Page 108 of Trapped

“When you walked in Afterlife, you changed my life forever. You were all dressed up. Tight skirt, hair done up, makeup. So beautiful. I’d never seen anything so perfect. And when you told me your last name, I couldn’t believe you’d come to me. You walked right up to me. I didn’t just see a beautiful woman who needed to be saved. I saw bravery. You were fierce. I’ve watched you struggle and fight. You never back down. Then, when you arrived at the hotel, dressed up like a bride…” I smiled, the memory glowing in my chest. “Right then, I knew I’d met my match.”

Delilah scoffed. “You used me for sex.”

“I was just trying to hold on to you. I used what I had—money. I thought if I could get you to stay, maybe you’d see something worth staying for.”

She snorted. “You dangled money in front of me, used my body like it was your right, and now you’re telling me it was because you cared?”

I met her gaze head-on. “I grew up in a world where you take what’s yours and hold on to it with both hands. And yeah, I used what I had to keep you. But that’s because I knew you were worth it.”

Delilah’s glare softened for a moment. “You don’t get it. This isn’t about whether I’m worth it to you. It’s about whether I’m safe with you.”

“You are.”

Her lips quivered, and she shook her head. “Get out.”

My chest caved in. “What?”

“You need to leave. I need to think about what’s best for me.”

“You want me to go?”

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “Please.”

A stabbing pain throbbed in my gut. I’d always been afraid of this. She saw me as just another version of the men who’d controlled her. It was like everything I’d done had become unrecognizable. She saw me as a threat, not a refuge.

I loved her more than anything. She wasn’t just a means to an end. She was the center of my world. How could I make her see that?

“I’ll go. If that’s what you need.”

“It is,” she ground out.

I turned around and headed out. Part of me wanted to fight, but it wouldn’t make her see me any differently. I paused at the door, hoping for some sign of change, not the silence filling the space between us. Then I stepped out, closing the door behind me.

THIRTY-SEVEN

DELILAH

I spiraled the moment he stepped out.

I sat alone in Santino’s penthouse. Every word he’d hurled at me echoed in my ears as I replayed our fight. The only thing stopping me from a trip to the liquor store was the tiny life growing inside me. I couldn’t be more than a few weeks pregnant. The baby was only a speck at this point, but it already had a hold on me.

Just a few days ago, the idea of being pregnant terrified me, but now it was the only thing keeping me sane. The ache in my chest deepened, and I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the tears to stay at bay. I couldn’t afford to fall apart. This baby…our baby deserved better than this. It deserved parents who loved each other.

Someone knocked.

I got up from the couch, flying to the door. When I opened it, Santino’s brother stood in the doorway. His expression was unreadable as always, his cold gaze sweeping over me.

“Can I come in?”

I nodded, stepping aside.

The door closed silently behind him, and Kill crossed his arms.

“I heard about the fight,” Kill deadpanned.

“It’s none of your business.”

Kill didn’t move, his gaze boring into me.

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