“He’s in your blood already,” Angelo said quietly. “That’s the problem with men like Leo. They ruin women before the women realize it’s happening.”
My chest tightened painfully.
“Chiara,” he murmured, voice lower now. “Come with me.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “I can protect you.”
The words should have comforted me. Instead, all I could picture was Leo drawing the curtains closed with that dark look in his eyes.
“Think carefully,” Angelo continued softly. “Because if Leo poisoned your father…” A pause. “You should ask yourself what happens when he stops seeing you as useful.”
A cold chill slid all the way down my spine. For the first time since Leo Moretti dragged me into his world, I felt truly afraid of him again.
My breathing sounded too loud. Too fast. The marble beneath my bare feet felt freezing while Angelo’s words wrapped tighter and tighter around my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut harder.
“Chiara.” His voice softened slightly through the phone. “Listen to me carefully.”
I swallowed painfully. “I’m listening.”
“You need to leave before Leo realizes you’re becoming a problem instead of a prize.” A shiver crawled down my spine at Angelo’s words.
“He won’t hurt me,” I whispered weakly.
Angelo laughed quietly.
“Cara.” His tone turned almost pitying. “He already is.”
Tears burned hot behind my eyes again. Because somehow that was the worst part. Leo hurt me while making me crave him harder.
“I can get you out tonight,” Angelo continued. “But you have to decide now.”
Panic slammed into my chest. “Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“That’s insanely fast, too f-fast,” I stammered.
“No,” Angelo corrected softly. “Staying with Leo is insane.”
I pressed my trembling hand harder against the marble counter, staring at my own pale reflection in the dark kitchenwindows. Run. The word screamed through me. But another voice whispered back. Stay. My stomach twisted violently.
Angelo exhaled slowly through the phone like he could hear every conflicted thought inside my head.
“You want him,” he murmured. “That’s not the same thing as trusting him.”
I said nothing. Because I didn’t trust Leo. Not completely. How could I? He terrified me. Consumed me. Controlled me. And yet every time he touched me, I forgot how to breathe.
“You don’t understand men like him yet,” Angelo continued quietly. “Leo doesn’t love gently. He destroys everything he touches eventually.”
The words hit too hard. Because deep down, some terrible part of me already feared they were true.
“What if he finds me?” I whispered before I could stop myself.
Silence. Then Angelo laughed softly.
“Ah,” he murmured. “So you are considering it.”
“I didn’t say that.”
