5

Allison

I pace back and forth in Gregory's hotel suite, staring at my phone as it explodes with calls and texts.

Mostly they're from Papa. The messages were confused and plaintive at first. He begged me to come back. Said he'd make sure everything was okay, that he'd take care of me no matter what. That Paul would make a fine husband. That what happened to Freya was a tragedy, but not Paul's fault.

Then his messages got ugly. I could practically read the fear. He called me everything—spoiled, ugly, a bitch, a whore—said he regretted treating me so well, only for me to betray him. He demanded my return. He said he'd kill me if I didn't.

Then my cousins began calling. An uncle, some friends of Papa's that I've known for a while, even my godfather. Some tried to be kind. Some, not so much. All of them want me to go back to the Debarcio mansion and go through with my marriage to Paul.

I refused to answer. Only kept pacing, back and forth, staring at the phone on the coffee table as the sc