Page 105

And luckily for me, my habitual competitiveness also carried a fun side effect. When I was mad, my brain seemed to work overtime.

I got an idea. One that was in large part risky, larger part morally complicated. But it was the only thing I could think to delay the inevitable.

“You’re not going to hurt my family,” I said, the words both a concession and a promise.

Sebastian grinned like a victor. “Alright.” He leaned back in his chair, the picture of masculine confidence and grace. “What do you have for me?”

“I went to dinner with his family.” I put as much truth into this as I could. Enough that he’d believe me. I studied him, searching for reactions. Anything I could use. “I found out his first heir.” I said the words soft, like I hated to share them. Again, not a lie.

“Good girl,” Sebastian said and I recoiled internally. His voice was clearly able to sell the words, and if I didn’t hate him with every fiber of my being, I could see how someone else would find that attractive.

If Adrian had…

Nope, I was not going to think about Adrian like that in front of this monster.

“Who is it?” Sebastian asked.

I could only pray this worked. “Persy.”

A low growl sounded from Sebastian’s chest. Like that answer displeased him.

When he first kidnapped me, he’d said he wasn’t involving Persy. I wanted to give him something, but not something he would act on.

It was a risk, but one I had to take.

And thankfully, Sebastian still looked disgruntled. “I don’t imagine you know the second one?”

I breathed out heavily, shaking my head. “No. He said it as a joke, thanking her for something. That’s all it was.”

Please believe me, I begged.

Someone was listening to my prayers.

“Fine,” Sebastian said, scratching over his sharp jaw, covered in a light dusting of dark stubble. “Because I’m charitable, I’ll consider that an appropriate contribution for now. Congratulations, you’ve gained your family a moment of safety.”

I sank into the seat, a long, weathered,thankfulexhale falling from my lips.

“Back soon,” Sebastian said, before promptly disappearing and leaving me alone again.

It was that dark promise that stole my one moment of relief. He was going to keep coming back. Keep threatening me and pressuring me until I gave up something.

Persy might have been momentarily protected, but what about Emre? What about Adrian’s father?

The more time I spent with Adrian, the harder it would be to convince Sebastian that I didn’t know anything.

The pain gnawed at me, chewing through my limbs so much that by the time I arrived in Rome, I felt raw and defeated.

Especially because the only solution I could think of was to stop seeing Adrian. To put space between us. Maybe Sebastian would buy that Adrian broke up with me.

I could say I got too attached or something and Adrian decided to end it.

I would paint myself as heartbroken if need be. Not that it would be far from the truth.

A long, hot shower, hours of mind-numbing work, and an incredibly intricate meal did nothing to help me.My eyes were bloodshot, my face splotchy.

And when a note showed up on my doorstep after ten, I crumbled.

Adrian’s handwriting was neat, familiar.