Page 94 of Savage Prince

Damn, Ale stuck to his word and kept my secret even after I almost got him blown up. Fuck, this is all my fault. My stomach churns, nausea creeping up my throat.

“You better get your ass on that plane back to Manhattan with the Rossi’s, Serena, or I swear toDio, I’ll never speak to you again. And if you get yourself killed, I won’t come to your fucking funeral.”

“Geez, Bella, way to go dark on me.”

“I’m serious. I don’t care what is going on with you and Antonio, but you need to get your ass back home.”

“Okay,” I rasp, standing to continue my pacing.

“Promise me.”

“I promise to come home.”

“Okay, good.” She heaves out a breath, the tremor in her voice subsiding. “So you’re really okay?”

Moving to the sink, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. “Yup, not a scratch on me.” Thanks to Antonio. But I know better than to let that part slip out right now. Clearly, my cousin thinks I’ve lost my mind, and she’s not wrong.

“ThankDio.” Muffled voices resound through the line before Bella cuts in again. “Raf wants to talk to his brother.”

My gaze swivels to Antonio, still braced in the bathroom doorway, but his head whips back and forth.Coward.

I hand him the phone, but he mouths an adamant, “No.”

Ignoring him, I shove it in his face and press the speaker button. “He’s on.”

Raf shouts across the line, a chaos of Italian curses mixed in. Then Antonio’s hand latches onto the phone and he starts in on his younger brother. I squeeze between him and the open door, my best effort at giving them some privacy.

It’s time Antonio hashes this thing out with Raf. Their family feud has been going on for too long and with only the two of them remaining from the once great Ferrara empire, it’s now or never. With their asshole of a father gone, it’s their chance to start over again.

I slump down on the bed, burying my face in my hands. Antonio’s furious shouts are muffled in the distance, drowned by my own swirling thoughts. How the hell am I going to get out of this?

Now, not only has Antonio kidnapped me, but he’s also nearly cost Alessandro his life. As if he didn’t have enough trouble with my father, he’s now incurred the Rossi’s wrath as well. My Uncle Marco is a fairly reasonable man, but his kids are everything to him, and Aunt Jia… she’s more ruthless than he is.

A long minute later, the crash of the bathroom door smashing into the wall jerks me from the dismal inner musings. Antonio stalks out, anger carved into his jaw, and a furious vein pulsing across his forehead.

“It went well I take it?” I shoot him a cheeky smile.

“Yes, it’s extremely pleasant to be verbally crucified by your holier-than-thou younger brother. Thank you for that.” His fists clench at his side as he nears.

“No problem.”

He blows out a frustrated breath. “I’m sorry about your cousin.”

Clenching my teeth, I will steel into my veins.I will not cry. If I let the dam burst, there will be no stopping it. “Alessandro is strong. He’ll survive this.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” He moves in front of me again, then crouches, onyx eyes smoldering. “Raf made it clear that my life would be forfeit if I don’t return you to the Valentinos safely. That said, my little brother also agrees that getting you out of the city for a few days is the best option. As soon as your cousin is well enough to be transported from the hospital, I’ll deliver you to the Rossi’s and you can all fly home together.”

“So you plan on dumping me in some safehouse in Rome until then? And then what? Are you going to run off by yourself and play the hero?”

“Yes,” he grits out, “if that’s what it takes to keep you safe.”

“Well, I’m not okay with that. Just like you don’t find it acceptable that I risk my life for yours, the same holds true for you.” I’m not exactly sure when that happened, but it has. Theidea of Antonio dying is unbearable, a thought that chills me to the bone and leaves my heart aching.

“You have no say in the matter,” he growls, rising so that he towers over me.

I jump up, climbing on the mattress and gaining a foot on him. Jabbing my finger into his chest, I hiss, “You may have taken me hostage, kept me in a comfy cage for weeks, but I donotbelong to you. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I have been for years.”

His eyes flash, the fury I much prefer to the utter defeat, surging to the surface. “I don’t give a fuck what you did in the past. That was before?—”

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