I can hear him spit commands into his phone from the kitchen to what I assume is a construction company, and a smile forms on my face.
I finally feel like I’m one step ahead of him.
Chapter 16
Alessandro
Standinginthenewwrought iron cage extending over the railing of my balcony, I finally feel a sense of inner peace since marrying Sofia. Now, falling or jumping to her death is no longer a possibility. I’m finally gaining control of my life again.
I light up a cigarette, thinking about my potential plans for exterminating Marco. And I realize that he’s the only reason I’m trying to keep Sofia safe and confined. If I end his life, I can simply drop Sofia off at the airport and be done with this whole mess.
But do I even want to let her go?
I still crave my solitude. But the thought of never seeing Sofia again—even if I know she’s safe and with her family—fills me with a sense of loss. This confuses the ever-living-shit out of me and I don’t know what to do with this information.
Sofia sits in the living room, still in my line of sight.
When I found out she nearly escaped, did I move her to the dungeon as I previously threatened? No. Did I inflict pain on her or make her fear me? No, and no… at least any pain I caused she enjoyed.
Instead, I bent her over my desk and nearly gave her an orgasm.
That was my grand plan in the heat of the moment.
And despite how I acted, we didn’t even fuck over my desk because I was so angry at how reckless she was by jumping.
She’s already finding out that my threats are empty. This wasn’t my intention, and in any other situation in my life, if I threaten to do something, I do it. But there’s something about Sofia that makes me fold in an instant.
And that’s why this cage is so brilliant. I don’t have to rely on myself to follow through with something; it’s simply a physical barrier she can’t get through.
I hear Elena’s door open and I meet her gaze through the bars, inhaling another breath from my cigarette.
“What the fuck is that?” She gestures towards my balcony.
“A cage.” I flash her a smile, cigarette between my teeth.
“You’ve completely ruined my view of this angle. I sunbathe staring out in this direction.”
“Then turn your chair around.”
She rolls her eyes.
It’s odd to me that she seems genuinely pissed about this; usually, something this ridiculous would give her a laugh. But she hasn’t been acting herself ever since the wedding. Even now, it’s in the middle of the afternoon and she’s not even dressed yet. I've tried to ask her if she's okay several times and it always gets brushed off. But I'm awful at that sort of thing, I'm not exactly the type of guy that people open up to.
“I have a good reason for all of this,” I say. “Let me come over. I have to give you your coat back, and I have a story to tell.”
“When did I forget a coat at your place?” She scratches her head, her tangled black hair moving in one clump instead of the usual sleek strands.
“Exactly. You didn’t.”
“Whatever, just come over.”
I put my cigarette out and make my way over to my sister’s, grabbing Elena’s things.
Elena opens the door when I knock. She looks questioningly at her coat, hat, glasses, and boots. “How did you get those?”
“Sofia jumped over to your apartment, took your things and walked past the guards.”
Her eyes go wide, her tone in disbelief. “No.” She quickly pads back over to her balcony, looking towards mine. “She jumped over all of that.”
