Page 57 of The Devil's Deal

I give her my hand. “I’m Chiara. It’s nice to meet you.”

She takes it in a warm embrace, the sides of her eyes crinkling with a tender smile.

“Always happy to meet friends of the boys,” she says fondly, peering up at Brian.

What boys?I wonder to myself.Does she mean the guards?

“I won’t be home tonight for dinner,” he tells her, his voice growing softer. “Just throw the food in the fridge when you’re done.”

Where will he be?It’s only six p.m. It’s hours until he has to be at the strip club. I’d imagine he doesn’t plan on destroying it before most of the world is asleep.

I was hoping to spend some one-on-one time with him before he left, giving me a chance to reinforce my plan and get him to want me enough to let his guard down. Only then will I have the opportunity to escape his well-fortified fortress. But getting there will prove to be a much harder task. He fights me at every step.

“No problem. But make sure you eat.” Her hand reaches for his face, patting him gently on the cheek. “A growing boy needs to eat.”

She’s like a sweet grandma figure. It’s actually adorable seeing them together.

“I’m not sure if you noticed, Sonia.” His tone is set with slight playfulness. “But I haven’t been a boy in a long time.”

She drops her hand and waves it dismissively. “Eh, to me, you boys will always be babies. I don’t care how strong and tough you are. You hear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Brian chuckles, complete adoration for this woman stamped on his features.

Sonia’s dark brown eyes are on me now. “Maybe you’d like some nice hot dinner before I put it away?”

“She would,” he answers for me.

I tilt my head toward him, lifting a brow, giving him the “I can answer for myself” look.

Sonia purses her lips as she takes a gander between Brian and me. “Okay, I’ll make you a plate.”

“Thank you,” Brian and I say in unison, our gazes narrowed at one another for a brief second.

“We will go,” he tells her. “I don’t want to take away from your time.”

“It was nice to meet you, Chiara, dear.”

“You too,” I say.

“She’ll be staying a while,” he adds, his eyes peeking knowingly at me. “Isn’t that right?”

I glare, twisting my lips at him with an aggravated smile. “Not that you’ve given me a choice.”

From the corner of my vision, I catch Sonia bunching her brows, glancing from Brian to me.

His jaw clamps, his eyes brimming with a layer of well-contained ire.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Sonia,” he barks out gently. “We’re leaving, Chiara. Let’s go.”

Sonia notices the change in mood. “Behave.” She lifts a finger at him, then gives me a small wave before returning to her workstation.

Brian storms out of the other side of the kitchen, not the way we came, making a right and disappearing from my view. I keep up with him as best I can, finding him pacing in a narrow hallway.

As soon as he sees me, he rushes forward, grabbing my wrist and pulling me further down, away from Sonia’s earshot.

“What the hell are you doing?” I snap, attempting to yank my hand away, but his grip is solid.

He doesn’t answer, pulling me until we reach the end of the hall, until my back hits the wall with a light thud. He plants his palms beside my face, spearing me with a venomous look.

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