Page 73 of Claimed By the Enemy

“Because I can feel something building. Something dangerous. And I’d rather face it with you than without you.”

He kisses my forehead and heads for the door, pausing at the threshold.

“I’ll be at the office if you need me,” he says. “But Sophie? When you’re ready to tell me the truth, I’ll be ready to listen.”

After he leaves, I sit alone in his study, surrounded by documents and lies and the weight of choices I never wanted to make.

Uncle Enzo expects an answer in six days. Six days to prove my loyalty by destroying the man I love, or watch him do it himself in ways that will be far worse than anything I could devise.

Six days to figure out how to save Dom without betraying the only family I have left.

Six days to perform a miracle I’m not sure I’m capable of.

The rest of the morning passes in a blur of half-formed plans and discarded ideas. I try calling Uncle Enzo’s emergency number three times, but it goes straight to voicemail. He’s probably moved locations again, staying ahead of whatever forces might be tracking him.

Or maybe he’s just done talking to me until I give him what he wants.

By noon, the nausea is back with a vengeance. I barely make it to the bathroom before I’m violently sick, my body rebelling against the stress and the lies and the impossible situation I’ve created.

“Mrs. Sophie?” Patrice’s voice comes from the other side of the door. “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” I call back, but my voice is shaky. “Just something I ate.”

“Should I call a doctor?”

“No. I’m okay.”

But I’m not okay. Haven’t been okay since Uncle Enzo looked at me with disappointment and asked me to choose between love and loyalty.

I splash cold water on my face and try to pull myself together. Six days. I have six days to figure out a solution that saves everyone.

The problem is, I’m starting to think no such solution exists.

Dom calls around three, his voice tense with something I can’t identify.

“Sophie? Are you at home?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Just checking. How are you feeling?”

“Better.” Another lie. “Dom, is everything okay?”

“I’m not sure. There’s been some… developments at work. Things I need to look into.”

“What kind of developments?”

“The kind that makes me think someone’s been playing a very long game with both our families.”

My blood goes cold. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I think we’ve been focused on the wrong enemy this whole time.”

“Dom-”

“I have to go. But Sophie? Be careful today. Don’t go anywhere alone, don’t trust anyone you don’t know, and if anything feels wrong, call me immediately.”

“You’re scaring me.”