Savage Mafia King (Vicious Heirs #3)

Chapter Twelve—Isabella

As soon as I get out of class and see Marcus leaning against his car, waiting for me, I can tell something is seriously wrong.

His face is dark, his eyes shadowy, and he takes a moment to meet my gaze. I want to call out to him, but my voice catches in my throat. Something is warning me to keep my distance, and I'm tempted to just turn tail and run back into the lecture hall, pretending I've left something behind so he can't find me.

But I notice a few people looking between the two of us, and I know I have to see this through. I plaster a smile on my face as though I'm delighted to see him and make my way toward him. My legs feel a little shaky as I finally reach the spot opposite him, and he looks me up and down slowly.

"What's up?" I ask him, my voice higher than it normally is.

There are times when I remember just how dangerous this man is. I'm confronted with it, even if, for the most part, that danger is aimed at someone else. But now? Now I get the feeling I'm on the other end of his rage. And I'm not looking forward to seeing what it feels like.

"James," he spits at me. "You know that name?"

I frown. "James? My cousin Alex, that's his middle name, but..."

"So you have no idea who I'm talking about."

"Of course I don't," I reply. "What are you… what's going on, Marcus? Why did you take off like that this morning? What happened?"

He frowns. I can tell he doesn't believe me. It's like I'm looking at an entirely different version of the man who was holding me in bed this morning, a man who looks the same but who's been infected by doubt.

"My cousin was attacked," he tells me slowly. "Giovanni. And our uncle, James, he's in on it. He's working with the Castellanos."

My breath catches in my throat. "Oh my God, Marcus, I'm so sorry—"

"And he says you have something to do with it."

Cold terror washes through me. I shake my head, hands trembling. I can vaguely hear the distant conversation of people around us, the normal chatter of students as they go about their business, but it sounds like it's coming from a million miles away.

"He's lying," I tell him at once. "You have to believe me, Marcus, he's lying. I would never—"

"Why do I have to believe you?" he demands. "You kept me busy last night. You made sure I wouldn't be around when my cousin got jumped. What else have you been keeping me away from, huh?"

"We made a deal, Marcus!" I exclaim, hardly caring now if anyone hears what I'm saying. "We agreed to work together so we could… so we could protect both of our families. Do you really think I would put my brother at risk like that for no good reason?"

"I don't know what you're capable of," he growls.

I take a step back from him. I see the man I've always known him to be staring back at me, that terrifying specter who will take out anyone who dares wrong him. I want to fight my corner, but the words wither on my tongue.

"I'm not working against you, Marcus. I never would. You really think I could have done everything that we have done, and..."

"I need you to prove it."

"What do you mean?"

"I need you to prove that you're not working with the Castellanos or my uncle." He eyes me for a long moment, like he suspects that I might shut him down before he can go on.

I stare him down. "Yeah? And how exactly do I do that?"

"There's a fight tonight," he tells me. "And we know that one of the Castellanos has been working there, taking money, causing trouble. I want you to come to the fight with me, and when I confront him, we'll see if he knows who you are."

My stomach drops, not because I've been found out or because I'm fearful that I'm going to be exposed. No, nothing as obvious as that. It's because he doesn't trust me, because he really thinks I could do something like this to him, after all we've been through, after all we've shared. It's infuriating, and I wish there was some way to get him to see that I'm loyal.

"Fine," I snap back. "If that's what it takes. Pick me up from my apartment later tonight."

"At 8," he replies, his eyes narrowing. "And if you think you can run from this..."

"I've got no reason to run, Marcus. I'm not going anywhere."

The two of us stare each other down for another moment. I don't let my gaze waver for a second, even though I feel like I've been stabbed in the heart. He's the one who said that the two of us couldn't have faked this, that our connection goes far deeper than just some act. But now...

Now, he's asking me to prove the same thing to him. And if that's what he needs, then I'll do it.

I turn on my heel and stalk off, already pulling my phone out of my pocket to call a cab to take me to my apartment in town. There's no way I'm going to expose any of the sorority girls to Marcus or his shit. I'm sure there are already plenty of rumors swirling around about what's just happened between the two of us, the argument we just had in the middle of campus, but I find it hard to care.

No, the only thing that matters to me right now is proving myself to him, one way or another.

No matter what it takes.