Page 37 of Tristano

I can’t even say a word as Declan nods once more and slips from the room. I don’t like where this is going. She agrees she needs to make a choice.

What if that choice isn’t me?

“Can you take me back to your room and lie with me? I don’t want to be alone, but I need some sleep.”

“Of course. Anything you need,anima gemella.”

She doesn’t even realize that she could ask for the breath in my lungs and I would give it to her.

I’d do anything to ensure she’s happy.

Even leave her alone.

ChapterEight

“Are you hungry?” Tristano asks as we step into the hotel suite.

I shake my head. “This room is insane and totally not necessary.”

“Personally, I like it. Now food?” he says as he tosses the key onto the entry table.

“I’m not hungry, but I know I should eat,” I tell him as I walk farther into the room. “It’s almost like because we haven’t eaten in so long that my body is used to it. I think we will need to start light.”

This place has windows that span the entire wall, overlooking downtown Chicago. There’s a living space in the middle, with a door on each side leading to the two bedrooms. The place is bright white with pops of green. It’s probably the nicest place I’ve ever stayed.

“Serena.”

I shake my head and look over my shoulder at Tristano and see him frowning.

“I’m sorry, did you say something?”

He tilts his head to the side, studying me. “Do you have any preferences, or do you just want me to order you whatever?”

“Surprise me,” I say as I look away.

It hurts to look at him. Not because he’s done something wrong, but because all I want to do is fall into his arms and cry my eyes out. I won’t let myself though. It’s not his job to pick me up when I fall, even though I know he would do it.

“Does this place have a tub?” I ask as I move toward one of the bedroom doors.

“It does. Why don’t you go take a bath, and then I’ll call you when the food gets here,” he says behind me as I open the bedroom door.

“Sounds good.” I walk farther into the room and make my way into the bathroom.

Sure enough, there’s a giant soaker tub situated against the wall with a window on the other side, overlooking Chicago. I leave the door open a crack and turn on the tub. As it fills, I strip off my clothes. Once naked, I take a deep breath and look at myself in the mirror.

The girl looking back looks nothing like me. My skin is so pale you can see the purple of my veins popping through. My naturally slim body has only become thinner, my hip bones protruding from my skin. I literally flinch at the sight. All my muscle definition that I worked years for is gone, and I don’t even want to think about how long it will take to get it back.

I look sick, hell, I probably am.

Turning away from the mirror, I shut off the tub. I hiss as I get in, the water temperature so hot it instantly turns my skin red. As my body adjusts to the water, the tears start to fall, everything hitting me at once.

After I was taken the first time, I promised myself that I would never put myself in the position to get taken again unintentionally. I knew with going undercover that it could happen, but I was prepared and could breathe easier knowing someone was watching and could save me if I gave them the sign. This time though, I was caught off guard. I let my pride get the best of me and made a stupid decision.

I had been working the streets so long that I was desensitized to the danger of them. It’s weird how living a certain way for a period of time can make you forget all about what brought you there in the first place. Even meeting these older men who thought they were getting with an underage girl no longer frightened me. Why would they? Ricky has always been outside, ready to swoop in and rescue me.

Not this time. No, this time I let my complacency get the best of me. I never should have been on those streets. For that one moment, I was one of those girls. Just a working girl getting abducted with no one knowing where they were.

I hate it. I hate being weak. I hate being scared. Holding on to the sides of the tub, I take a deep breath and submerge myself under the water, letting the tears fall faster as my body shakes.

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