Page 78 of Their Reckless Thief
I nodded, my eyes never leaving her. “You fucked up, Celeste.” My voice was calm, but the tension in my chest was a beast yearning to break free. “What was the one thing I told you to do? You want me to answer for you? You said you wouldn’t get yourself into trouble. Luca tells me you were in a whole shitton of trouble last night, so guess what? You’re coming back with me.”
She bristled in defiance. “I’m not going anywhere, Vincenzo. I didn’t have a choice… I had to do my fucking job. Roberto tells me what to do, and if I don’t listen, it’s dangerous to be alive. You think I can just ignore him? He’ll kill me. So, what would you rather me do? Sit here like a fucking idiot and wait for the danger to come to me? Or try to take control of my own godsdamned life?”
I clenched my jaw, the name Roberto sending a pulse of fury through me. “What’s his full name?” I asked, my voice cold, calculated.
“Roberto Varela,” she answered, her gaze narrowing in challenge.
Finally. I was going to fucking murder that bastard.
“Pack a bag. You’ve got two minutes.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, her defiance returning full force. “The fuck I am.”
I stood, my voice lowering to a dangerous growl. “You’re coming with me not just because you’ve made horrible decisions, but because you’re fuckingmine.”
Anger flashed in her eyes. “I’m not your property. I’m not anyone’s fucking property.”
I took a step closer, softening my tone just enough to catch her off guard. “I have a job for you. There are people being harmed, people I need to protect. The women we told you about. The bad drugs. I think you can help.”
She stilled, and for a moment, I thought I saw a crack in her armor. It was brief, but it was enough.
“Now pack.”
She finally moved, and it was then that I noticed she wasn’t moving like herself. She was slower, careful, like each step pained her. I reacted without thinking. In an instant, I was infront of her, my fingers closing around her wrist as I searched her eyes. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
Her confusion was written all over her face. “Why does it matter?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper. “Why do you care?”
Her words sliced through the haze of frustration, and my anger flared—hot, raw, unrelenting. “Why do I care?” I stepped closer, my voice dangerously close to a growl. “You put yourself in constant danger, Celeste. I’m fucking furious at you for that, but I’m even more furious at whoever touched you.”
Why did I care?The question pissed me off even more—I was angry at her, at myself, at whoever had put that pain in her eyes. My grip tightened on her wrist as I reached out with my other hand and pulled her shirt up, my gaze tracking over her bruised and battered body. “Who. Fucking. Did this?”
She swallowed and looked away. “It doesn’t matter.”
It sure as fuck mattered. And I was going to find out.
I gently pulled her to me and cradled her head against my chest.
“Celeste.Dolcezza.What happened?”
She sobbed into my chest. Godsdamn the whole fucking world to hell. If I ever found who did this to her, they wouldn’t just pay with their life. No. They would suffer.
I held her close, tighter than I probably should have, considering the state of her body, but I couldn’t stop myself. Celeste wasn’t the type to accept comfort easily—too damn proud, too damn stubborn—but for once, she leaned into me. It was like watching a fortress crumble, brick by painful brick.
“I’ve been kicked out of my fucking apartment,” she muttered, her voice small. “Vivian, too. Roberto wants to punish us. We have to stay in a fucking hostel.”
Fury surged through me. A hostel? I clenched my jaw so tight I thought I might break a tooth. There was no way I would’ve letthat happen. The people I had watching her would’ve informed me, and I’d have been there in an instant.
I rubbed soothing circles on her back. She let out one final, choked sob, and I vowed in that moment to make Roberto pay. Whatever it took, I would make him bleed for every single tear she’d shed.
She pulled away, wiping her face, her hand trembling as she pulled a vial of Phantomine out of her pocket. I gritted my teeth, anger boiling beneath the surface. I fucking hated that she was hooked on it, but now wasn’t the time for a fight. I had bigger issues to handle.
While she packed her bag in silence, I pulled out my phone.
Vincenzo:Find everything you can on Roberto Varela. I want his entire fucking life handed to me on a platter.
Dorian:On it. Just FYI, I think I might have some intel on the mirror. If it’s true, it’ll be hard to get.
Celeste glanced back at me, her eyes hollow but sharper than before. “What about Vivian? I can’t leave her.”
