Page 37 of Killer Love

She disappears around the corner toward the kitchen and I do a quick scan of the hallway to make sure no one sees me as I trail her inside.

Sofia looks over her shoulder and she gasps. “Luka—” She scans the room for witnesses. “What are you—”

I push the hair out of her face, exposing the purple bruise taking over her left cheek. Her eyes fall and she cowers from my touch.

“What did he do?” I ask, barely holding in my rage.

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Sofia…”

She brushes my hand away and steps back. “We can’t be seen here like this. You should leave.”

“Come with me.”

The shock in her eyes matches the surprise in me. I have no idea where those words came from, but they feel as real as any other.

“Come with you?” she repeats.

“Yes.”

“You mean…”

“Yes.”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“I can’t leave you here.”

“You did before.”

It stabs deep. “That was a mistake,” I say through my shame. “I didn’t know any better. I should have taken you from this place when I had the chance.”

“Luka, please. Nothing has changed.”

I picture those perfect silver eyes staring up at me from my ankles. “Everything has changed.”

“I understand why you think it has, but it hasn’t,” she says. “I have kept my promise to you. No one will ever know. Please, keep that promise to me, too.”

I can’t stand it, but she’s right. This isn’t just about me or her or even Lucian. It’s about our entire families as well. One wrong move could tear this truce apart and we’d both probably end up dead because of it. What would become of Lucian then?

“I want him to know,” I whisper. She blinks with confusion. “Not now, but someday. I don’t want him to grow up thinking Gio is his father. I want him to know the truth… when he’s ready.”

“Then, he will.” She nods. “I promise.”

I reach for her face again and she flinches as my fingertips graze the bruise beneath her eye. How any man could lay an angry hand on something so beautiful…

I lean in to kiss her, but she turns away.

“Don’t come back,” she says, her face wrinkling as if just saying it causes her pain. “I can’t trust myself around you, Luka…”

I lower my hands. “Sofia…”

“You have to go.” She stares at the floor. “Now.”

No. Not like this.

An urge charges down my spine, screaming at me to take her in my arms and kiss her, but I beat it down. Taking what I want from her might feel good, but that would make me no better than Gio.

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