28. Margot
Chapter 28
Margot
M assimo’s words circle in my head like a record as I walk the quiet corridors to our bedroom. My skin still tingles from his touch, his presence lingering even though he’s no longer here.
You are safe.
His words should be a comfort, but they only unsettle me because I know they’re not true. This isn’t the first attempt they have made at taking me and I’m certain it won’t be the last. It’s that fact that fills me with uncertainty and fear. I’ll never truly be safe for as long as I am married to Massimo. Someone will always be looking to ruin him.
But would they achieve that by taking me?
I honestly don’t know.
Slipping into the bedroom, I cross the room, the silence suffocating. I go through the motions of undressing and pulling my T-shirt over my naked body. Ignoring my racing thoughts, I brush my teeth before crawling under the covers and flicking off the bedside lamp. I stare at the ceiling, sinking into my exhaustion, even though I know sleep won’t come easily for me tonight.
My mind drifts back to what Ethan had said before everything went down. Would Massimo really have threatened him? Who am I kidding? Ethan never lied to me and Massimo just killed a man for trying to kidnap me.
So why didn’t I confront Massimo about what he did to Ethan?
That should have been the first thing I did when we returned, or at least when Massimo found me in the library. Instead, all I could think about was how safe I felt in his presence; how his hands on my skin grounded me when they should have repulsed me. And it’s not just tonight. The truth is, Massimo should terrify me, given everything I know about him. But when he’s near, I feel anything but afraid. Instead, there is just anticipation and a rush of excitement.
I exhale sharply, turning onto my side and punching my pillow to fluff it. What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t want to be a woman who bends to the will of her husband. Or become someone who’s blinded to the danger he exudes because she’s intoxicated by how he makes her feel. But I don’t want to leave. I feel a pull toward him. And it’s that conflict burning inside of me that unravels me in ways I never expected.
If I don’t put a stop to it, will I even recognize myself anymore?
Tomorrow, when I’ve had time to process the attempted kidnapping and I’m firing on all cylinders mentally, I’ll confront Massimo about Ethan and make him see that he can’t control me or my life.