40

40


Twenty minutes in and Gio had already disappeared into the kitchen with Sebastian. He barely even spared Lily a glance when they entered, only muttered something quickly in her ear that made her blush, before whisking her away.

Now, Lily stood awkwardly at the edge of the crowded room.

Everyone looked too comfortable here, as though they all knew each other and belonged to some exclusive club only the rich and powerful were allowed into.

The atmosphere was nothing short of expensive, everyone wearing the same shade of black. It all felt too oddly familiar. Lily could’ve sworn she was having déjà vu.

It wasn’t until she finally pinpointed where she’d seen a similar setting did she suddenly feel uncomfortable.

It was exactly like the first Omertà Dmitri had dragged her into when they first met. Every detail mirrored that night, the crowd, the feel of power and money in the air.

And here she was again, the outsider. And somehow, just like before, everything circled back to Dmitri.

With a quiet sigh, Lily placed her glass of wine on a passing tray and folded her arms, wishing she could vanish into her bed instead of standing here pretending she belonged.

“Not enjoying yourself?”

The voice came from behind her, deep and unmistakably British.

She turned, startled, and her eyes locked on those familiar blue eyes she’d seen the other night.

“Christian?”

Christian stood in front of her, dressed in a black tuxedo that hugged his tall frame in all the right places. His bowtie sat perfectly knotted, his hair swept back with infuriating ease. Looking even more handsome than she remembered.

Lily’s stomach gave a small, unwanted twist.

He smiled but it only deepened her confusion.

“You’re here? Do you just appear and disappear wherever you like? You practically vanished last time.”

Christian chuckled, low and sinful. “I am absolutely sorry for that, Lily.”

Again, he was as formal as ever, so smooth that it almost made her forget the question pressing at the tip of her tongue.

Almost.

“What… what are you doing here?” she asked him.

He tilted his head, lips curving faintly. “This is my home. Sebastian is my younger brother.”

Her breath caught. Suddenly the resemblance made sense—but it didn’t make her feel any better.

Christian’s smile widened, still perfectly practiced. “What a coincidence. Your cousin must be the Gio my brother keeps mentioning.”

Lily forced a laugh, though it sounded thin even to her own ears.

“Coincidence huh?”

A year ago she would have brushed it off, rolled with it. But ever since Dmitri, she had grown sharper and more alert.

Fucking coincidence!

Her gaze flicked over him again despite herself, her pulse tripping. He was standing too close to her space and could smell the dark space in his cologne. His tux catching the chandelier light above them.

Why did she notice that?? She hated it.

“Seems like you and I keep meeting at the strangest places,” Christian responded leaning just enough for only her to hear.

Lily lifted her chin masking the small stir in her chest. “Or maybe it isn’t strange at all.”

For a second, something flickered in his eyes. Before Lily could drop another comment, a man stepped onto the stage.

Christian glanced at him, then back at her, his smirk returning. “I’m afraid that’s my cue.”

“Cue?” she repeated.

“Don’t worry, Lily.” His tone was velvet, but the words left her colder. “We’ll speak again.”

Then, without waiting for her reply,she watched as he slipped away into the crowd moving toward the front.

The man on stage began speaking in Spanish all of a sudden which only made her puzzled. She knew the obvious that Christian was British so why in heaven were they speaking Spanish.

And even worse, she watched as both Christian and the crowd paid close attention to every word.

Lily caught fragments she couldn’t understand all too well, until one word punched through clear as day—

“Omertà.”

Her chest tightened. She’d heard that before. And it was a word she couldn’t dare forget.

Before she could process it, the speaker’s voice rose with finality, announcing Christian’s name.

“Christian Bellini, Don of the North Block. Descendant of late Italian Boss Alessandro Bellini.”

In one motion, dozens of hands reached inside their jackets. Guns glinted under the chandeliers. The room thundered as everyone raised their weapons to the air.

Lily’s eyes widened. A shiver raced through her, her own arms frozen at her sides.

Christian. Sebastian. Every single person in this room.

They were in the mafia.

Her heart slammed against her ribs as she started searching the crowd in search of Gio. They needed to get the hell out.

She moved fast looking into the crowd. She spotted Gio by the drink section away from the entire chaos. She doubted she’d seen anything, the corner was away from the main hall. She was alone thankfully.

Lily’s pulse raced as she pushed through clusters of black-clad figures, her only focus Gio.

“Gio,” she hissed the moment she reached her, tugging at her arm. “We have to go. Now.”

Her cousin blinked, confused, her glass halfway to her lips. “What? Why?”

“I’ll explain later,” Lily cut in, glancing over her shoulder. Her voice shook. “Please. Just trust me—we need to leave.”

Still bewildered, Gio frowned but didn’t resist when Lily pulled her toward the exit. “Lily, what’s going on? You’re scaring me.”

“Good,” Lily muttered under her breath, weaving them both through the crowd as quickly as possible. “Be scared. Just move.”

Every instinct screamed that if they didn’t get out now, they wouldn’t get out at all. However, the air knocked out of her lungs when she heard her name ring from the microphone all the way from the stage.

“Lilly Hills. Going so soon?”

Christian voice swept across the room. Every one that wasn’t aware who she was, now turned in her direction, a spotlight silence. One could even hear a pin drop or the sound of her heart pounding.

All eyes narrowed down to one particular person.

Lilly Freaking Hills.