Page 53 of Crown Of Blood

An alliance between families.

She was good, kind, loyal.

And I convinced myself that it was love.

That devotion and habit were enough to fill the void.

But what I feel now—standing here with Isabella DeLaurentis glaring at me like she’s ready to die before she bends—this isn’t habit.

It’s raw. Real.

It’s need.

And it terrifies me.

Because it means I’ve already given her a piece of me I never meant anyone to have again.

Alessandro breaks the silence first.

“She was on the phone,” he says, stepping closer. “Probably warning someone. We can’t risk it. Let me take her to the warehouse. I’ll get the truth.”

Her eyes flick to mine, wide and scared—but even now, she doesn’t beg.

She juststares.

Unflinching.

I feel the weight of that look straight through my ribs.

I drag a hand through my hair, my mind splitting in two directions—

the man who swore to protect his family at all costs,

and the man who can’t stand the thought of anyone touching her.

Alessandro’s right.

Logic says she’s a threat.

My family is at risk.

Sofia is at risk.

And yet—

when I imagine her chained to a chair in that dark concrete room,

bruised, terrified, broken—

something black and violent coils in my chest.

“I can make her talk,” Alessandro presses, reading my hesitation. “Let me do what needs to be done.”

I almost say yes.

The word is right there on my tongue—ready to fall, ready to fix everything.

And then her phone vibrates on the desk.