Page 41 of Savage Prince

“No, actually I don’t. Because no one has ever been stupid enough to take me hostage.”

“You know it’s not what I wanted…”

“Right, you wanted Isabella, but thanks to Raf, you couldn’t get close enough. So I’m your second choice.” I pace the room, the fury growing with each staggered step. “So now what?Papàis presumably doing exactly what you’ve asked, so what do I do in the meantime?”

“We wait.”

“Wait for another one of your goons to attack me?”

His eyes widen, mouth curving into a capital O like I slapped him. As if I’m the one insulting his integrity.

“Did you not see what I just did to Otto? That man has worked for my family for twenty years. I did that foryou.” His eyes are wild as they regard me. “I made an example of him so that anyone who comes across your path again will think very hard before daring to lay a finger on you,tesoro.” This time my nickname holds a whole new connotation, one I’m not sure I like any better.

“Of course I saw,” I hiss. “It was hard to avoid the blood splatter.”

He stands, dragging his hand through his mussed-up dark locks. “Cazzo, everything has gone wrong in the past few days. This is not at all how it was supposed to go.”

“Did you think kidnapping me would be easy? That my father would simply bend to your will? ThatIwould bend to your will?”

“I don’t know,” he growls. “But I never meant for this to happen.” He motions at the bloody pool on the floor. “Or for anyone toevertouch you. Not like that…”

“So are you waiting for a thank you?” I snap.

“No!” he grits out. “I only want you to know that I would never have allowed that. That is not the type of man I am.”

“Then what type of man are you, Antonio?” I slap my hands on my hips and glare up at him. “Because according to your dead guard you haven’t been acting like yourself either.”

“This was supposed to be a simple business transaction, that is all.”

“And now what? It’s gotten complicated?”

“Yes,” he hisses. “Otto is right. If it had been my father to have captured you, he would have beaten you bloody by now. He would have sent pictures to Dante, he would have tortured you for information you likely don’t have. But I can’t?—”

“Why?”

He inches closer, those dark orbs searing to mine, wild and chaotic. “I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.” I narrow my eyes at him, challenging. I’ve grown up in this world, and I know the dark truths. You must be willing to do anything to get what you want, to succeed and become a savage prince among ruthless royals.

He closes the distance between us, eyes devouring every inch of me. “Because of you,” he growls. “And maybe even this damned house. Together, you’ve done something to me in the past few days. You’ve forced me to reconsider everything, damn it. You’ve made mesoft.”

A satisfied smile curls my lips as I regard him. “Good.”

CHAPTER 21

GHOSTS

Antonio

A thick tension swirls in the air, the atmosphere oppressive in this once beautiful chamber. I glance across the room at Serena, at the fire in her eyes, despite the obvious trauma she’s endured. More than that, she remains standing, shoulders pinned back, even though I can detect the occasional wince when she bears too much weight on her bad ankle.

I’ve never known a woman like her. She’s sharp-witted, with a mouth like a sailor, confident, fearless and of course, gorgeous. Most men I know would’ve crumbled after the past few days and here she is still staring me down, not a speck of fear in those blazing pools of infinite blue.

She should be lying down or at the very least, sitting. I’ve never had to comfort someone who’s gone through attempted rape, but an assault is an assault, and the resulting feelings must be dealt with or they’ll only simmer and grow.

I remind myself that if all goes according to plan in a few days, she’ll be back home with her family. They’ll help her deal with the trauma; it’s not my responsibility to fix it.

Isn’t it though? A voice that sounds terribly likeMamma’s echoes through my mind.

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