Page 19 of Killer Love

“No.”

“Then, please, give me one night of reprieve. I promise our secret will die with me.”

I press my teeth together, feeling everything tug in different directions inside. Sofia is beautiful — even more so than I thought she’d be — and I’m a warm-blooded man. Of course, I want her. Of course, there’s nothing I’d like more than to take her for myself, but…

“Why me?” I ask. “You don’t even know me, Sofia.”

She turns and her gaze falls to the table in the corner. The tablecloth is old and ragged but it’s still there, hanging down full of rips and holes.

“You extended your hand to me once,” she says. “There was more kindness in that act than any other in my entire life.”

Years of blood and scars pass through my mind and I shake my head. “I’m not who you think I am,” I say. “I am not a good man, Sofia.”

“Whether you help me from kindness or from your own desires, the end is the same. I ask you for nothing more than that and your silence, I promise,” she says. “Please, don’t condemn me, Luka.”

Her chest heaves, completely wiped out of argument. I shamefully look down to watch it rise and fall and I can’t help but picture her without that damn black dress. Porcelain white skin, untouched in every way considering the Zappias rules for their brides, but she wants me to touch her first.

And I’m not sure I can say no.

Hell, I know I can’t say no.

To bed Gio’s virgin bride before he can? That thought alone makes me hard already.

“If he ever finds out, it will start a war,” I say. “You know that, right?”

She smiles. “I’m counting on it.”

The spark in her ignites one in me and I can’t hold my desire for her at bay much longer. “Where? When?”

“Here and now,” she says with a quick wave of her gloved hand. “It’s the safest place.”

I shake my head at the old shed. “This isn’t what you deserve.”

“I’m used to it.” She doesn’t even blink and I know it’s true.

Sofia. Who knew that cute little girl would grow up into this? Strong and determined. Patient and brave. Years of cruel tutelage couldn’t break her. The Zappias made her this way. It’s hard not to appreciate the irony.

“All right,” I say, swallowing hard. “I’ll do it.”

“No one will ever know,” she says again. Finally, her voice trembles. “And… I know how it works. You can be quick.”

Fear passes over her eyes for the first time and guilt stabs at me but not as much as anger does. For her first time to be like this, with a practical stranger in a dirty shed rather than with a man she loves in a warm embrace. It’s as harsh and cruel as the vengeance she seeks — but still a better fate than she’d suffer beneath Gio’s writhing body.

Sofia should never have had to make this decision at all. Fate stripped her family from her and dropped her on the Zappia doorstep. To any outsider looking in, they’d think that was a dream come true. A fresh, new beginning for the two orphan girls.

Now, she has to rely on a damn coin toss to stay alive. There’s no guarantee any of this will go the way she wants it to.

But it’s enough to keep her alive and I won’t deny her that hope.

My pulse races, firing blood so fast through me that my fingers turn numb. I slide my jacket off and she blinks with subtle fear as I gesture at the table.

“Sit down, Sofia.”

Chapter 7

Sofia

I do as Luka says and walk over to the table.

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