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Rafael’s chair scraped against the floor. “What about Ellie? We can’t leave her unguarded, not with the current threats.”
Dante paused. “You’ll stay here. It’s the safest place for her. And make sure security is tight. I don’t want anyone getting in or out without our knowledge.”
“I’ll handle it,” Rafael assured him. “But you need to be careful, Dante. Marco isn’t going to play fair.”
“He never does. We know this, but we don’t play fair either. I’ll settle this before it escalates any further,” Dante replied, his voice icy cold.
My sharp intake of breath must have given me away because both men turned their heads and instantly settled their attention right on me.
“Good morning, Ellie,” Dante breathed, his gaze warm and cold at the same time. The heat of it drifted up and down my body and I bit the inside of my cheek.
I hated how I wanted to feel the heat of his body against mine.
How I wanted to feel his fingers between my thighs again.
“Morning,” Rafael echoed, his gaze ten times warmer.
I found myself blushing even though I couldn’t really figure out why.
Fuck me.
“Morning,” I replied cautiously, my eyes darting between the two men before I looked around the room. There was a plate full of steaming pancakes in the center of the island and my stomach growled just seeing them. I blushed again, thinking they’d probably heard it too.
When was the last time I had eaten?
Rafael seemed to notice and without a word, he moved toward the pancakes. He fixed a plate for me, buttering the breakfast treat with a deft touch before generously pouring syrup over them. Then, he slid it in front of me.
I accepted the plate guardedly, my hands trembling as I sat down at the table. As I took a bite of the pancake, the sweetness of the syrup couldn’t mask the bitterness of my current situation.
I’d accidentally gotten myself into the middle of a war between my ex and one of the most powerful mob bosses in the city and now I was trapped. I was their captive and from what I could tell, there was no way out.
“What happens now? What do you plan to do with me? Kill me?” I asked, unable to keep the tension from my voice.
“We’re not going to kill you, Ellie. This is your home now. You’re not going anywhere,” Dante replied.
His declaration sent a chill down my spine.
“You mean I’m a prisoner here?” I blurted out.
Rafael interjected softly, “It’s for your safety. We can’t risk you being out there, not with the current threats.”
“So, I’m just supposed to be your willing prisoner because it’s dangerous?” I couldn’t mask the discontent in my voice.
Dante’s gaze was steady. “You’re involved now, whether you like it or not. And we take care of our own.”
“I’m not yours,” I snarled.
Dante simply leveled me with a look that said anything but. I glared back at him but didn’t say a word.
“I need to leave,” Dante announced, his tone authoritative. “Rafael, manage things here.”
With that, Dante exited the room, leaving a tangible shift in the atmosphere. Rafael seemed to tense up in Dante’s absence, his body language rigid as he gazed back at me.
Why?
After a moment of silence, I gathered the courage to speak. “You don’t have to stay here, you know. I’m not going to run,” I lied, attempting to break the ice, and hoping he’d leave me alone so I could figure out a way to get out of here.
Rafael shifted his gaze to me, his expression softening slightly. “All of this is just about keeping you safe,” he replied, his voice betraying a hint of concern.
