living if he didn't fear the police and mentioned slavery in the same manner as buying groceries? I recalled all the times I had fantasized about him. The man in front of me was miles away from the kind, caring man I had imagined in my mind. This man was a cold and cruel stranger. Dangerous. Unpredictable. He had not the slightest intention of hearing me out, but I had to make him see reason. I refused to give up so easily.
“I won't go back to them. I'll return to work and find my own place. I'll forget this ever happened, I promise.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“P-Please—”
“Save your breath, Olivia,” he said in a tone that rang with finality. “The only way I'll let you leave here is in a casket.”
The reality of my situation sank in and I whimpered, unable to hold back the tears that spilled down my face. I was only seventeen, and my life was over. He observed me with strange interest and caressed one of my tear-stained cheeks.
“Shh,” he whispered softly. Though his touch was gentle, his eyes remained cold and emotionless.
“What is going to happen to me?” The fear in my voice was evident.
He smirked with mystery and brushed his thumb over my lips. Something flashed in his black eyes. The power of it filled my entire being with frightening awareness as he leaned closer to whisper in my ear. “I'm going to keep you, piccola.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Present
“Mrs. Damiani, are you there?”
“Yes,” I breathed.
“I’m not sure if you heard me, but I have some good news. Mr. Damiani has woken up this morning.”
I gasped into the phone. “He...he is awake?”
“Yes,” the doctor confirmed. “And he has requested to see you. Now, there is something else...” he kept talking, but I didn't listen.
Alessandro was awake. He survived. My life was over. I was a dead woman walking. I dropped the phone and raced down the hallway to find Broderick. When I spotted him, he was talking on the phone with a stern expression on his face. Our eyes met, and he must have discerned my utter panic because he told whomever was on the other line he would call them back.
“Olivia?” he cooed my name.
“Alessandro is awake,” I stuttered, fighting to breathe.
“I know,” he said simply.
The fact didn't seem to upset him.
“How can you be so calm?” I asked with obvious panic. “Don't you know what this means?”
“Olivia, calm down.” He reached for me, and I pushed him away.
“No, don't tell me to calm down,” I spoke in a heightened whisper, so no one would hear us. “You said you’d take care of everything. You said I’d be free and it would be okay. He was supposed to be dead,” I reminded him. “Now he's awake and he's going to make us pay.”
“Olivia, please,” he beseeched, sounding tortured.
My shoulders slumped. I was lashing out at him. “I'm sorry,” I exclaimed. “I'm so sorry, Broderick. I know it's not your fault, I'm just so stressed I can't think clearly.”
“Shh, Olivia. I know. I know it’s difficult, but try to remain calm. We'll figure it out together.”
This time when he tugged me closer, I let him, and buried my head in the crook of his neck. “I should have never allowed you to get involved,” I mumbled against his skin. “Now you’re in danger because of me.”
“I'll be fine,” he stressed the words. “I'm a big guy. I know how to protect myself. Don't worry about me.”
“You don't know what he's capable of, Broderick.” My voice trembled with fear.
He tilted my chin. “I'm not afraid of him, Olivia. And you shouldn't be either. If he wants to get to you, he'll have to go through me first.”
Broderick offered his protection and I knew he meant it, but he was naive in thinking he could do anything to help me. Alessandro would crush him before he even got a chance to interfere between us.
“I have to go to the hospital,” I said, fully aware there was no point in arguing further.
He nodded. “I'll take you.”
Half an hour later, we sat in the car without sharing a single word. In the past few weeks, I had actually believed Alessandro might stay in a coma and never wake up. I had even gotten used to visiting him in the hospital for the sake of keeping appearances. I could have done it for the rest of my life for as long as he stayed unconscious and trapped in this vulnerable state in