Page 107 of Savage Union
I turn on a single small lamp, its soft illumination creating a bubble of light in the darkness. My hands tremble slightly as I dial the number Elena programmed into the phone earliertoday, hidden in the moment when Sofia left us alone to retrieve her artwork.
"This is your lifeline," she'd whispered, pressing the small device into my palm. "Use it only when you're absolutely certain you're alone."
The phone rings once, twice, three times before connecting.
"Hello?" A male voice, alert despite the hour, the Irish lilt unmistakable even in that single word.
My throat constricts, words momentarily failing me.
"Hello, Liam?" I finally manage, voice barely above a whisper.
A pause, then: "Caterina Gallo." His tone holds surprise, a hint of amusement, and something darker underneath. "This is... unexpected."
"We need to talk," I say, straightening my spine, gathering my courage.
"I believe we had an arrangement for that." The edge in his voice sharpens. "Before you disappeared with Vittore Rosso."
"I didn't disappear with him. He took me after he killed my father."
"Semantics." The dismissal in his tone makes my teeth clench. "The result is the same. You made a promise to me, Caterina. A binding agreement."
I close my eyes briefly, steeling myself. "That's why I'm calling. The arrangement—it needs to end."
His laugh is cold, without humor. "End? That's not how this works."
"Liam, please. I'm asking you to call off whatever you're planning against Vito." The words tumble out in a desperate rush. "This will only lead to bloodshed, to war between the families."
"War is coming regardless," he states flatly. "You're simply the excuse we needed."
The confirmation of Elena's assessment sends ice through my veins. "I never meant for any of this to happen."
"And yet, here we are." A pause, the sound of liquid being poured. "You promised yourself to me, Caterina. Your hand in marriage in exchange for your father's death."
"A death Vito handled," I counter.
"That doesn't nullify our agreement." His voice hardens. "You belong to me now. Rosso stole what was mine."
The possessive claim makes my skin crawl. "I don't belong to anyone."
"We both know that's not true." Something shifts in his tone, becoming almost gentle. "Do you think he truly cares for you? The great Vittore Rosso? You're a political pawn to him, nothing more."
The words strike closer to my doubts than I care to admit. "This isn't about Vito. It's about stopping unnecessary violence."
"Violence is necessary sometimes, darling." The endearment sounds wrong in his mouth. "It's how our world maintains balance."
"Not this violence. Not over me." I grip the counter edge, knuckles whitening. "Please, Liam. Call it off. I'll—I'll figure something out. Another arrangement."
"The only arrangement I'm interested in is the one we already made." His voice drops lower, more menacing. "You're my betrothed, Caterina. Mine by right and by agreement."
"An agreement made under duress," I argue, desperation edging into my tone. "I was trying to escape my father. I'd have promised anything."
"And now you've made another promise to Rosso." Bitterness colors his words. "You seem to have a habit of pledging yourself to powerful men when it suits your purpose."
The accusation stings. "That's not fair."
"Life rarely is." He pauses, and I can almost see him leaning forward, intense and focused. "Here's what's going to happen, Caterina. You have three days to leave Rosso and come to me. Willingly."
"And if I refuse?"
