Instead, I stood there staring at the door as the two warring sides within me battled it out. I knew I needed to leave. Staying in a relationship with Enzo would be toxic and unhealthy. And yet…I didn’t want to go. But in the end, my head won over my heart, and, with a shaky hand, I reached for the door handle.
The tips of my fingers had barely touched the cold metal when all of the hair suddenly stood up on the back of my neck. I froze as I heard the sound of a 9mm chambering a round.
“Where do you think you’re going, Sera?”
My fingers fell away from the knob, but I didn’t turn around. However, I couldn’t keep the sorrow from my voice when I answered, “I’m leaving, Enzo.”
He made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Are you, though?”
I still didn’t turn. I couldn’t. I couldn’t make myself look at him because I knew what I would see. I could hear it in his voice. The rage. The betrayal. And I didn’t think I’d be able to stay strong enough to go if I saw him breaking.
“Step away from the door, Sera.”
“Enzo, please,” I whispered. “I have to go.”
“No, you don’t.”
I closed my eyes at the razor-sharp pain in his voice. It shredded my heart and left me bleeding, but I had to do this.I had to.Because if I didn’t pull away from him now, I never would. I put my hand back on the knob.
“Sera.”
“I have to,” I cried. My fingers tightened on the metal, but I made no move to open the door. I just stood there, waiting for him to either tell me to go or put a bullet in my head.
When he spoke again, he was so close I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. “No. You don’t.” A sob escaped me when I felt the touch of his lips on my bare skin. “You don’t have to go anywhere, baby girl. You can stay here with me. Now step away from the fucking door.” His arm came around my waist and his free hand covered mine on the door handle. The scent of a dark forest hovered in the air around me, and I breathed in deep, even as my body stiffened.
I tightened my hold and took a small step closer to the door, but he pried my fingers away as he pulled me against his hard body, still warm from the bed. I felt the heat of his skin seep through my jacket and dress, and felt the cold metal of his gun digging into my ribcage.
He pulled me away from the door with him, walking us backward into the hotel room. I could feel his erection pressing into my lower back. The chase excited him. But what would he do when he had me? Would he be content with that?
When we reached the center of the room, he let me go. “Turn around.”
Lifting my chin high, I did as he asked. But I wouldnotcower before him. I absolutely fucking refused.
* * *
Enzo
I stared down into her beautiful blue-gray eyes and watched as the light within them flickered and dimmed. “No,” I told her. “Don’t do this, Sera.”
“I have to,” she told me as tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She didn’t try to wipe them away, her attention completely focused on me. “Please understand, Enzo.”
But I didn’t understand. I’d never fucking understand. I staggered back a few steps, tugging at my hair with both hands, but somehow managing not to knock myself in the head with the gun.
I could be a bigger man here and just let her fucking leave. Give her the money in my safe that she’d worked so hard to save up and let her go. I could do what I told her I would do. She could start a new life far away from the mafia and everyone in it. She’d have a new identity, and no one would ever find her, even if anyone cared enough to try. As long as she kept her mouth shut, no one would ever know she was a runaway mafia princess.
And that meant I would have to stay away.
I pressed my palm flat to the center of my chest as I fought to breathe. My heart was racing, and I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my temple.
I started to pace, my eyes swinging wildly around the room as I tried to ground myself.
Three things I can see.
Three things I can hear.
Three things I can feel.
That was easy.
