“Can we discuss this?” she whispers, the hint of a plea in her tone. “I slept well. I feel better. I can handle it.”
I have to deny her. To delay the blowout. She needs to heal before I level her with the aftermath of her abduction.
“Please.” She meets my gaze, long dark lashes framing the stormiest of gray.
“You’ve been through enou?—”
“Please, Raffael.” Her finger continues to roam my knuckles, the path a torturous caress. “Do you swear you didn’t kill them?”
I loathe that she thinks me capable of murder, but the concern is warranted. I’d been close. Within the devil’s grasp.
I’ve known rage. Have lived in it. Battled it. But it was nothing compared to what called to me when I started swinging my fists. I threw punches until blood stained my clothes and dripped from my skin. I lost myself to fury. To violence. Andsprinted toward crossing a line I would never have returned from.
If it weren’t for Michelo dragging me back from the brink, the fallout would’ve been catastrophic. Even now, I’m one misstep from the edge.
“Nobody died, Isla.”
She exhales deeply. “Good. I kept fixating on the worst.”
Her relief is a punishment. A sweet taste of torture.
She pries the mug from my hands, places it on the carpet beside our feet, then steps into me, wrapping her arms around my waist, snuggling her face into the crook of my neck.
For one impossible moment, the tightness coiled inside me loosens. The world stops breathing fire. Everything narrows to her softness, as if the planets decided to align for this stolen second of peace.
I hug her back. Pilfer pleasure I don’t deserve.
“What happens now?” she asks. “What did the police say? Are they coming here to take my statement?”
I kiss her crown, buying time. “We don’t need to talk about this now. Relax. Have breakfast.”
“But won’t they want to hear from me now when everything is fresh? Isn’t that protocol?”
I hold her tighter, waging war with the advance of inevitability.
“Raffael?” She pulls back, her gaze questioning. “What did they say? What did you tell them?”
I pause, taking a beat to stare into the heart of ruin and pretend it’s not destroying me. I’m going to lose her. It feels like she’s already fucking gone. “I didn’t involve the police.”
She blinks. Frowns. “What do you mean?”
The gears of comprehension churn behind her eyes, her thoughts running a mile a minute until slow dawning loosens her features.
“You didn’t call them…” She swallows. Retreats. “You’re worried this will expose your family.”
It will. Without a doubt. The secrets I’ve struggled to keep hidden will be fodder for the tabloids. All the predators itching to tear Lorenzo’s legacy apart will come running for me and my siblings. And that’s only the beginning.
“How this moves forward is up to you.” Family loyalty demands I shape her response, to manipulate the narrative, but she deserves better. This has to be her choice. Her pace. No matter the consequences. “I’ll do whatever you want—whatever you decide—all I ask is that you give some consideration before involving the authorities.”
She digests my request in silence, the confusion returning to her features. “I…” She shakes her head. “I don’t understand. Did you let them walk free?”
“No. The cage you were kept in has been put to good use.”
“You’re holdingthemcaptive now?” Her face bleaches of color. “You realize if you’re caught you’ll go to jail, too.”
“IfI get caught Icouldgo to jail. The alternative is to make this public and solidify the destruction of my life and the lives of those I care about. Including you. And I’m not willing to do that.” I push from the armrest, bridging the space between us. “If the police are involved this goes to court. You’ll need to testify. You’ll have to handle bail being granted. Because I promise you, that will happen. The defense team would be the best money can buy.”
“But you’re breaking the law.” She rebuffs my approach with a raised hand. “You’re kidnapping, right? I thought you didn’t want to be like your father.”
