"I know you're afraid."
"Of course I'm afraid!" The words burst from her. "I'm being held captive by a mafia Underboss whose brother wants me dead. I'm locked in rooms, watched on cameras, my every move monitored. And the one time I thought—" She cut herself off.
"The one time you thought what?"
"You think because of what happened—"
"That night was the most dangerous thing I've ever done," I said, the admission torn from somewhere deep inside me. "Because I wanted it. Because I still want it. And wanting anything that much in my world gets you killed."
Pain flashed across her face before hardening into anger. "Then why does it feel like you're punishing me for it?"
The question hit me like a physical blow. Was that what I was doing? Punishing her for making me feel something I hadn't felt in years?
"I'm not punishing you, Sophie. I'm trying to keep you alive."
She laughed, bitter and hollow. "By keeping me prisoner?"
"By keeping you safe."
"Safe?" She stepped closer, close enough that I could smell the jasmine in her hair. "I took those knives because I needed to feel like I had some control. Some way to protect myself if—" She swallowed. "If things went wrong."
"You think I would hurt you?"
"I think men like you do whatever serves their interests. And the moment I stop being useful…"
The implication hung between us. She was afraid. Not of dying, but of being helpless. I caused this fear. Even after what happened between us, she still didn't trust me not to hurt her.
My phone rang, the sharp sound cutting through the tension. Antonio's number flashed on the screen.
Sophie's eyes went to the phone, then back to my face. Something in my expression must have warned her, because she went very still.
I answered, putting the phone on speaker without thinking—old habit from years of taking calls in front of subordinates.
"Brother," Antonio's voice oozed through the speaker. "We need to talk about the redhead."
Sophie's face went white. I moved to end the call, but Antonio continued before I could react.
"My men saw you take her from the alley. She's been in your house for what—over a month now? Sleeping in one of your guest rooms? Or perhaps… elsewhere?"
I watched Sophie's expression change as she realized Antonio knew exactly where she was. Had known all along.
"She's mine, Vittorio. She took something from me."
"As I recall, you took something from her first," I said, my eyes never leaving Sophie's face. "Several things."
Antonio's voice hardened. "You have no idea what you're interfering with. That flash drive contains information that could destroy everything we've built."
"Your side business isn't my business, Antonio. Trafficking women and children—"
"Is profitable," he cut me off. "More profitable than your legitimate enterprises."
Sophie pressed a hand to her mouth, horror dawning in her eyes as she listened to her former lover discuss human trafficking like a commodity.
"You have two choices, brother," Antonio's voice turned deadly. "Give her back to me… or kill her yourself. Today."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I'll burn everything to the ground. Starting with that pretty little fortress where you're keeping my property." His voice turned silky with threat. "She's listening, isn't she? Hello, Sophie. Miss me?"
