Hold You Against Me (Stripped 4)

“I’m sorry,” I say quickly.

She doesn’t say anything, her eyes wary.

“I’m sorry I put you in that position. I know it would have been risky for you to do anything to help me. You could have gotten in trouble.”

Her dark brows lower, and I sense her indecision. Some part of her did want to help. Then her lips firm. “Mr. Costas is a good man.”

Forcing myself to look casual, I take a seat at the small table. The orange juice is freshly squeezed, like drinking sunshine—sunshine I desperately need after being indoors for two days now. I wonder if he’ll let me walk Lupo if I ask him.

He’d have to trust me for that.

“You seem very loyal to him,” I say. “I’m not sure anyone was that loyal to my father, even his men.”

“Loyalty is the only thing holding us together,” she says, her tone fierce.

My father said something similar, except he used the word blood. Blood was the only thing holding us together. It’s interesting to hear how things changed now that a man who wasn’t in line has the helm.

Although once we’re married, he’ll at least be related by marriage.

“Are you married?” I ask softly.

Her eyes flicker with something. Fear? Shame? “No.”

Giovanni would only have sent someone in here if he was sure of them. And she does seem fierce in her loyalty. Definitely too fierce for someone who cleans rooms. Does she do more than that for him? The way the maids had to serve my father? He was a cruel man with dark tastes. They hadn’t liked what he did to them. But maybe Giovanni is different. Maybe he’s convinced her there is something romantic between them.

Or maybe there really is something romantic between them. My stomach turns over. If that were true, she wouldn’t be okay with him marrying me, would she? Then again, sometimes we do hard things for the sake of love. And maybe that’s why he only wanted to consummate the marriage, nothing more.

Information, I remind myself. Find the cracks in the wall.

“How long have you worked for Giovanni?” It can’t be longer than a couple years. I’ve only been gone eight, and he would have needed time to rise to power. There’s a huge gap in my knowledge, though.

She definitely looks nervous now. “Almost a year.”

My stomach churns. I don’t want to imagine her with Giovanni, but it’s hard not to. Her loyalty, her nervousness. All of it combines to paint a picture my mind would rather not see.

She’s definitely pretty, with black hair and dark eyes, her slender body a sharp contrast to mine. The clothes in the closet fit perfectly except for the bust. Some of them are tight, including the tank top I’m wearing now. Giovanni used to like my body, but he’s changed in many ways.

I’m the one too scared to push for answers, to find out if he’s been with her. “There’s a party tonight,” I say instead. “Does he have parties often?”

“This will be the first one,” she says, sounding relieved that I changed the topic. I’m not sure whether he told her she could speak to me or not, but she has to stay until Romero returns and unlocks the door.

“Oh.” My father had parties regularly. I watched a few of them between the balcony rails, wearing my nightgown. Before my father found out and started locking me in my room. Only my sister was required to attend, wearing Versace and Gucci, the first daughter, the real one.

My gaze sweeps to the glittering dress where I hung it on the closet door. Even from here I can see the fine stitching and needlework with the gold pieces. I have no doubt that it’s a designer gown, that it’s

expensive, but that says more about Giovanni’s status than it does about mine.

“Do you…” Maria pauses, looking uncertain. “Do you want me to do your hair? I practice with my sister sometimes. I can put it up for you.”

“Oh, that would be really nice.” I tell myself I only care because it gives me more time to get close to Maria, to get information from her. Not because I want to look pretty for Giovanni.

She gives me a small smile. “I can do it after lunch.”

“Thank you.”

Worry passes over her eyes. “He does not… Mr. Costas. He does not want you hurt. He’s said that you’re under his protection. He’s a good man.”

Anyone who touches you will die. I’ll kill them myself.