Page 18 of Trapped
“Where are we going?”
“Your new place,” he said.
I fidgeted in my seat. It’d been too long since my last drink. Before we left the hotel, I’d snuck some bottles from the minibar into my purse, but I couldn’t drink them now. People rarely reacted well to my drinking.
Twenty minutes later, I stepped into a stunning apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of thecity. The place was sleek, all glass and steel, and it screamed luxury.
I turned to face Santino, my heart racing. “This is my apartment?”
“Yeah. You like it?”
It was beautiful. An apartment I’d only dreamed of living in. I crossed the room, running my fingers along the polished marble countertops. “I would’ve been fine with a less expensive place.”
Santino gave me a shrewd look. “Did you expect me to throw you in a dump?”
“No, but…I’m not a girlfriend. I’m only your mistress.”
“This is where you’ll stay,” he said, sliding a set of keys on the counter. “No one can touch you here. You’re safe.”
I curled my hand around them. “Thanks.”
He took an envelope from his jacket and placed it next to the keys. “That’s the money we agreed on.”
Santino leaned on the counter as I grabbed the envelope. My breath hitched as I thumbed through the crisp bills, my mind racing with the possibilities. He’d really given me the money. For the first time in months, I felt a spark of hope. Maybe this arrangement with Santino wouldn’t be as painful as I’d thought. Maybe it wouldn’t be painfulat all.
That blew my mind. I could rebuild everything Dimitri had destroyed. My vintage boutique had been more than a dream. It was supposed to be my chance to have something of my own. I’d been working on it for years, collecting clothes from differenteras, carefully preserving each piece until Dimitri decided it was all “a distraction” and wiped it all out in one tantrum.
But with this money? I could start again.
I pictured the boutique I’d always imagined. The soft lighting, rows of beautiful dresses lining the racks, customers coming in to find their perfect piece. Santino could fund it, make it happen. If I played my cards right and kept him satisfied, I could have my boutique back.
Excitement buzzed under my skin. This wasn’t just about getting away from Dimitri anymore. It was about reclaiming my life.
I looked back at Santino, my heart still pounding. He stood there, arms crossed. Did he know what this meant for me? Could he see the flicker of hope he’d just lit?
“What are you thinking?” he asked, his voice low and rough.
I shrugged. “I’m imagining all the stuff I want to buy.”
“Good. You should be.”
I stared at Santino, incredulous. This was too easy. Too good to be true.
“What’s the catch?” I asked.
“You know the catch. You’re mine.”
“But this… all of this—” I gestured to the luxurious apartment, still holding the envelope. “It’s more than I expected.”
“You asked me to keep you safe.”
“Yeah, but it seems like there’s strings attached.”
“The only string is me, principessa. You belong to me now. As long as that’s true, you’ll live like this. But if you betray me or try to run, this goes away.”
Santino’s gaze stayed steady on mine, his dark eyes flickering with…possessiveness? Amusement? It unnerved me the way he claimed me so easily.
I steadied my breathing. This was what I’d signed up for. Santino had never hidden who he was or what he expected. I’d prepared for a less intense version of Dimitri.