Page 35 of Blackmailed to the Altar

The door to the office swung open, and Sebastian came inside. He looked me over with a frown on his face.

“What’s the matter, little mouse?”

My head popped up, and I glared at him. “You!” I pointed an accusing finger at his face. “This is all your fucking fault.”

His eyebrows rose in surprise at my cursing, but I was too angry to see sense at this point.

“And what have I done now?” His seductive tone would not get him out of this one.

No siree.

“If you hadn’t fucking kidnapped me,” I rose out of my seat and stomped over to him, so I could poke him in the chest with my finger like it was a knife, “I would still be home, and able to stop this.”

Sebastian’s smirk was wiped off his face, and he grew serious. “Stop what, exactly?”

“A monster from tearing through the streets back home,” I cried.

Sebastian walked around me to the computer screen and read silently. I couldn’t keep looking at his face. I closed my eyes, and breathed in for four, and out for four. In and out. My chest heaved from the exertion, but I kept counting.

When my eyes fluttered open again, Sebastian was standing in front of me. His features were drawn with rage. I took a step back, thinking it was at me, but he shook his head.

“This is the man who hurt Eden, yes?”

I nodded my head, holding my breath.

“Eden is family. He shouldn’t be out of prison,” Sebastian chuckled darkly. “But that’s the American prison system for you, no? Isn’t that why you do what you do?”

I nodded again, lying since he didn’t remember what I’d told Riccardo. I felt the same dark aura that Riccardo had around him. Had I gotten it wrong? Was Sebastian the darker alter after all?

“I will sort it out. Don’t tell Eden about this, it will only hurt her recovery,” Sebastian whispered the last bit against my lips.

He stalked around me, slamming the door shut in his wake. I flinched from the sound, expecting violence from him, but that’s not what happened. He left me alone. While he took care of business.

I walked to my chair and sank down into it. A tear fell from my eye. I hadn’t realized how close I’d been to losing my composure. Living in this villa wasn’t for the faint of heart, that was for sure. I didn’t know how much more I could handle.

I just had to take it one day at a time.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Riccardo

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the quiet. Not the usual morning stillness, but a heavy, suffocating silence that clung to the air like a bad omen. I blinked, letting the dim light seep into my consciousness, and realized I wasn’t alone. Sebastian was still there, lingering at the edge of my mind, his presence simmering just beneath the surface. And he was furious. Anger unlike I’d ever felt came from Sebastian, and roused me from a deep sleep. When we were aware, I could see everything he saw. I would feel everything he felt.

I sat up, running a gloved hand through my hair, as I tried to shake off the fog of sleep. The room felt colder than usual. I could feel him. His anger radiated like a hot coal pressed against my skin. And right now, he was listening to my little firecracker break in front of him, over some insignificant serial killer. I would not stand by and allow Sebastian to fuck it up, so as soon as he walked out of the office, I shoved his subconscious into that inky black pit and took over.

My footsteps echoed through the villa as I made my way to the basement. I knew what had to be done, even if itmeant swallowing a bit of my pride. Silas had been down there long enough, and his usefulness outweighed the satisfaction of keeping him locked up. I took the key out of the secret compartment in my wallet that Sebastian had never seen. I unlocked the padlock, tossing it aside, opened the door and descended the stairs, the scent of damp concrete and stale sweat hitting me like a wave.

Silas was slumped against the wall, his once neat suit now a wrinkled mess, his eyes hollow and bloodshot. I leaned against the wall, watching him with a mix of annoyance and indifference. “Rise and shine, little brother,” I drawled, my voice echoing in the cold space. “Time’s up.”

Silas slowly looked up, his eyes narrowing as he tried to gauge whether I was here to torment him further, or let him go. I watched the flicker of hope and resentment on his face. “Are you here to gloat? Or have you finally come to your senses, fratello?”

I ignored his dramatics. “Silas, get up here, your woman is in danger.” I walked back out and waited.

It wasn’t long after that he dragged himself up. I pointed to the guest room off the side of the kitchen.

“Shower. You stink.” His grimy clothes were soiled, and he sluggishly made his way to the bathroom without a word. “Don’t let the men see you like this.”

I made a plate of leftovers and some water. He wouldn’t be able to eat it all, but a few bites would perk him right up. An hour later, Silas wobbled on shaky legs to the table, and sat in front of me.

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