Page 38 of Massimo

"We'll talk more in the morning, princess."

It's meant to be reassuring, but to me, it's a warning. Still, my exhaustion keeps me from caring as that's a tomorrow problem. I shift to lie down and pull the comforter over me.

Massimo walks over to the ensuite and turns on the light. Next, he walks to the door and turns off the bedroom light, watching me closely. "How's that? Enough light?"

My eyes are already heavy and drifting close. "Good," I murmur.

Sleeping is pulling me under. There's a warning in my head not to sleep yet because Massimo is still here , but I can't fight the tendrils of sleep wrapping around me.

There's a soft caress on my cheek, and that's what pulls me under completely.

Chapter 18

Massimo

Myprincessistryingto fool me.

She wants me to believe that she could even consider starting to trust me, but I suspect herhard-learned lessonsare too deeply ingrained for it to be that easy.

But I won't cave; I'll continue showing her she can trust me.

In the meantime, I'll let her think she's pulling the fast one on me because my gut tells me not to push too hard. Just like Gemma did to get her off the plane, Nova is like a frightened, beaten kitten, needing coaxing to come out. To earn Nova's trust, I need to show her—repeatedly and consistently—that she's safe with me.

I need to earn her trust and undo those goddamn hard-learned lessons.

What the fuck had Mancini done to her?

I leave Nova's door unlocked. None of the guards will enter her room without permission. To reinforce this, I told them they'd be shredded in the wood chipper—alive—if they did. There's a guard outside her door, though, in case she does try to run.

I'm torn because Nova isn't leaving here, but I also don't want to her to feel imprisoned. If she comes out of her room and sees the guard, she'll know their purpose, which would reinforce that I'm keeping her captive.

Which I am, but…

I've never been this indecisive before. Ever. However, I need to fix what I'd broken while I stillprotect her.

My fists clench as I stalk through the upper level, then down the stairs, and through the silent house to my office. The light is on with the door open, and I'm not surprised to find Gabe there. He's already got a drink in hand and moves to the beverage cart to fill a glass with ice, then pours me a shot of vodka.

"Jerome?" I ask Gabe as he hands me the tumbler.

"Just went to bed. He said to wake him if anything is needed."

Slumping in my chair, I look at my best friend sitting cross from me. "You waiting for the right time to say I told you so?"

"It would make for a nice opportunity…but no."

I inhale deeply, but then exhale sharply, as if the air is toxic within me and I desperately need to expel it.

Visions of me storming into the basement cell—with rage and hate mixed with a burning need to prove to myself that I was right—and ripping Nova's top down to bare her perfect breasts and ordering her to strip fill me with that potent mix of disgust and lust.

"She kept the light on in the bathroom when we had her in the basement." Gabe pulls me from my spirally thoughts. "Do you think that's because of Mancini, and that maybe he did more than just food control with her?"

I'm not sure if I believe her explanation about needing the light ever since her mother's death—not entirely.

"I want to know what went on in the Mancini household."

Gabe's brows pull together. "We don't have spies planted there."

"Then get some." I sip the vodka, contemplating. "Or find out if any staff have a weakness we can exploit to get information. Make them more afraid of us than they are of Mancini."

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