Page 106 of The Savage

She takes it all in without screaming or fainting… just stares at the man we’ve dragged in; stares at the blood on his face, at the way my men move around him like it’s just another Tuesday.

Then she looks at me.

Not horrified or wounded.

I’m not sure if that’s better or worse.

‘Renzo…’ Her voice is soft, unsure, like she’s stepping onto soft ice. ‘Why have you brought him back? What are you going to do?’

I don’t answer yet. I don’t trust my mouth right now. Anger is still roaring through me, and I’m trying to keep it leashed, because she doesn’t need to see that animal. Not yet.

‘Take him downstairs,’ I tell my men. ‘Tie him to the chair.’

They move without question as Giada takes a step forward.

I catch her wrist. Gentle enough not to bruise. Firm enough that she understands it’s not a request. ‘No, baby. You’re not coming with me.’

Her brows snap down. ‘Why not?’

Because the next part of me is not the part you should watch.

Because whatever fragile stitching is holding her mind together right now could split at the sight of what I’m about to do.

Because I am not a saint and I’m not about to pretend I am.

‘Not closing your eyes when I asked you to is one thing, ragazza,’ I say, low, controlled, ‘but this is something else.’

Her chin lifts. A flash of that old fire I feel under her skin. ‘You don’t get to decide what I can handle.’

‘I do right now.’ I step closer, voice dropping another notch. ‘And I’m not about to risk your health for this.’

‘For what?’

‘For me getting answers in ways you don’t need burned into your head. Not yet.’

She opens her mouth to argue, and I beat her to it.

‘So you can let me do this on my own’ – I lean in, smile hard – ‘or we can leave this fucker to rot while we go upstairs and fuck some more. Your choice.’

Her gasp is sharp enough to cut marble. Behind her, two of my men pretend not to hear. They fail spectacularly.

Giada’s eyes flare, scandalised and luminous all at once. ‘Renzo!’

‘You heard me.’

‘People can hear you.’

‘I hope they do.’ I tilt my head. ‘Maybe they’ll learn something useful, like not testing me in my own city.’

Her cheeks go molten. Fury fights with embarrassment, but I can see her clocking the truth and she knows she’s not going to win this one. Not if she throws every saint in the book at me.

She yanks her wrist out of my grip with a vicious little motion and storms away down the corridor, dress snapping around her calves like a flag of war.

‘Giada—’

She doesn’t stop.

I let her go, not because I want to but because I need her to know I’ll protect her even from herself, even if she hates me for it for an hour.