Page 86 of Sinful Honor

Gabe’s mother swung her head around, her eyebrows narrowed, and glared at Gabe. “Your captive?”

Then she turned in her seat and focused on me. “What’s your name, dear?”

“Sophie.”

Gabe’s gaze snapped to me and was burning a hole in my temple. I side-eyed him, and I could swear he was plotting my murder right then and there. Then the look in his eyes changed into something that hit me deep, something like betrayal and disappointment.

But what did he expect? I looked at his badass mother again. No chance I could lie to her, or pull off the same ‘I won’t tell you my name’ routine I pulled off with him.

“Did my son hold you captive?”

I started to nod when I suddenly felt Gabe’s hand squeezing my thigh, and I froze.

“Let me explain, Mamma. She’s not so much a captive as I’ve taken her into protective custody.”

“Protective custody?” his mother repeated and arched one brow.

Cristo chuckled, poured himself a glass of water, and settled in to watch the show.

Gabe glared at him—which didn’t deter him one bit. “See, when I arrived, Fausto immediately summoned us.”

His mother nodded.

“That’s where I met”—he paused for a moment—“Sophie.”

Him saying my name and the way he said it—like a caress—made my insides suddenly feel all squishy and soft.

His mother’s eyebrows narrowed, she looked at me, then back at Gabe, then back at me.

She didn’t look like she bought any of it—even though what he told so far was the truth.

“He held her as a slave,” Gabe said matter-of-factly, his voice low, almost inaudible, while holding my gaze. “Had her locked in a cage, in between the whippings.”

To hear it out loud shouldn’t have had such an impact on me, or maybe it should. But those words blew in my face like the gust of wind of a train passing by at full speed, and the only thing that anchored me was his hand on my thigh and his eyes holding mine.

Mooring me to the here and now, preventing me from plummeting into my memories.

Into the dark.

I could hear the sharp intake of breath from Gabe’s mother.

The seconds of silence ticking by slowly.

“That’s why I kidnapped her when I got the chance, and that’s why she’s hiding here until I can get her home safely.”

I narrowed my eyes. Now this was a bold lie.

If he wanted, he could’ve let me go days ago. If he wanted, he could’ve sent me on my way.

If he wanted.

Which he didn’t.

He wanted me with him.

Wanted me.

And I him.

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