Page 55 of Stolen Queen

She turns her head slightly, fixing me with a cold glare. It's the most reaction I've gotten from her in days, but it's not enough. I need her to understand.

"Don't you get it?" I burst out, my voice rising. "It would gut me if something happened to you!"

The words hang in the air between us, raw and honest. For the first time in days, Ava looks up at me with something other than contempt. Her eyes widen, surprise replacing the anger.

I hold my breath, waiting for her reaction. The vulnerability in my admission terrifies me, but I can't take it back now. I've exposed a part of myself and now I wait to see what she does with it.

While her expression softens slightly, she still doesn’t speak.

Fucking hell. How can I reach her? "Look, I know I've been going about this all wrong. I just want to keep you safe, not control you."

I reach into my pocket and pull out a sleek new phone no one will be able to trace to her. "Here. You can use it to call me whenever you need to."

Ava hesitates for a moment before taking the phone from my hand. Her fingers brush against mine, and yearning fills my chest.

"And this," I continue, pulling out a credit card, "is for you to order whatever you need. Have it delivered here under my name. I don't want you to feel like you're lacking anything."

I place the card on the bedside table, watching Ava's face carefully. She looks down at the phone in her hand, then back up at me.

"I'm not trying to buy your forgiveness," I clarify quickly. "I just… I want you to feel safe… at home here."

Ava's silent for a long moment, and I hold my breath, waiting for her response. Still, she says nothing.

“I know you want to be free. If you want, I can get you a new identity. Help you leave Chicago and live your own life."

The words feel like sandpaper in my throat, but I force them out. I watch her face carefully, trying to gauge her reaction.

Ava's eyes widen, a mix of surprise and suspicion crossing her features. "You'd let me go?" I hate that the only response she gives is to my agreement to help her escape.

I nod, my chest tightening at the thought of her leaving. "Yeah, I would. If that's what you want."

She studies me, her gaze searching.

I should leave it at that, but I can’t. "But I don't want to. I'm a selfish asshole, Ava. I want you to stay, but I can't stand to see you so miserable."

I can't bear to look at her, afraid of what I might see in her eyes. Without another word, I turn and leave the room, giving her the space she needs to make her decision.

As I close the door behind me, I feel like I can't breathe. I've never handed over control like this before. Sure, Elio and Lana can boss me around, but that's different. They're my bosses. This… this is me giving Ava the power to shatter me completely.

21

AVA

Isit on the edge of the bed, turning Matteo's words over in my mind.It would gut me if something happened to you. The raw emotion in his voice caught me off guard. I want to believe him, but can I trust anything he says?

Part of me thrills at the idea that this dangerous, powerful man seems to care about me, wants me to stay. Am I being naive? I've lived such a sheltered life. Maybe I'm falling for the first guy to show me any real attention. Matteo's reputation precedes him. He's known for being ruthless, manipulative. What if this is all part of some larger game?

I fidget with the new phone he gave me. If Matteo wants to manipulate me, why give me this? I could use it against him in so many ways. I could call my father and reveal where I am. I could contact Elio because there’s something about the way Matteo acts that makes me think Elio doesn’t know that Matteo has taken me. Hell, I can dial 911 and bring the cops down on him.

My finger hovers over the power button. The possibilities swirl in my mind. With one call, I could end this strange captivity and return to my old life.

But do I want to?

I think about my father's controlling grip, the loveless marriage that awaits me in New York. Then I recall Matteo's tender touches, the way he made me feel alive for the first time.

My hand trembles slightly as I set the phone down on the nightstand. The fact that Matteo trusts me with this device speaks volumes. He's given me power, the very thing my father always denied me.

I can feel my attitude shifting toward the positive, but I know I shouldn’t. Even with this grand gesture, I don’t know if I can trust him. But I really want to. I really want to believe he cares for me, that’s he’s doing all this to protect me and… because he wants me. That the way he touched me means something.

---