Page 24 of Claimed By the Silver Fox

“Right, of course,” I reply, grinning so widely it feels like it might burst right off my face. I practically skip behind him along the corridor—but before I can even get a taste of my freedom, the door opens before us, and I come to a sudden stop.

It’s Antonio. He looks between us, expression unreadable. “Paulo, you’re meant to be on the door.”

“I know, but⁠—”

“Go. Now. Back to your post.” His voice is even, but controlled, as if he’s intent on making certain that Paulo doesn’t cause him any more trouble.

I stand there before him, a cold shiver running down my spine, struck with the distinct feeling that, whether I like it or not, I’m in serious fucking trouble.

“Julia,” he tells me, jerking his head. “With me.”

“What?”

He locks eyes with me. “You heard me.”

I get the feeling that arguing with him is only going to make a bad situation worse, so I do as I’m told, stepping out of the corridor, and he pulls the door shut behind me. We’re standing in the entrance foyer now, and he guides me away from the guards, where several statues line the hallway, watching us with their blank, unseeing eyes.

“You were trying to get out.”

“I was just trying to⁠—”

“I have cameras, you know. Audio feed. I heard what you were saying to him.”

I roll my eyes skyward. “Jesus, I can’t have any privacy in this house?”

“Not when this is what you do with it.”

I snort with frustration. I was so, so close to getting out, only for him to come busting in here, acting like he has any right to tell me how things are going to be.

“I just wanted to get to the garden for a few minutes,” I retort sharply. “Paulo was going to take me. Not like I was sneaking off alone, or anything⁠—”

“You don’t have to,” Antonio replies. “You leave this house, and someone could grab you. Overpower Paulo and snatch you up. It’d be over before you knew it.” His words are calculated, dripping with a coldness that makes me shudder.

“You really think people are watching the house like that?”

“I don’t know,” he replies bluntly. “But I’m not willing to put you in danger to find out.”

Anger flares in me once again. There he goes, telling me that all of this is for my own good, acting as if I don’t understand a damn thing.

“Look, I understand the risks I’m taking,” I tell him. “So I’m not going to hold you responsible if anything does happen, okay? I just need to get out of that room. I feel like I’m going crazy in there⁠—”

“You need to stay right here.”

“Stop saying that,” I protest. “I—I’m the one who gets to make choices about my life, you hear me? It’s not about you. I⁠—”

“You’re my wife. Of course it’s about me.”

I shake my head. “So you see me as your wife when it comes to controlling me, but not the rest of the time?” I shoot back, flippant. “That’s convenient⁠—”

“I told you when we got married,” he tells me, his voice dropping precipitously as he closes the distance between us. “I’m doing this to keep you safe. And I’m not going to let some fucker take my wife from me. If they can take you, they’ll think they can take anything, and⁠—”

“Oh, so I’m just another part of your property, is that it?” I demand, tossing my hands in the air. “Yeah, It’s starting to make sense to me now. You know, you’re just like Andreo⁠—”

I stop myself when I see his eyes darken, sensing that I’ve overstepped. I wish at once that I could take it back.

Antonio’s gaze doesn’t break from mine for a moment, and he cocks his head slightly. “Just like Andreo?”

“I didn’t mean it⁠—”