Page 77 of Cat and Mouse

He snorts. "Walk away? There's no walking away from Marco, Elizabeth. Besides, he's paying me well. Real well. More than I'd ever get playing detective with you."

I shake my head. "You don't have to do this. You're better than this."

"I'm not," he says, flatly. "And neither are you."

Footsteps echo off the concrete as Marco and his men stroll in, cigarette smoke trailing behind him like some twisted halo. He watches me, taking his time, enjoying every second of this power trip.

"You know," Marco says, circling the chair, "I was going to kill you right off the bat. But Leo... he made things complicated. Got me curious. What's it about you that makes a man like him vulnerable?"

"There's nothing," I snap, hating the tremble in my voice. "Leo doesn't give a shit about me."

Marco chuckles, but it's humorless. "We'll see about that." He leans in close, his breath hot against my cheek. "You're gonna help me break him, Elizabeth. And when he's on his knees, begging for your life, I'll finish the job. But not before I've taken everything from him. Including you."

My blood runs cold. I can't let this happen. There's no way Leo's coming for me—not after everything. But if Marco believes he will, if he'scountingon it... then maybe I can use that to my advantage.

"I'm nobody to Leo," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're wasting your time."

Marco raises an eyebrow, amused. "Is that so? Then why did you come running when Mike here told you he had leverage on you?" He flicks the cigarette butt to the ground, grinding it under his heel. "Leo might not care about much, but he cares about his empire. And you, Elizabeth... you're the key to taking it all away."

I grit my teeth, swallowing down the fear clawing at my throat. "You're wrong."

He stands up, looking down at me like I'm an insect. "We'll see."

Before I can respond, the warehouse door creaks open. Another one of Marco's goons steps in, nodding toward him. "Boss, someone's here."

My heart skips. Could it be Leo? No, it can't be. He wouldn't...

Marco looks at me, grinning. "Showtime." He turns and strides toward the door, leaving me tied to the chair, helpless. Mike stands by me, looking more nervous than I've ever seen him.

I strain against the ropes, but they're too tight. "Mike... please. You don't have to do this," I whisper.

He hesitates, just for a second, before his face hardens again. "It's too late for that."

I hear footsteps approaching before Marco can leave the warehouse—heavy, deliberate. The door creaks open, and for asplit second, I think it's over, that Leo really isn't coming. But then, a familiar voice cuts through the tension.

"Well, this looks like a party."

It's Leo.

I jerk my head up, heart hammering, and there he is—Leo, standing in the doorway, flanked by two of his own men. His expression is dark, cold, but there's fire in his eyes.

Marco spreads his arms. "Leo. You're just in time."

Leo's eyes flick to me, then back to Marco. "Let her go."

Marco laughs, shaking his head. "No can do. She's part of the deal. You want her? You give me everything."

Leo's jaw tightens, but he doesn't flinch. "You've got a lot of nerve, Marco."

"I've got leverage," Marco corrects. "And you've got something to lose."

There's a tense silence, the air thick with anticipation. I can barely breathe, the ropes cutting into my wrists as I wait for Leo's next move.

Finally, Leo steps forward, his voice low and dangerous. "You've made a mistake, Marco."

"Oh yeah?" Marco tilts his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. "And what's that?"

"You think you can use her against me." Leo's voice drops to a lethal whisper. "But you've just signed your own death warrant."

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