“He’s a tall guy. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” I got up. Aria did the same and then she rushed off again. A few minutes later she returned with a huge stack of dollar notes as well as two passports. For a moment I thought she’d decided to go with me and that was why there wasn’t only one passport, then I realized how ridiculous that thought was.

“Here.” She handed me everything. “That’s about ten thousand dollars. That should get you by for a while, and two passports just in case. But you should really get rid of them once you’re in Europe.”

I stuffed everything into my bag, then grabbed my suitcase.

“Ready?” Aria asked, hesitating.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She didn’t return my smile, only glanced at Sandro again before setting her phone down on the counter. I did the same to prevent them from tracking us.

We took the elevator down and hailed a taxi. Traffic was on our side and we pulled up in front of the JFK airport after forty-five minutes.

After we’d entered the departure area, I headed straight to the ticket counter to buy a one-way ticket to Amsterdam while Aria stayed back; the photo in the passport looked more like her than me and if we stood beside each other nobody would have been fooled.

I gingerly slid the fake passport across the counter. The woman barely glanced at the photo, despite the fact that I didn’t have blond hair like the girl in it. She probably thought I’d dyed them red. Twenty minutes later, I walked over to Aria with the ticket to freedom in my hand. I’d have thought I’d feel more excited, instead nerves twisted my stomach so tightly I worried I’d throw up, but I couldn’t let Aria see it.

“So how did it go?” she asked nervously.

I waved the ticket in response. “She didn’t even ask about my hair.”

“That’s good, but once you’re in Amsterdam, you need to change your appearance.”

I smiled, touched by her concern and at the same time wondering if I was really doing the right thing. This could be the last time I ever saw Aria. I couldn’t even imagine a year without her, much less the rest of my life. “Don’t worry.”

A small part of me wondered how Matteo would feel once he found out. I didn’t think my disappearance would do more than bruise his pride. This wasn’t about love, or even feelings.

Aria peered toward the main entrance again. “When does your flight leave?”

“In two hours. I should probably go through security.”

“I will rent a car and drive it out of town as a red herring. Luca will think you and I ran away together. Maybe it’ll buy you additional time. Once you’re off the plane, go to a restroom and put on the wig, in case there’s already someone looking for you at Schiphol airport.”

Aria was talking fast but it didn’t stop me from noticing the way her voice was shaking. She was trying to be strong for me.

I wrapped my arms around her. “Thank you so much for risking so much for me. I love you.”

“Create the blog we talked about and post an update the moment you get the chance. I’ll worry if I don’t hear from you tomorrow at the latest,” she said, her fingers digging into my shoulder blades. “Promise me you’ll be happy, Gianna. Promise.”

“I promise.” Could you even promise something like that? My eyes burnt furiously but I fought the tears. This was hard enough without me turning into a blubbering mess. I pulled back, and ran a hand over my eyes.

Aria had lost her fight with tears. “If you ever want to come back, we’ll figure something out.”

“You said it yourself, there’s no going back,” I said, and finally the truth sank in. This was it. This was goodbye to the life I’d known, to my family, to my home, to everything. I took a step back from Aria, dropping my arms. She gave me an encouraging smile. I quickly turned around and hurried toward the security check. If I didn’t leave Aria now, I’d lose my courage. Doubt was already eating away at my resolve, but this was my only chance. I had to take it. I needed to live my own life, needed to make my own decisions, needed to get away from the horrors of our world.

The security guard didn’t stop me. Nobody did. Once I was through security, I risked another peek over my shoulder to where Aria stood. She raised her arm in a wave before she walked away quickly, wiping her eyes.

I watched her back disappear. My heart felt heavy, my throat tight. It wasn’t too late yet. I could still go back. We could figure out some ridiculous explanation for drugging Sandro. Nothing was lost yet.

I peered down at my ticket to Amsterdam, my ticket to freedom, before I headed to the terminal where boarding would start soon.

As I waited, I kept checking my surroundings nervously, but nobody showed up. And why would they? Nobody had suspected anything. When Sandro finally woke in a couple of hours and called Luca and Matteo, I’d be on the plane.

***

My heart was beating in my throat when I boarded the plane. It was my first time traveling in economy class. Father had always bought business or first class tickets when we hadn’t used a private jet. I was wedged between a stranger, who insisted on using my armrest, and the window. I barely dared breathing until we were finally up in the air, and even then I kept looking for a familiar face among the other passengers. It took a while before I finally settled back into my seat and relaxed. Now that there was no going back, a flicker of excitement mixed with my anxiety. This was my life and I was finally taking it into my own hands, finally taking back control from those who had ruled every aspect of my existence until now. I was going to be free.

Matteo

Luca’s phone rang. “Yes, Romero?” Silence. “Repeat that.”

I was checking last month’s earnings for our clubs in Manhattan but looked up at the strain in Luca’s voice. His expression made me close the laptop. “What’s going on?”

Luca pushed to his feet. “Romero found Sandro drugged and tied up on the floor of the penthouse. Aria and Gianna are gone.”

I straightened. “You’re fucking kidding.”

“Do you think I would joke about something like that?” he snarled into my face.

I glared right back. “I thought Aria was in love with you.”

For a moment Luca looked like he was going to punch me. Then he whirled around and stormed out of the basement of the Sphere. I hurried after him. “This is Gianna’s fault. This girl is the root of every problem. Why couldn’t you stay the fuck away from her like I told you?” he muttered.

If only I fucking knew. For some reason, I couldn’t get her out my head. And now she’d run. From me.

***

“I’m sorry, Boss,” Sandro said again, half hunched on Luca’s sofa, eyes blood-shot.

I wanted to fucking kill him for letting her get away. I should have never let her out of my sight. I got up and started pacing the room again, my eyes darting up to the bedroom door. Luca had disappeared with Aria behind it more than twenty minutes ago. She hadn’t run away. That had all been for show. She’d helped my fiancée run, but she’d come back to Luca. She’d come back.

Normally I wouldn’t doubt Luca’s skill to get information out of anybody, but this was Aria, and Luca wouldn’t hurt her. Not even for me, not even when she was the only one who could help me find my fiancée.