Page 76 of Gilded Saint

“He said I belonged to him.” He’d reached out and cupped my breast and squeezed like a demented creep. To a man like him, women are possessions. “He believed my father agreed to give me to him. He’sconsigliere. Our capo’s brother. Is my father, my family—will Massimo go after them?”

“Did your father promise you to Leandro?”

“Not to my knowledge. It was undoubtedly discussed. But now that I think about it, maybe. The way my father rushed our wedding was highly unusual.”

“Like he wanted to avoid confrontation. Or avoid giving Massimo the opportunity to deny it.”

“Massimo agreed. My father wouldn’t marry off his daughter without the capo’s approval.” But as I say the words, I doubt them. Did Father move forward with a plan to beg forgiveness after the marriage? Did he go away on business, hoping Massimo would calm down over time?

As the distance between us and London increases, the road clears incrementally, and we drive faster into the night.

“If I’d gotten home five minutes later…” This idea clearly bothers him, and I squeeze his hand to reassure him I’m fine.

My fears differ from his.

“I thought you’d come home and wonder what had happened. That you’d think I left willingly. You showed me the stairs and the safe room, but I… I was in our bedroom, in the closet, when he appeared out of nowhere. I was trying to decide what to change into. I didn’t hear him.” My voice cracks. He hasn’t said or done anything to blame me, but I need to explain. I need him to know I wasn’t going willingly. “I would never go willingly.”

He lifts my hand once more to his lips. It’s not so much a kiss as a pressure against my hand, as if he needs to hold me the only way he can while we’re driving.

“I love you.” My words are whisper soft, too soft to be audible.

He lowers our hands and says, “Recline your seat. Close your eyes. Your adrenaline is going to crash, and you’re going to become tired. Sleep it off. I’ll wake you when we arrive at Nick’s.”

“We’re going to Nick’s?”

“He has an estate. It’s secure. We’ll be safe there.”

“Leandro is dead. Why wouldn’t we be safe?”

His gaze flits between the rear and side view mirrors. “Would the capo avenge his brother’s death?”

“My father said he’s a fair man. He said he would be a good leader.”

My father shared so little with me. I know far more about the shipping business than I do about the inner workings of the Lupi Grigi.

“In all likelihood, he’ll want to avenge his brother’s death,” Leo declares. “He’ll need to make it known his family can’t be touched. The question is, how will he go about doing it? Will they come after only me, or will they come after you, too?”

The weight of his question wraps around me, squeezing with the force of a vise. “Most of what I know about Massimo and the Lupi Grigi amounts to rumors.” The tales aren’t good, but surely they’re exaggerated.

“Which is why we’re staying at Nick’s estate.” It occurs to me that if he’s right, if Massimo will choose revenge, he’s in danger. “Massimo’s coming after you?”

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

“How can you say that? If something happened to you because you agreed to this arrangement, all to help me?—”

“Hush.” He releases my hand and reaches across the seat to touch my thigh. “We’ll get this settled. I’m not afraid of the mafia. They’re a support service for the syndicate. They may not see it that way, but if Massimo doesn’t back down, he’ll get a masterclass in world order shoved up his ass.” He turns off the expressway and his muscular hand squeezes me with a firm, resolute grip. “Recline your seat. Close your eyes. I’ll wake you when we’re there.”

I do as he asks, reclining my seat to ensure I don’t block his view. I shiver, and he cranks the heat. How did it come to this?

The car door opens, and I blink, taking in a dark shadow bending over me. A scream rips through my mouth.

“Shhh.” It’s Leo. “It’s just me,” he says in the deep timbre I hear in my dreams.

I press a palm over my hammering heart.

“We’re here. Come on, baby. I was going to carry you in.”

My eyesight adjusts to the dim light, and his familiar smile comes into focus. It’s a slight smile, one that says he has indeed relaxed during the drive, allowing the Leo I love to return.

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