement, taking in the way that my chest was rising and falling with each strangled breath as I came to terms with the fact that someone possibly knew about my façade last summer.

Paris had me doing some irrational things, one of which was taking on the identity of my dead mother, Ruhi Chandra. Hence the blonde hair, terrible wig and false identity. My mother wasn't naturally blonde, rather she was born with thick, black hair that was strikingly gorgeous.

"Why Ruhi Chandra?" Mateo curiously questioned me after a long and uncomfortable silence.

I looked up at him, but I didn't utter a word back. I didn't want to answer him, not when it meant he'd end up knowing something personal about me. That would mean that he would have a piece of me, a piece that no one was worthy enough to have.

"I asked you a question. Answer it." He said dangerously low,  "Do I have to remind you that you have nowhere else to turn in this basement?"

"Suck my non existent dick." I said through gritted teeth, throwing the photograph at him. "I know you're dying for it."

"Damn it." He seethed. "Answer me."

"Do you plan on keeping me here as your little captive? I'm a very annoying person. I'll talk so much you'll get brain damage." I sighed dramatically. "I think you're already suffering from it, to be entirely honest."

"Stop it." He bit out. "This is an interrogation."

"Oooh, an interrogation? How lovely." I drawled.

"Enough." He scolded. "You're in way over your head."

"No need to get so worked up about it." I pouted.

"You're behaving like a brat." He scolded.

"Hmm, I bet you're secretly loving it."

"You mentioned Rio," Mateo ignored me, "Wasn't so hard admitting you knew him. So it's clear to me you know the Parish brothers."

I scoffed. "Correction, I knew Rioden. I knew a Parish, but he only introduced himself as Rioden. And before you ask me again where they are. I haven't a single clue. I haven't known for months. In fact, the only time I came to contact with the man in the picture was on that one night."

"Why modern Roma?" Mateo interrupted me.

"What?" I said, voice echoing around us as he paced.

"Why here, why choose Italy?" He repeated. "Why was it Rome? What's so special about it?"