Page 125 of Massimo

Once the door closes, Vito turns to Massimo. "We need to execute the plan immediately, brother. You can't delay any longer. You must do what you have to with the princess."

My stomach drops in fear of what that could mean.

Massimo turns to look at the hidden safe room door and looks straight into the camera—like he's staring right at me through the computer monitor.

Then he's walking toward me.

Chapter 52

Massimo

AllNovawantsisa peaceful life free of monsters.

I can't give her that, but Iwillgive her everything else.

I reach beneath the middle shelf, my fingers brushing against the hidden lever embedded in its underside. With a quick pull, a section of the bookshelf swings open.

"What the hell?" Vito eyes widen. "Do you have a secret underground passageway, too?"

I look at him in question; Vito lives in a penthouse.

He shakes his head with a grin. "Long story." Then inclines his chin. "What's behind the mystery door?"

In answer, I pull the door open, revealing the safe room. Stepping inside, my eyes immediately lock on Nova, as if I instinctively know where to find her. An apology is on my lips for how long it took to get rid of Vincenzo, but it dies.

Her eyes are huge, looking exactly like a doe caught in the crosshairs of the hunter's gun, knowing it's about to be shot through the heart. Fear ripples off her.

I frown. "Princess. This is my brother, Vito. He won't hurt you."

Vito has that apex lethal predator vibe that rolls off him, but with our family, it's tempered by his easy humor.

"Hi, Nova," Vito says with a welcoming smile.

She shrinks back.

What's going on?

Where's my princess? The one with the hellcat inside her. The one who has been walking through the fires of hell to step out on the other side forged into my queen.

"Nova."

She shrinks further at my voice.

Which pisses me the fuck off; she is never to bow to anyone, not even me. I want her fire and fight.

The sound of Gemma's voice comes from two places—behind me, in the office, where she just entered, and from the computer monitor on the desk.

Suddenly, understanding hits me: from the safe room, Nova saw and overheard everything in my office. Both tonightandthat night of Vito's surprise visit when I hid her in here. When I said, "Why would I want that snake's spawn?"

Regret coils with my angst that she heard those false words, but this newfound understanding explains a lot. It helps me better understand her and her actions.

Nova thinks I'm still using her for my own gain. And yet,shehas been using me, too. Because when I came back into the safe room that night, that's when she told me she wanted me to take her virginity. My little hellcat wanted to use me, so she could remove her virginity—that power piece—off the chessboard so her father couldn't use it for his gain.

I smile as happiness and joy fill me.

My little princess, my little hellcat, myqueen,has been standing up for herself right under my nose.

But right now, her reaction isn’t standing up for herself.

---