Page 61 of Trapped

“There’s nothing I won’t do to own you completely.”

The warning in his tone set me on edge. He’d tamped down on his possessiveness in the weeks we’d been in Italy, but now that I’d recovered, the monster was out to play.

“You’re the only man in my life, Santino.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

My body stiffened as he splayed a hand on my knee, the contact burning through my summer dress. Santino’s smile stayed light, but darkness rumbled through his words.

“Have you taken a pregnancy test yet?”

The question hung in the air like a thundercloud. I stared at Santino, my mind reeling.

“Um, not in a while.”

Santino dropped a thin package onto the armrest of the lounge chaise, his expression heavy. “Take it.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

I swallowed hard. “Why?”

“Because if you’re not, we need to keep trying.”

I blinked at him, shock rippling through me. “Trying to improve my Italian?”

Santino’s lips twitched, but his gaze remained firm. “We can’t go home until you’re pregnant.”

I shook my head. Fear, confusion, and an inexplicable flicker of hope tangled together, leaving me breathless. “What the hell are you talking about?”

He smiled as I gaped at him. “The threat in Boston isn’t going anywhere, but if you’re pregnant, you’ll be safe. I’ll have leverage to negotiate something with my boss.”

“What does your boss have to do with it?”

“My boss wants you dead.”

My throat tightened. “What did I do to him?”

“Nothing. Vinn wants retribution for an old feud.”

“What feud?”

“It’s a long story. Happened years ago.” Santino stared at the vineyards, his posture rigid. “He wanted me to lure your fatherto a meeting, kill him, and then kill you. I couldn’t let anything happen to you, so I brought you to Italy.”

I sank back into the chair. “You took me to Italy…to get me pregnant?”

“To protect you,” he corrected. “My boss won’t come after you if we’re having a baby.”

“That’s yoursolution?”

“It’s the only way to keep you safe.”

I glanced down at the pregnancy test on the armrest. “So all those nights you’ve been coming inside me without a condom. Was this your plan all along?”

“I did what I had to do, Delilah. If you’re pregnant, Vinn can’t touch you. You’ll be the mother of my child, and that gives you protection.”

A dark suspicion entered my head.