Page 31 of High Stakes

“Leone is only being an asshole because you hurt him when you ran off with Marcus.” I scoff, and Milo grits his teeth. “You don’t understand. Once he killed Lydia, he hadn’t been in another relationship since. Women were nothing but tools to him, a means to an end. But with you, he was different; he was softer. He was trying, Fallon.”

I scoff. “Ordering me around and trying to force a baby on me with a fucking turkey baster as an insemination tool? That is trying?” I ask incredulously.

Milo’s jaw clenches as he turns to face me directly, the moonlight casting shadows across his earnest expression. “Yes, he’s harsh, controlling. His methods are unbelievable, and I won’t excuse his behavior. But you have to understand, Fallon. Before you, Leone hadn’t let anyone in—not since Lydia. He was broken, guarded. You changed him, even if it was just a little bit.”

I shake my head, frustration, anger, and confusion swirling within me. “By locking me up? By threatening me and raping me with a turkey baster? That’s his way of showing… whatever you think he’s showing?”

“Leone says he fears nothing,” Milo says quietly, almost to himself, as if admitting something painful. “But he fears letting another woman in. His methods are wrong—hell, they’re atrocious—but in his twisted mind, it’s how he keeps you close. When you ran with Marcus, it confirmed his worst fears that you’d betray him like Lydia did.”

“But I didn’t choose any of this,” I whisper, my voice breaking under the weight of my stifled tears. “I was taken, forced into this life. How does he not see the terror he puts me through?”

Milo reaches out tentatively, his hand hovering before gently resting on my arm. “Because he’s viewing everything through hisown scars and fears. But that doesn’t mean he’s right. I’m not defending him, Fallon. I’m just trying to help you understand the man I’ve known all my life.”

I let Milo’s words sink in, the pieces of Leone’s twisted psyche assembling into a clearer yet still disturbing picture.

“Tonight,” Milo continues, his voice a soft murmur, “just try to stay calm. Show him you can fit into this life. It might ease his need for control.”

“And what about what I need? Does nobody care about what I want?” The question slips out, laden with years of pent-up frustration and pain.

Milo’s eyes meet mine, filled with sympathy making my heart ache. “I know it’s not fair, Fallon. I wish things could be different. But survival here doesn’t always mean fighting back—not directly. It means playing the long game.”

“What exactly are you hoping to achieve by telling me this? It changes nothing!” I snap at him.

“I’m hoping you’ll listen if not for your father and Emma but to save your own damn life. Leone won’t hesitate to kill you once he has got a baby out of you. He has no means for you then, so you need to give him one.”

“Give the man who has everything something?” I almost laugh.

“He doesn’t have a wife. On paper, yes, but you aren’t at a total disadvantage here.” Milo’s eyes are hard and unyielding as he leans closer, his voice lowering to a near whisper. “The man would tear the world apart brick by brick for those he loves, Fallon. Make sure you’re one of them.”

I stare at him, incredulous. “He doesn’t seem like the type to care about love or trust. He rules through fear and power.”

Milo’s gaze darkens. “You’re missing the point. Leone has power, wealth, and control. But what he lacks is a legacy—someone to carry his name and solidify his empire. He needsa family to secure his position. He needs someone he can trust implicitly, someone who can be his partner in this ruthless world. And that someone could be you.”

A chill runs down the entire length of my body as I realize the gravity of his words. “Why would he ever trust me? I’m just a pawn to him.”

“He doesn’t have someone to love, someone he can trust, someone to build a family with, to claim his empire. This is crucial for a man in his position. He needs a strong ally by his side, someone who can bear the weight of his world with him. If you become indispensable to him, you gain leverage. Make yourself irreplaceable.”

I swallow hard, the implications finally sinking in. “You think I can be that person for him?”

Milo’s eyes soften slightly. “Leone is a man raised in violence. But even he needs someone to keep him grounded amidst the chaos. He might not show it, but he’s capable of loyalty, of a twisted form of love. You need to become that for him. It’s not about love in the way you think.”

I glance away, the weight of Milo’s words pressing down on me. “And if I fail?”

Milo’s voice drops lower, a harsh whisper. “Then you’ll end up like all the others who crossed him—discarded and forgotten. You don’t have the luxury of failure, Fallon. You have to play this game better than anyone else.”

“So you want me to make him love me? Exactly how am I supposed to do that?” I ask him.

“By giving him the one thing he wants most. Control,” Milo tells me. But it also means trusting a man who certainly hasn’t earned it.

Milo’s expression softens, his hand briefly squeezing mine in a gesture of support. “Good. Just remember, be smart. Be patient. And above all, be indispensable. Make sure when hethinks of his future, you’re the only one he sees standing by his side.”

I swallow hard, trying to wrap my mind around the enormity of what he’s asking of me. “And what about you, Milo? Where do you fit into Leone’s future?”

Milo’s eyes meet mine, a flicker of something raw and unguarded in their depths. “I’m already irreplaceable to Leone. He needs me, and he knows it. I’m not going anywhere. I belong with him.”

Milo’s gaze softens further, and he reaches out to gently brush a strand of hair from my face. “But I want to belong to you, too, Fallon.”

The admission catches me off guard, and for a moment, I can’t find the words to respond. The weight of his confession hangs between us, adding another layer of complexity to an already tangled web. “Milo…”

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