Page 89 of The Don's Secret Heir

“And you blame Beth? Why would she do it? She’s my best friend. She wouldn’t hurt...” I trail off, not wanting him to know how I still feel about him.

“She hates me, Li. Always has. Please use your head. She’s trying to kill me!”

“Butwhy? She doesn’t want the empire, and she’s not next in line for it, anyway. Think about it, Dario. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“You’re the one not making any sense,belissima,” he huffs out. “You were never in any danger, Giovanni and Rocco are out back.”

“I got shot at, Dario!” I nearly screech. “I can’t believe you don’t understand how that’s a bad thing. If you suspected Beth, you should have just talked to me about it.”

“You wouldn’t have believed me!” he yells back, his face flushed with anger. “You wouldn’t have let me get a word in edgewise about your preciousBeth.”

I glare at him. “You can’t be fucking serious. You’rejealousof her.”

He scoffs. “Jealous?”

“Yeah. Because she’s there for me, because she’salwaysbeen there for me, and you can’t stand it.”

“She doesn’t deserve you.” There’s a pleading edge to his voice. “Just... stay with me, Liana. You and Sonny can stay as long as you like.”

I shake my head slowly, backing away from him as he takes a few steps forward.

“I’m leaving. And don’t follow me, Dario, I’m fucking serious.”

Anger rolls through me. I can’t believe he’s done this to me. I can’t believe he’s so fucking jealous of Beth that he’d try to pin disloyalty on her.

“Li, don’t!”

He chases me outside and I huff out a breath when I reach the car.

“Don’t follow me. Don’t call me. This is over, Dario. For good. I’ll get the annulment as soon as I can, and in the meantime, I don’t want to see you.”

“Li, don’t do this,” he pleads, his dark eyes shining as he steps closer to the car.

“Just leave me and Sonny alone,” I choke out, but he takes another step toward the car. I draw in a shaking breath. “I hate you. I’d rather fucking live in my car then spend another second living with you.”

His expression shatters, only for a moment before his features go blank again.

“L-Li,” he stutters, but it’s low and quiet and my heart cracks right through the middle.

I get into my car and speed away, hoping that I’ll make it to his place before he does.

I do make it, and I rush around packing up a couple of overnight bags for me and Sonny. I’ll worry about the rest of my stuff later.

Right now, I just need to get away. Somewhere safe.

Somewhere Dario can’t find us.

So I don’t go to Beth’s. That’s the first place he’ll look.

I check into a hotel under the name Elena Villanova, one of my aliases that I’ve used in the past.

Sonny’s blissfully asleep through the whole thing, only whining slightly when I put him into the hotel bed. I give him a pillow to hug and sit on the edge of the bed, staring into space.

Something is obviously up between Beth and Dario, but it doesn’t have anything to do with me. I don’t believe she actually tried to kill him, but clearly they’re in some kind of fight.

I’ve just been dragged into the middle of it.

But Beth will know more. She’ll understand why I’m so upset.