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“And what about Franco? Did you kill him?”

I study her eyes, searching for explanation into why she suddenly has all these questions for me. What happened when she left the manor? Why did she run off? “No.”

“No? You’re lying to me, then?”

Tricky, this one. “No. I didn’t kill him. Technically. Makaio did.” Since the fight seems to be out of her at the moment, I loosen my grip, but don’t yet release her. “He threatened to kill your mother and your aunt. Was I supposed to stand by and do nothing?”

“You could’ve given me the money. Struck a deal with me.” She shoves at me again, this time with her teeth clenched and bared like a cornered little wolverine. “Instead, you’re a murderer!”

“Now you’re a saint? You didn’t seem troubled to know he was out of your life when the threat was still alive in your head.”

“I would never have asked you to kill on my behalf.”

“Well, too fucking bad. Because that’s what I do when someone threatens what’s mine.” Squeezing both of her arms, I give her a shake that’s rougher than I intend, but hell if this girl hasn’t wound me up all night with her antics. “I didn’t ask for this, Isa. I kept my distance. I warned you to stay away from me. But you didn’t. And now? You’re going to find out just how protective I am over the things that belong to me.”

“Belong to you? I never belonged to you. We made that clear in the beginning, remember?”

“No. I made it clear that I couldn’t pursue a relationship with you. That doesn’t mean I won’t kill a bastard for laying his hands on you.”

She flinches and twists her arms, trying to wriggle out of my grasp. “I don’t need your protection!”

And I don’t need to remind her of what happened tonight, proving she does. Not because I don’t think she can take care of herself, but because she doesn’t have a clue what she’s up against, if Friedrich and the others find out about her.

Still frowning, she stops trying to break free. “I don’t know who the hell is lying and who is telling the truth anymore.”

“So, why don’t you start paying attention to the facts.”

Again, her eyes are like laser beams ready to split me down the center. “That you keep women as sex slaves? That everyone who works for you is terrified of you? That you have the power to silence what threatens you without repercussions? Which facts should I pay attention to, Lucian?”

I back her toward the couch, and with a small shove, she falls over the arm of the chair onto the cushions, where I cage her beneath me. I’m about a second away from muzzling this girl with my lips. “Nell overdosed on drugs. What more do you want me to say? What is it that you want?”

Lips peeled back, she looks like she would tear right through me if she could. “I want out of here. Nothing to do with this place. Nothing to do with murderers. Or slavers. Or you!”

My patience finally explodes. I grip tight to her jaw, breathing hard through my nose to keep the rising fury in check. “I’m not a murderer. And no woman has been kept here against her will.” Eyes falling to her lips, I want more than anything to kiss her right now, but I’m certain she’d steal the opportunity to bite my fucking lip right off my face.

“Prove it. Let me go.”

“You want to go? You want to leave?” The very thought of her leaving is like a punch to my chest. A hard, steal-your-fucking-breath punch that has my head spinning out of control, my muscles wound up in tight balls of rage.

“Yes.”

Grinding my teeth, I stare back at her, urging myself to stay away from those lips. I release her face, and it takes every ounce of strength in my body to step away from her. “Fine. Makaio will drop you off first thing in the morning.”

Chapter 55

Isadora

The buzz of my cellphone rips me out of dreams, and I sit up in bed. Morning light shimmers through the curtains, while I wipe the sleep from my eyes and lift my phone to see a call from Aunt Midge. I texted her last night, letting her know I decided to stay the night at Kelsey’s. I hate having to lie to her, but the truth will only make her worry.

“Hello?”

“Isa … you need to come home.” Even through the phone, her voice carries the weight of grief and sends a shiver of goosebumps across my skin.

“What is it? What’s happened?”

“Your mother … she was found dead this morning. You need to come home.”

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