Prologue
Micaella was exhausted from keeping the secret. She felt as though she would have to live up to an expectation of being as perfect as how Paolo saw her. She was far from perfect. Stolen from her homeland to traffic drugs and later to prostitute herself, she felt Paolo deserved a girlfriend better than her.
She sighed as she dragged her feet, her steps echoed in the empty alley to her apartment. He was perfect, not her. He should have someone perfect too. Besides, Paolo’s twin brother Lucas had a scrutinizing and unforgiving look. Did he know? She always wondered. What exactly did he know?
It didn’t matter, she reminded herself. She would tell Paolo the truth. She convinced herself that if he loved her enough, he would accept her somehow. Paolo was not the type of person who judged others.
She heard footsteps as she turned the key in her doorknob. Looking up, she noticed a very familiar figure. “Paolo?”
“Micaella.” the figure came closer and she looked away. It’s so like him to follow her. She had to think of something. “I need to talk to you.” he added.
“Paolo, it’s late.” she managed. She may have decided to fight for their relationship, to tell him the truth about her past and all that, but she was supposed to carefully choose her words first. She swung open her door and gathered the strength to meet his eyes. She never let him in the apartment where she received her clients. It didn’t feel...appropriate.
Her eyes widened when she turned. It wasn’t Paolo.
“I know what you’re hiding.”
