Chapter 327: Deny

KATYA POV

The room spun.

Police. My mind refused to process anything beyond that one word. I remained standing in the doorway, my fingers curling instinctively against the edge of my hoodie as every possible worst-case scenario crashed through my head at once.

They knew. No…

How could they know? We had left before anyone saw us.

Didn’t we? My heartbeat thudded painfully against my ribs. The female officer offered me a small, professional smile that somehow did nothing to calm my nerves.

“Miss Katya?” I swallowed.

“…Yes?”

“Please.” She gestured toward the sitting area. “Take a seat.” My eyes shifted instinctively across the room.

Romeo had already moved.

He sat on one of the leather couches nearest the windows, one leg crossed over the other with effortless composure, as though this were nothing more than an ordinary afternoon meeting. There wasn’t the slightest trace of concern on his face.

Nothing. How was that even possible? I looked away from him almost immediately. Instead, I walked toward Chiara.

Every step felt strangely heavy. Chiara looked up the moment I reached her. She didn’t say a word. Neither did I.

I lowered myself onto the couch beside her. Almost instantly, her hand found mine. Our fingers laced together so naturally that neither of us seemed to think about it.

She was trembling. Only slightly… But enough for me to feel it. Or maybe… Maybe that was me. I couldn’t tell anymore.

My own hands felt freezing cold. I squeezed her fingers gently. A silent reassurance. Whether I was comforting her…

Or trying to comfort myself… I honestly wasn’t sure. Across from us, Romeo remained silent.

One elbow rested against the arm of the couch while his gaze moved calmly between the officers.

If anyone walked into the room right now, they would never guess the police had come asking for two girls.

They’d probably assume Romeo was the one conducting the meeting.

Meanwhile… My head had become complete chaos. How did they find us?

Michael? Did Michael tell them?

No… He’d been arrested. Why would he even tell them about us? We didn’t do anything…at least that’s what I remembered.

But that’s not my the issue here…How the hell did the police know about us?

Security cameras? Someone from the club? One of the employees?

Or… Had someone followed us?

The thought sent another chill down my spine. No. No, no… Please don’t let Nonna hear any of this.

That thought settled above every other fear.

She couldn’t know. She absolutely couldn’t know.

If she discovered we’d lied… If she found out we’d gone to that nightclub… Everything Romeo had somehow managed to cover up would fall apart.

And after everything he’d done since yesterday… The last thing I wanted was for Nonna to look disappointed in me.

Footsteps echoed faintly somewhere outside the living room.

I stiffened automatically.

Please…

Don’t come in. Not now.The footsteps faded again. Relief loosened my chest by the smallest amount.

The female officer finally shifted her attention away from Chiara and me.

Instead, she looked toward Romeo.

“Mr. Salvatore?” she asked politely. Romeo gave a single nod. Nothing more. He didn’t introduce himself. Didn’t offer a greeting.

Simply reached calmly into the pocket of his joggers.

A lighter clicked. The sharp sound made me jump ever so slightly. He withdrew a cigarette. Lit it with practiced ease.

A thin ribbon of smoke curled upward into the quiet room.

The officers didn’t object.

Apparently… No one told Romeo Salvatore what he could or couldn’t do inside his own house.

He leaned back against the couch, cigarette balanced effortlessly between two fingers.

Still silent. Still watching. The female officer acknowledged him with a courteous nod before turning back toward us.

Her expression remained calm. Professional. “My name is Inspector Sofia Ricci,” she said evenly.

“These are Officers Marco Bellini and Luca Ferraro.” The two men inclined their heads politely. I managed a tiny nod. Beside me, Chiara did the same.

Inspector Ricci opened the notebook she’d been carrying. “There was a fire at a nightclub last night.”

My stomach tightened instantly. She continued speaking before either of us could respond. “The establishment suffered extensive damage.”

Her voice remained measured. “The owner, Michael Giovanni, was taken into police custody at the scene.” Chiara’s grip on my hand tightened. I felt my own pulse hammering inside my ears.

Inspector Ricci watched us quietly for a moment before continuing.

“During the course of our investigation…” She paused briefly, glancing down at her notes. “…your names came up.”

The room seemed to fall impossibly still.

“You and Miss Chiara were identified as being present at the club shortly before the fire.” Every muscle in my body locked. My mouth suddenly felt unbearably dry.

Beside me, I felt Chiara stiffen. Our fingers remained tightly intertwined, and before I could even think of what to say, Chiara spoke first.

“I…” Her voice wavered only slightly before she steadied it.

“I think there’s been some kind of mistake.” Inspector Ricci watched her patiently. Chiara managed a nervous smile.

“We were home last night.” My eyes snapped toward her. She wasn’t looking at me. She was looking directly at the inspector.

“We didn’t go to any club.” The room fell silent. I stared at Chiara for half a heartbeat before understanding what she was doing.

Deny it. Completely. Act like we had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

Inspector Ricci tilted her head slightly.

“You were home?”

“Yes.” Chiara nodded a little too quickly.

“We spent the evening here.” The inspector’s expression didn’t change.

“I see.”

She lowered her eyes briefly to the notebook in her hands before looking back up.

“And you, Miss Katya?” Every eye in the room shifted toward me.

I froze. Think. Think. Think. My heart pounded so loudly I was certain everyone could hear it.

If Chiara was denying everything… Then I had to do the same.

Otherwise… Everything would collapse.

I forced myself to nod.

“…Yes.” The word came out much quieter than I’d intended.

“We were…” I swallowed. “…home.”

Inspector Ricci regarded me calmly.

“All evening?”

“…Yes.” My stomach twisted painfully. “We don’t really…” I hesitated, pretending to think.

“…go to clubs.” The lie sounded almost convincing.

Almost. A quiet scoff drifted through the room.I instinctively looked toward the sound.

Romeo.

Smoke curled lazily from the cigarette resting between his fingers. The corner of his mouth had lifted by the smallest fraction.

Barely enough to qualify as amusement.

He looked… Entertained. My cheeks warmed instantly.

Of course he was enjoying this. This strange man had probably been sitting there listening to us stumble through terrible lies while silently judging every word. I looked away immediately.

Ignore him. Just ignore him.

Inspector Ricci’s attention never left us.

“You’ve never been to Mr.Giovanni’s establishment?”

Chiara answered before I could. “No.” Not even a second of hesitation.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met him.” That nearly made me turn to stare at her. Michael had literally act here. The inspector remained perfectly composed.

“And Miss Katya?” Again… Every eye found me.

I forced myself to nod. “I don’t know anyone named Michael Giovanni.” A bigger scoff sounded from Romeo.

Inspector Ricci slowly closed her notebook. “I understand.” Her tone remained polite. She looked from Chiara… To me… Then briefly toward Romeo.

He hadn’t interrupted once.

He simply sat there smoking in complete silence, as though the outcome of this conversation had never been in doubt.

Inspector Ricci returned her attention to us.

“So…” She smiled faintly.

“If you’re both certain you’ve never been to that nightclub…”

She paused.

“Never met Mr. Giovanni. And spent the entirety of last evening here…” The smile never left her face.

“Then perhaps…” She tucked the notebook beneath one arm.

“…you wouldn’t mind accompanying us to the station.”

Neither Chiara nor I moved. The room suddenly felt much colder. Inspector Ricci’s expression remained calm as she finished her sentence.

“We can go over the evidence together.”