Page 25 of Devil's Embrace
He gave me one last long look before turning away.I closed the door and heard the lock engage from the outside.Alone again, I sank onto the edge of my bed, my head spinning from everything that had happened.
The man who had caught me breaking into his study hadn't punished me.Instead, he'd shared his painful past, protected me from some unknown threat, and promised to look after my daughter.The same man who'd kidnapped us after murdering someone in cold blood.
I laid back on the bed, staring at the ornate ceiling as I tried to reconcile these contradictions.My thoughts drifted to Mina's father, Tyler, who had abandoned us without a backward glance when responsibility came calling.He'd been given every chance to be a good man, to do the right thing, and had chosen selfishness instead.
Luca had never been given that chance.Seven years old when his parents were murdered, raised by their killer to become a weapon.What choice had he ever had?
I pressed my palms against my eyes, ashamed of where my thoughts were leading.Was I actually developing sympathy for the man who held us captive?Was I justifying his actions because of his tragic past?
The worst part was the small voice in my head that whisperedat least he didn't abandon his responsibilities like Tyler did.At least he keeps his promises.At least he's kind to Mina.
I rolled onto my side, pulling a pillow against my chest as if it could protect me from my own confusing emotions.This was dangerous—far more dangerous than picking locks or sneaking through hallways.To see Luca Moretti as anything other than our captor, to feel anything but fear and hatred toward him, was a betrayal of myself and Mina.
And yet, as I waited for news that my daughter was safe, I couldn't stop thinking about the look in his eyes when he spoke of his parents, the gentle way his thumb had traced circles on my back, the absolute certainty in his voice when he promised no one would harm Mina.
I could tell it would be easy to develop feelings for the devil, and that terrified me more than anything else.
Chapter Nine
Emory
I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, my thoughts racing between escape plans and the confusing pull I felt toward Luca.Sleep wouldn't come, not with the memory of his touch still burning on my skin where his thumb had traced circles on my back.I needed to take control of this situation before I lost myself completely.With newfound determination, I slipped from the bed.If Luca wanted to play mind games, I could play too.I knew his weakness now—his past, his humanity, his strange connection to Mina.And I intended to use it all.
The mansion was quieter now, the security scare from earlier apparently resolved.I listened at my door, hearing no footsteps or voices in the hallway.I tried the handle, expecting it to be locked, but to my surprise, it turned easily in my grip.Had someone stopped by and unlocked it at some point?I remembered hearing him lock me in earlier.
I padded silently down the hallway, my bare feet making no sound on the plush carpet.The path to Luca's study was etched in my memory now, each turn and corridor mapped in my mind from my earlier exploration.A sliver of light beneath his door told me he was still awake, still working, despite the late hour.
My hand hovered over the doorknob, doubt momentarily freezing me in place.Was I really going to do this?Use what I knew to manipulate a dangerous man?But then I thought of Mina, sleeping peacefully, unaware of the precarious nature of our safety.For her, I would do anything.Even dance with the devil.
I knocked once, softly, then opened the door without waiting for permission.
Luca sat behind his desk, papers spread before him, a glass of whiskey at his elbow.He looked up at my entrance, his eyes showing only mild surprise, as if he'd been expecting me.The dim light from his desk lamp cast shadows across his face, emphasizing his sharp cheekbones and the slight furrow between his brows.
"Trouble sleeping?"he asked.
I stepped into the room, closing the door behind me."You left my door unlocked."
"Did I?"A ghost of a smile touched his lips, confirming what I'd suspected.A test, then.
"That fire that killed your parents."I watched his face carefully."Did you see it happen?"
His hand stilled over the document he'd been reviewing.The muscles in his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but I caught the reaction.Good.I needed to keep him off-balance.
"No.I was staying with a family friend that night.Mateo made sure of that."
I moved closer to his desk, trailing my fingers along its polished edge."Convenient timing."
His eyes tracked my movement, narrowing slightly."What do you want, Emory?"
"The same thing you do."I maintained eye contact, willing my heart to slow its frantic beating."Control."
A flicker of interest crossed his face.I'd caught his attention.I took another step closer, letting my hip rest against the edge of his desk.
"You need allies."I continued to observe him."People who understand what Mateo is.What he's capable of… What he did to you."
Luca's shoulders tensed beneath his shirt.He set down his pen with careful precision."And you think you're that ally?Some secretary with no ties to my world?"
"I think we could help each other."I let my voice soften, let a hint of my Southern accent slip through—not the hard edges that came with anger, but the gentle lilt I’d been told was rather charming.
