Page 34 of High Stakes

Leone’s gaze lingers on me for a moment longer then moves down to inspect my handiwork. His hand drops from my thigh slowly as he nods in approval. He steps away just as Milo hops out of the shower, and Leone drops his pants.

Milo reaches for a towel and wraps it around his waist before surprising me and pecking my lips. “I’ll get you some pajamas,” he tells me, wandering out, and I look at the shower only to find Leone watching me. He nudges the shower screen door open, and I remove my top but then hesitate when I am about to remove my pants, remembering I have my period. Leone, noticing my hesitation, gives me his back, allowing me to remove my pants and dispose of everything. Yet the moment I step into the shower, I find myself pinned against the shower wall by my throat.

“What are you playing at?”

“Nothing,” I stutter, wondering what I did.

“What did you and Milo talk about in the car?”

“Nothing important,” I manage to spit out, my heart pounding against my ribcage. His menacing stare bores into me. Not even the hot spray of the shower can wash away the cold dread… and something else. Something darker and harder to define that makes my stomach flip.

“Don’t lie to me,” he growls. His grip on my throat tightens for a brief moment before relaxing again, a silent warning chills me to the bone.

“I swear,” I say, trying to sound as sincere as I possibly can. “We were just talking about… about Rocco. He said Rocco went to prison for you.”

His brow furrows at the mention of his name, and for a moment, he seems almost human. But then the hardness returns to his eyes, and I can see him struggling against some inner turmoil.

“Why?” he demands.

“Because I wanted to know why you were so close with him and Milo.” I blurt in panic.

“And why would you want to know?” he asks, his grip tightening like he believes I am spying or prying. I don’t know what to think of his reaction.

“I don’t know, I just asked. I’m not doing anything, Leone. I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Hours ago you couldn’t stand being near me, and now I am expected to believe you want to play my wife?” he snarls.

“No, I don’t want… I didn’t mean…” My voice trails off, gesturing wildly as I stumble over my words. The heat in his gaze makes me feel exposed, vulnerable, like prey cornered by a predator far too powerful to fight.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” His fingers dig into my skin, and I wince. “You hate me. You’ve made it abundantly clear.”

“I don’t,” I say. It’s automatic, a knee-jerk defense, but it only seems to fuel his anger.

“You don’t?” He barks a laugh, and it echoes around the bathroom. “What changed? Is it Milo? Because if you think?—”

“No!” This time, my voice is firm, cutting him off mid-sentence. “It’s not about him! Or you! Or any of this!” Annoyance flares up inside me. “I just… wanted to understand.”

His grip eases slightly, but the suspicion doesn’t leave his eyes. Leone steps back, water splashing against his muscular frame.

“Why?”

“Why is it so hard for you to believe someone might care about your past?” A cold expression settles on his face, so different from the heat of just moments ago.

“Leone, I’m sorry I won’t ask again—” I stutter, trying to form a coherent thought through the panic and confusion. But before I can get the words out, he’s pulled away abruptly, the cold tiles of the shower stark against my skin once more.

It is a lose-lose situation. If I refute his claims, he will see it as deception. If I agree with his accusations, the consequences would be no better, yet I don’t want to end up back in the basement, and I fear this is where it is leading.

“I could have run tonight, and I didn’t,” I murmur.

He stares at me for a moment longer, his brown eyes a maelstrom of emotion. “I could have run right out those doors at the casino. Instead, I ran to you,” I admit.

“Because you needed me to stop Penso from killing you. Don’t pretend it wasn’t anything else.”

“Yes, but I also knew I was safer with you than out there after tonight. I could have let the man finish you off, too, at the warehouse, and I didn’t.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

My brows crease, but I have no answer, none which makes sense to me.

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