It’s a futile task. My tech team is one of the best in the country. It’s just a minor annoyance. Matteo probably thinks it’ll keep me occupied and worrying about his next move, but that’s not going to happen.
“It looks like he got some people from overseas. Better hackers,” Rocco adds.
I groan. “Just tell the team to do everything to keep Matteo’s men out. We can’t have a breach.” I don’t want Matteo to achieve any wins against me, no matter how small. “If you need to bring everything down, do it.”
But it shouldn’t come to that.
“Okay.” Rocco inclines his head. “What are you going to do with Chiara?”
“Why?”
“Well, it seems like you know her from before.”
“Yeah, from Amore Bruciante.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to take her somewhere else? Isn’t it inconvenient to have her in your room?”
I step closer to him, eyeing him carefully. “She’s my wife. I can’t have her anywhere else.”
“Okay, but that’s all fake. I get that you don’t want her in the dungeon, but there are empty apartments. If you don’t trust anyone else, I’ll keep watch outside.”
“No.”
“All right.” Rocco lifts his hands up. “You don’t have to glare at me like that. I just think that you’d be more comfortable with her somewhere else, and she might be too. She’ll be a distraction, and if you’re alone with her—”
“Are you saying I can’t handle one woman on my own?”
“No, of course not.” He sighs. “Whatever. If you change your mind, let me know and we’ll figure out something.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll just sleep on the sofa. Now go and make sure things keep running smoothly.” I wave my hand at him.
There’s something bugging me at the back of my mind. I’m forgetting something, but I’m not sure what it is. Rocco would’ve already reminded me of it, unless it’s something only I know about. Is it about Chiara?
I furrow my brow.
Fuck! Of course she’s made me forget about something. The knife hidden under my pillow. I need to go grab it before she wakes up and finds it.
Maybe Rocco is right. Maybe I should send Chiara somewhere else, but I don’t want her to be so far away from me. I need to be able to keep an eye on her at all times.
Someone else, like Rocco, might be too nice to her and let himself get tricked into letting her go. She’s the key to my plan, and that’s why it has to be me who guards her. No one else is good enough for that job.
CHAPTER 12
Chiara
I can’t breathe—it’sthe first thought that flashes through my head as soon as I open my eyes. Panic grips my insides as I try to sit up, but my wrist is cuffed to something. My heart keeps pounding in my chest as I take in the room around me.
I’m in someone’s bedroom. The bed is big and strangely comfortable, and the sheets under me are dark green and soft. Is this Adriano’s room? But why would he take me to his room? It makes no sense, but nothing does anymore.
Someone’s definitely been using this room because the closet door is slightly ajar, and I can see some clothes in there. A jacket is draped over a chair. It looks like Adriano’s. The drawer of the nightstand is cracked open too, and there’s something colorful inside. Like wrappers?
I’m lucky my other hand is free, so I move to pull the drawer open. Condoms. Those wrappers are condoms. Oh hell. I shut the drawer and lie back down on the bed.
Oh hell, no.
I’m his wife now, but I thought that was just... I don’t know, probably a tactic to scare the hell out of me. Make me see that he can do whatever he wants. I don’t think he really wants me to behis wife. Why would he? What happened between us was so nice, but it was just sex to him.
I was stupid enough to think he was a good guy. He doesn’t care about me at all, or I wouldn’t be here right now like this. Does he plan to toy with me? Use me, as if I was actually his wife until he gets what he really wants? He wants to mess with my mind and make me terrified of him, and it’s working.