Page 18 of Savage Claim

I wanted to tell him not to waste his time, because it wasn’t like my reasons were just going to disappear, but I didn’t. I heldmy tongue and kept holding onto him. The wounds that had been made on my heart weren’t magically healed. At best, they were scabbed over, and I was sure I had inflicted new ones on Lorenzo.

But still, lying here with him, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

Lorenzo Vitali might drag me to hell eventually, but so long as I could stay with him, I’d go gladly.

CHAPTER 12

Isabella

“What do you mean, no?”

Lorenzo’s expression was flat as he stared at me over the dining room table. “Do I need to give you a definition of the word,dolcezza?” He pulled out his phone, tapped on it for a moment, before he turned it to show me. He flipped through a gallery of bodies that were pulled out of rubble. It was the rescue and cleanup from the casino, which felt like a lifetime ago. My stomach flipped over. “My enemies are always out there. This wasn’t a one off. This wasn’t even the worst thing that has ever happened.” I knew he was talking about Sienna.

“So, what, I’m a liability to you?”

“Yes.”

I stood up, grabbing my near-empty plate with jerking, angry hands. “Go fuck yourself.”

I stomped back into the kitchen and tried to breathe through my own blood rushing to my head. I was going to rage myself into a migraine if I wasn't careful.

Ever since we got back from our night at his hotel, I’d hoped that Lorenzo would start treating me more as an equal and not a captive, but if anything, things were worse now. I couldn’t goanywherewithout letting him know about it, and that was just on the estate itself. I hadn’t been able to leave the property without him at all.

I stood at the sink, scrubbing at my plate with far more aggression than I needed to, when his arms slid around my middle. He set the point of his chin against my shoulder. “Go away.”

Lorenzo kissed the nape of my neck. “No.”

My eyes slid closed for a moment as his lips sent shivers up and down my spine. “You can’t keep doing this,” I said.

There was a hint of teeth against my skin, and then he pulled back. “Doing what,dolcezza?”

“You can’t keep me here like this,” I said. “I’m not your prisoner anymore.”

Lorenzo turned me around so that we were looking at one another. “You’re not my prisoner,” he agreed. “You’re my love, and I need you to be safe.”

I ignored the fluttery feeling in my chest. His sweet words weren’t going to change my mood. Not this time. “I thought Artem and my father were dead. Doesn’t that mean the immediate danger is gone?”

“As far as we know, they are,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t have enemies,dolcezza.” He cupped my cheek. “It’s my job to keep you safe.”

I thought for a second. “Would it be any different if we were engaged?”

I could tell that he wanted to say yes, but he shook his head. “It would be worse then, actually. Once we went public, you’d have a target on your back.”

Another point fornotaccepting his proposal. But I couldn’t find it in me to say that to his face. “I just wanted to go on a walk,” I reminded him, getting back on track. “Down the street and back to stretch my legs. What could possibly happen to me?”

Lorenzo’s eyes were hard. “Too much. If you want to go on a walk, I’ll go with you. Or Damian will.”

But that wasn’t the point. I wanted fresh air and a moment to breathe. Having a babysitter defeated the purpose. I shook my head. “I’m not in the mood now.” I slid around him. “I’m going to FaceTime with my sister.”

Lorenzo grabbed my arm before I could escape and pulled me into his arms. “You’re in my world, Isabella. The life that you knew before is gone. Find a way to get right with that.” He dropped a kiss on my lips and let me go.

I did my best not to stomp out of the kitchen and found a comfy spot in the living room. Once I was settled, I called Gemma. Santino had, apparently, cloned her cell, so she had no idea that he’d had access to her phone. She and I had been texting for the last few days, and more than anything, I was glad that she hadn’t even been in the city when everything happened with our father.She had been on break from school and had gone to visit our mother: she was due back in the city next week.

“Hey!” Gemma’s voice tinkled from the speakers, and I nearly dropped the phone. I hadn’t even noticed that the call had connected. “Are you okay? You look put out.”

I was, but I didn’t want to explain all of that to her just now. Plus, I wasn’t sure if Lorenzo would evenallowme to tell her about everything. I would eventually have to mention the pregnancy: I wouldn’t be able to hide it for much longer.

“I’m just…lonely,” I said, unable to lie entirely.

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