Page 93 of Stolen Temptation

“You do good work.” Shane’s low, soothing voice comes from the doorway behind me.

Without turning to face him, I gently reject the credit. “My mother did this.”

“I can see why the De Lucas think you’re valuable.” A beat. “Anyone would.”

Cold streams of fear slither down my chest as I face him. Does this mean Shane’s planning to use me?

A movement to the right of Shane’s shoulder catches my attention. Rory.

Descending a spiral staircase is the man I’ve spent the past several hours thinking about nonstop.

Rory’s features harden into granite. He…looks like shit, to put it nicely.

I can only describe his expression as haggard. His shoulders are slumped, almost as if someone sucked his soul from his body in the few hours we’ve been apart.

What else should I have expected?

After all, it’s not like what happened this afternoon meant anything to him.

The painful pinch of that thought unlocks my mouth. My eyes return to Shane’s. “What’s going on? Why did you bring me down here?”

“Because it’s time for you to go back to your cell.” The new smile Shane gives me chills my bones.

“What are you talking about?” I whisper.

Maybe I’m imagining the vein in Rory’s forehead that stands up on its own.

“Leonardo De Luca wants you back.” The blunt proclamation plunges a switchblade into my gut. “And that’s exactly what he’s going to get.”

Tears flood my eyes, the dam broken.

When Rory brought me those art supplies, he told me I’d be here for a while. Apparently that was a lie if after only two weeks, Shane’s preparing to trade me back to Leo.

Oh, god… My life really is over.

“Unless…” Both my head and Rory’s snap up at the same moment. “You can give me a reason to thwart him.”

Rory looks as shocked as I am.

Is Shane claiming that he won’t send me back to Leo if I give him the information he wants?

No. That’s too good to be true.He’s bluffing.

“You’re going to send me back to him no matter what I say, aren’t you?” The thought of returning to Leo’s clutches wobbles my legs until I damn near collapse into the nearest chair.

“I haven’t decided yet.” Shane strides to a wingback chair and lowers himself into it. “That depends on you.”

Tears drip down my face. This is impossible.

What do they expect me to tell them? Leo’s business secrets? I don’t have any of those. I don’t know what he’s been up to. I barely understand which way is up anymore. How am I supposed to figure out what to say to them so that they don’t send me back? I’m overwhelmed, flooded by painful thoughts and emotions.

Am I hyperventilating?

“How much do you know about the history between our families?” Shane’s voice cuts through the mental noise.

I shake my head. “Not much.”

Enzo and Matteo used to rant about the Kings being a bunch of arrogant dickhead bastards, but I keep that information to myself.