Christian stares down at her, his expression unlike anything I've ever seen from him or anyone. Seething, murderous rage. If she was anybody else, I might try to get through to him and beg him to back off. At the very least, I would close my eyes this time, so I wouldn't have to see.
She's not anybody else. She's the woman who tried to strangle me. This, I want to see.
But instead of murdering her, he steps back. “Tony.” A moment later, the man in question appears.
If I could speak without it hurting, I'd ask where he was all this time.
“Finish this bitch, then get rid of her.”
She must be too dazed to react since Tony has no problem hauling her to her feet and dragging her away.
That leaves us alone. Christian stands in front of me, shoulders heaving, breathing like a bull ready to charge. “Like I said,” he grunts, “I'm worried about your life.”
I'm beginning to see why.
14
CHRISTIAN
“Let’s go,” I order through clenched teeth.
She allows me to take her by the hand and lead her out of the room. We take the stairs with her struggling to keep up. Her breathing is ragged. I can hear it even though I’m not looking at her. Focused and on a mission, I have only one thing left in mind, and that’s to protect Siân.
A part of me knew she would be in danger, but there was no way to know for sure. We haven’t exactly told anyone the last living heir to the Guliani family was alive and well. Not that it should matter to anyone who isn’t my father, but clearly, I was wrong.
Marco’s legacy burned right along with his and his wife’s corpse in that fire all those years ago. And his territory, his connections all came to be my father’s possessions. Or should I say, he made sure it was his? Naturally, considering we’re the people who killed them—I was the person who killed him. First on the scene, first to claim the prize. A part of me wondered back then if Samuele was ever really going to go through with the deal had Marco not found out the truth. Had he and Siân not been betrayed by the woman who vowed to love them both, would Marco have ever agreed to give me his daughter?
I doubt it, considering when he found out what Samuele and Siân’s mother had done, he put an end to it that ultimately cost him his life.
“Slow down, Christian,” she huffs through shaky breaths. “I need air.” Her hold on my fingers falters.
Quickly, I face her, my chest tightening with a mixture of emotions at the screaming red bruises around her neck. Without a word and the need to get her as far away from here as possible, I scoop her into my arms and carry her the rest of the way.
One large, hasty step at a time, I rush to the room I’d been keeping her and place her gently on the bed. She releases my neck and uses her hands to balance herself against the mattress. I feel her watching me as I thrash around the room, pulling clothes from the closet and dresser.
Tossing the items next to her, I disregard the pieces that fall to the floor and exit the room. Hell-bent on taking her away, I don’t even bother to lock her in the room. Three steps at a time, I climb to the next level and hit the corner, bumping my shoulder hard against the wall. Pain shoots through my body, but I push it to the back of my mind.
I make it to my room and retrieve my travel cases, then throw clothing for myself inside. It doesn’t matter what the items are. I just need some things to tie us over for a few days. Anything else we need I can get while we’re away. Halfway zipping up the suitcase, I then race back to Siân’s side. Even though we’re inside and the threat has been neutralized, I fear leaving her alone.
“Fuck.” I stop for a moment with my hand over my chest.
What is this? Fear? I’m not afraid of anything, have never been. So why the fuck does it feel like there is a band around my heart, tugging and pulling? I shake away the nerves and continue, damn near jumping down the stairs.
Siân sits up when I burst into the room. It isn’t lost on me that for the first time since she’s been here, she didn’t try to run. The door was wide open, so she could have fled if she wanted to.
“We’re leaving,” I deadpan and make quick work of stuffing her things next to mine.
Siân frowns but doesn’t fight me too much. She helps me by handing me the items that fell on the floor. “Where are we going?”