"Hmmm, so the mouse enjoys the chase; interesting."
Matteo glances between us, clearly entertained. "You should know," he adds, "that staring at my brother like that is dangerous."
"I wasn't."
"Relax," he says. "If Sal had a problem with it, you'd already know."
I look through the glass again, and Salvatore's gaze flicks to me, making my pulse spike.
Then he turns and walks away without a word.
The tension he leaves behind feels heavier than his presence.
Rosa returns moments later like nothing happened.
"Come," she says gently. "Lunch is waiting."
As I turn to follow her, Matteo's voice trails after me, amused.
"See you around, little mouse."
His words stop me. "What did you call me?"
Matteo's smile doesn't fade. "Little mouse. That's what you are, isn't it? Running through the maze, looking for the exit." He tilts his head. "Salvatore told you about the contract, I assume."
My stomach drops. "What about it?"
"Nothing." He pushes off the column. "It’s interesting that he's already started rewriting the terms. The Salvatore I knowdoesn't renegotiate." He starts walking away, then pauses. "But then again, the Salvatore I know doesn't bring women home either. So maybe you're not the only one trapped in something new."
He disappears around the corner before I can respond.
* * *
Later, I'm curled up on the chaise in my suite, cozy under a large blanket I finally decided to make use of, dozing off while reading one of the books left in the room.
I wake to my phone buzzing. For one desperate moment, I think it's my father.
It's not.
Lindsay's name flashes across the screen, the fourth time she's called. I let it go to voicemail again. What would I even say?Hey, I'm being held in a mansion to pay off my family's forty-year-old mafia debt, but the sheets are nice?
I ignore the call and check my messages. Nothing from Dad. But my eyes linger to Salvatore's text from earlier:Bad girl.
Two words that shouldn't make my pulse spike.
But they do.
The phone buzzes again cutting through my thoughts.
A text this time.
Lindsay:Val, I'm seriously worried. Please call me back. Your mom won't tell me anything and you're not at work. This isn't like you.
Lindsay: If you don't answer by tonight, I'm filing a missing persons report.
Shit.
Of course she would. Lindsay's a prosecutor, one of the best this state has ever produced. With a mayor for a father, she has access, influence, and leverage most people don't even know exist, and she's never once hesitated to use it.
