Page 101 of Made to Sin

Luciano sounded upset. His voice was calm,toocalm to the point that it was strained. It was as if he forced himself not to react when he needed to, and this was the outcome.

I had a visceral urge to reply to him and stop the childish game of ignoring, but, this time, I listened to my brain.

I stayed quiet.

The AC whirled on, and the house became deafening by itsfan, any noise made below a whisper died under its chill. I listened carefully, trying to pick up the littlest movement from Luciano, but I could only hear the rapid beatings of my heart.

One.

“Katarina, let me know if you’re safe.”

I didn’t answer.

Two.

“Katarina.”

I didn’t answer again.

Three.

Luciano rattled the knob, followed by a frustrated growl when he realized it was locked.

“Katarina, if you don’t open this door within ten seconds, I’ll break it down,” he demanded.

I silently groaned at the pure stubbornness of this man. Didn’t I say earlier that he got whatever he wanted?

I purposefully ruffled the sheets and got up louder than I normally would, hoping he would get the hint that I was sleeping.

“Luciano?” I rubbed my eye for dramatics. “Sorry, I fell asleep. Did you need something?”

His jaw clenched so tightly, I could practically count the amount of times it ticked. Though his eyes shone with relief.

“Why did you leave without telling anyone?” He harshly asked.

“I told Dante.”

“Let me rephrase. Why did you leave without tellingme?”

I squared my shoulders, not letting his intimidation tactics get to me. “You were busy.”

With Sofia.

At the thought of her, my eye involuntarily darted behind him and straight to her door. A bitter taste filled my tongue. Was she in there right now? Was he going to lecture me, and then go to her?

Luciano grabbed my chin and tilted toward him. “Let memake something clear, Katarina. Whenever you need something, you come to me. I don’t care if it’s in the middle of the night or the middle of a war, you come to me. I don’t want to hear that “busy” bullshit come out of your mouth again.”

His impassive voice didn’t waver at any point, but the words were enough to cause a violent reaction in me. Why did he have to say all the right things all the goddamn time?

My hands twisted the hem of the t-shirt I was wearing, wrinkling the material, as my heartthumpedvehemently against my ribcage. “Got it,” I whispered.

His thumb grazed the indent of my chin, and my heart fluttered in its pulse every time he lightly pressed. “You had me worried for a second,” he softly confessed.

My breath hitched. It was a short statement that plummeted directly to my stomach where a swarm of butterflies rose to greet it. The AC’s fan gusted a chilling wind through the space, but even that couldn’t splice the thickness of the air as he studied my face for an uncomfortable second.

Instead of leaning in like every fiber in my body wanted to, I turned my head slightly to the side and out of his grip. “I didn’t mean to cut your night short, I’m sorry.”

His lips pressed together. “As long as you’re safe.”

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