Page 55 of The Devil's Deal

Swiping at my eyes, I erase the outer evidence of pain. Weakness isn’t something I’m proud of, but sometimes it’s the only way to survive.

“So, please,” I implore. “Don’t lock me away. I’ll stay in your house for as long as you want, and I’ll do what I can to help you destroy him, but I need out of this room.”

He cuts the distance between us, cradling my cheek possessively in his palm, his brows gathering. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I roll my eyes with a smile, tears filling my eyes as I inadvertently lean into the comfort of his touch. “When was I supposed to do that? When you came up from behind and drugged me? Or maybe when you had me tied to your bed?”

His lips curve up. “If you’d told me all this earlier, I wouldn’t have had to lug that fridge up two flights of stairs.”

“I’m sorry for being such a constant disappointment.” I nuzzle into the roughness of his palm.

“Do you want me to move you to another room?” he rasps, his thumb hovering beside my mouth, as though fighting within himself to touch it.

“No,” I whisper. “This room is fine. Just don’t lock the door when you leave.”

He nods, his finger brushing the corner of my mouth.

My heartbeats quake from his feathery touch. I shut my eyes for a brief moment, enjoying the feel of a man and pretending he truly cares. I’ve never had a man care about me before. I don’t think I ever will.

“You have a deal.” He drops his hand. “Now tell me where the bastard is.” His voice loses its softness at the mention of my father. “Then I’ll show you around the house and introduce you to Sonia.”

This is good. He’s trusting me. Step one of getting out of this cage is complete. But I’m not done yet. I will do whatever I have to do to get out of this house and find a way to hide from all of them.

My heart beats louder against my rib cage, fighting for space in my chest, the air in my lungs frozen with paralyzing fear.

I’m about to betray my father. He can never find out. If he does...

But I have to fight the enemy I know, and right now, that’s Brian.

“My mother got a house in an inheritance from my grandparents,” I tell him. “My father and uncles use it as a stash house for drugs and weapons. I overheard him say that’s where he’ll be after the incident with the laundromat. You know, when you set it on fire.”

“What can I say?” He shrugs. “I like a good show.”

“I would’ve loved to watch,” I throw in, knowing how much I’d enjoy seeing my father’s place go up in smoke.

“You like to watch, huh?” There’s a naughty gleam in his eyes, and his dimple deepens with a tug of a smile.

“I’m talking about the fire.” I shake my head with a teasing grin.

“Me too.” He smirks. “Just a different kind.”

I bite the edge of my lower lip, the blend of intoxicating lust and hunger seeping through my pores, winding through my brain, filling it with images of him and me.

“I need the address, Chiara,” he says, ripping me away from the fog of my fantasies.

I give him the location as he types it into his cell.

“You did good.” He nods.

“Don’t tell him it came from me.”

“I wouldn’t.”

I run a hand through my hair. “Be careful.”

“You’re worried about me?” His brows knit tightly.

“Is that so bad?”

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