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“Where’s Dante?”
“He’s in a meeting.”
“I—ah. I don’t know.” I shake my head. Something in her expression makes me ask, “Am I allowed to say no, though?”
Aydin laughs. “Of course you are. Although I wouldn’t say no.”
As I put my face in my hand and softly groan. George emits a loud quack, and I startle again at the unexpected sound. The duck looks at me as if waiting for an answer.
“I thought . . .” I trail off. I don’t know what I expected today. I didn’t think beyond reveling in Dante’s arms.
“Did you expect that he’ll keep you locked in here?”
Actually, I did. I certainly did not think he’d be siccing his family on me. “I’m hardly dressed for a family meeting, Aydin.” I gesture at my bare feet and oversized T-shirt.
“You’re perfect. It’s just breakfast. Come on.” She spins on her heels, her hand gently nudging my elbow, and I have no choice but to follow her out.
The twists and turns of the stairs and corridors seem to go on forever, each one identical to the last. A sense of unease begins to settle in the pit of my stomach as it dawns on me that I could wander these halls for hours and never find my way back to where we started. This place is really a prison.
I glance at Aydin. “Is there any cell service here?”
She shakes her head, a sympathetic smile playing at the corners of her lips. “No, dear. No mobile signal can penetrate these walls. It’s part of what makes this place so secure.”
Secure. The word echoes in my mind, taking on a sinister edge. I’m trapped here, cut off from the outside world, and at the mercy of a man whose very existence threatens to consume me. What the hell have I gotten myself into?
As we continue, the narrow stone corridors and antique sconces give way to a modern space. Marble and glass replace the dark, heavy decor. Huge windows offer stunning views of rolling vegetation and distant hills, making it feel as if we’re outside.
I’m surprised at the transformation. The mansion now feels open and alive, shedding its oppressive atmosphere. Sunlight streams through the glass walls, casting patterns on the floors.
Aydin leads me through the main living areas. We pass a spacious living room with modern furniture arranged around a grand piano. The walls feature contemporary art pieces that contrast sharply with the vintage paintings in the basement.
Finally, we enter the kitchen, a space so large it feels like a dining hall. One entire wall is made of glass and light pours in through the wall, making the room feel alive. There is a large round dining table off to the side.
Two women stand by the huge double oven, chatting like old friends catching up on gossip. The first, presumably Dante’s mother, has a plate of something delicious-smelling in her hand. Her shoulder-length dark hair is threaded with silver, but her eyes sparkle with a youthful energy.
The other woman munches on a pastry and like me, is wearing a man’s shirt. Hers is a white button-down folded up at the sleeves. The material looks like cross between cotton and silk and screams God-awful expensive. Her hair is in a thick braid flowing over her shoulder and past her very pregnant belly.
They spot Aydin and me and straighten up. The pregnant one, whom I assume is Nico’s wife, moves with a grace that seems impossible for someone about to give birth to a small planet, and strides toward me.
“Addy!” she exclaims, smiling radiantly. She pulls me into a hug before I can even register what’s happening. When she draws back, her amber eyes twinkling, she says, “Oh, my God, you are fucking gorgeous. I’m Sophie, Dante’s sister-in-law.”
I smile back in greeting.
Sophie glances back at Dante’s mom, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Mama V, I told you Dante is screwed!”
Dante’s mom just chuckles, shaking her head as she approaches. “Cara, thank you for joining us. I’m Antonella—”
“She loves to be called Mama V,” Sophie chirps.
“I hope you don’t mind us getting you out here? Left to my son, he was going to keep you hidden in that basement for days. We didn’t want you staying there all by yourself after what happened last night.”
“Uh, no. It’s fine,” I say, fighting the urge to run back to the safety of that luxurious windowless room.
Antonella heaves a relieved sigh while Sophie just chuckles. “Of course she minds, Mama V. She hardly knows us and probably still needs to process everything.” Sophie gently nudges Antonella toward the oven, then she turns back to me and pulls me to the windows. “Come on.”
The view from the glass wall takes my breath away. Rolling lawns extend outward, meticulously manicured and dotted with clusters of vibrant flowers in perfectly designed gardens.
Beyond the manicured gardens, a serene lake shimmers under the soft light of the early sun. The water is so clear that I can see the reflection of the surrounding trees and the sky, a perfect mirror of the world above.
