Page 54 of Auctioned To Her Dad's Mafia Enemies

“What the fuck is this?”

Alexis jerks back as if burned. I release hisfingers with a wet pop, spinning toward the voice, my stomach knotting withdread. Antonio stands in the doorway, his face pale, his eyes a storm of furyand devastation. His jaw clenches so tight, I swear his teeth grind.

The air in the room shifts, thick withsomething far more dangerous than lust.

Antonio’s gaze locks onto mine, and for thefirst time since my captivity began, true fear skates down my spine. Hisexpression guts me, the raw betrayal there slicing deeper than I could haveimagined.

Before I can process it, before I can say asingle word to explain, he’s moving.

I barely register the way he lifts me from thecarpet like I weigh nothing more than a feather, his grip bruising, hismovements swift. My breath leaves me in a gasp as he throws me over hisshoulder, and I beat his back in protest, but he doesn’t falter, doesn’t loosenhis hold.

He carries me up the stairs, each stepvibrating with barely contained fury. The door swings open, and I’m tossed ontothe mattress, the impact knocking the air from my lungs.

Antonio stares at me, his fists trembling athis sides, his whole body coiled tight like he’s barely holding himselftogether. His expression is twisted—not just with anger, but something deeper.Something raw.

His storm-gray eyes glisten, and it wrecks meto think that I’ve hurt him. I thought giving in would make things easier forme.

I was very, very wrong.

“What is this, Aemelia?” His voice is rough,cracked, and edged with something dangerously close to heartbreak. He takes astep back, pressing against the wall as if putting space between us will helphim make sense of what he’s seeing.

I force my chin up. “What is what?”

“What are you doing with Alexis and Luca?” Hisjaw tightens, the muscle ticking violently beneath his olive skin.

“You’re jealous?” I ask, my voice quieter thanI want it to be.

Antonio’s nostrils flare. He juts out his chinand it seems as though he wants to laugh, but there’s nothing funny in hiseyes. “This is serious.”

“More serious than being held captive by threedangerous men?” I snap, wrapping my arms around my middle.

He runs his hand over his head and clutchesthe back of his neck, eyes burning. “We can’t keep you safe if our minds arebetween your legs. Can’t you see that?”

I blink and he huffs, frustration rolling offhim in waves. “You have to understand. It’s for your own good to keep yourdistance. You’re in real danger. It’s not a game.”

“I know I’m danger, Antonio. I know who youare.” I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth, as my heart picks up.

His expression darkens. “I don’t mean from us.I mean from your father.”

Everything inside me turns to stone.

“My father?” My breath is shallow, my hearthammering against my ribs. “You’ve heard from him?”

Antonio nods, rubbing a hand down his facebefore meeting my gaze again. “Before we left the penthouse, he sent a bunch ofroses. Tied up with a bullet.”

“A bullet?” The room tilts, and I reachblindly for the mattress to steady myself.

“Your name was carved into the side,” Antonioadds grimly.

A tremor runs through me, my stomach twistingpainfully. “How do you know it was from him?”

“He signed the card with a C.”

A choked noise escapes my throat, and I dropmy face into my hands as my entire body begins to shake.

Antonio’s footsteps are heavy against the oldwooden floor as he moves closer. The mattress dips beneath his weight, hispresence a solid, grounding force.

“Aemelia,” he murmurs, his voice softer now.His hand slides over my shoulder, tracing a slow path down to my elbow,stroking over and over. The warmth of his touch, the steady repetition—it’smeant to soothe, but it only makes my breath hitch harder. “It’s okay. We’llkeep you safe.

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