Page 31 of His Ruthless Obsession

I lean against the bar, staring at the bloody locket. "They're still watching me."

"They won't get close." Marco's voice carries steel. "I'm taking you to him now."

"I can handle-"

"This isn't a debate." He starts gathering my belongings. "Nerio's orders. He wants you in a more secure spot."

I want to argue, but the photo keeps drawing my eyes. They got close enough to take it without me noticing. Close enough to make me a target. But they don't have a picture of me at the penthouse, which means they might not know about it. The locket gleams dully under the office lights, its message crystal clear - I'm in their crosshairs now.

We drive across the city, and I'm so lost in my feelings that I barely pay attention to where we are. I know Nerio has tons of offices and buildings, so I don't know where we're going.

Marco keeps checking his mirrors, taking a circuitous route while my mind spins with possibilities. Who had that locket belonged to? What message were they really trying to send?

Finally, we arrive at an office building in the downtown area, to my surprise. The elevator opens directly into Nerio's private office — not too unlike the one at The Vault. He stands at the window, phone to his ear, but turns the moment we enter.

"Out." His command sends his men scattering, leaving just the two of us.

I lift my chin. "Before you start-"

"Show me."

I place the box on his desk. His expression doesn't change as he examines the contents, but the temperature in the room seems to drop ten degrees. The muscle in his jaw ticks. Once. Twice.

"You understand what this means." He picks up the photo with careful fingers.

"That the Mantiones are trying to spook me? Yeah, I got that memo."

His voice carries a lethal edge. "They're challenging my protection of you. Since you didn't spook at the texts."

I bristle at his possessiveness. "I don't want you to-"

The desk rattles as his fist connects with the surface. "They were close enough to photograph you. To follow you. To threaten you." Each word drips with barely contained violence. "I'm not trying to start a power struggle here with you, little dove. This is about keeping you alive."

"I'm…I'm okay." I say it more to myself than him.

He rounds the desk, invading my space. "These aren't empty threats. That locket belonged to Angela Romano. They found pieces of her scattered across three states."

My stomach lurches. "Jesus."

"So you're going to agree to whatever I have to say." His fingers grip my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "No arguments. No clever deflections." I remember when I tried to negotiate with him over the penthouse, and I know that he's thinking the same.

But this time, I don't get any options.

I just nod. "I'll do whatever you want."

A grin pulls on his lips. "That's my girl." My stomach flutters at the words. "Now let me take you home."

I don't know what I expected when we got to the penthouse. A part of me was seeking comfort, hoping that maybe Nerio would give me some. But I didn't think we would find his whole security team waiting for us.

An hour later, I pace the length of the penthouse terrace, my plants offering little comfort tonight. The city sprawls before me, but all I see are potential vantage points, possible threats. Nerio's security upgrades have transformed my new home into a fortress.

"The motion sensors are live." Nerio steps onto the terrace, his presence filling the space. "Marco's stationed a team on rotating shifts."

"This seems excessive." I gesture at the newly installed cameras. "What's next, a moat filled with piranhas?"

"Don't tempt me." He moves behind me, hands settling on my hips. "The club's getting reinforced too. New protocols, more men."

"The Vault's already locked down tight-"

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