Chapter 2 House of wolves

I don't know how long we drove.

Minutes, hours - all I could hear was the pounding in my ears and Matteo's calm, steady breathing beside me.

"Where are you taking me?" I finally asked, my voice hoarse.

"Somewhere safe."

"Safe?" I laughed bitterly. "You just shot a man in the head. Forgive me if I don't feel very safe right now."

Matteo's mouth curved, like he almost found that funny.

"You're safer with me than with anyone else tonight."

"Let me out."

"No."

My hands curled into fists. "You can't keep me forever."

He turned his head slowly, his eyes catching mine in the dim light of the car. "Wanna bet?"

I looked away, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me flinch.

The car rolled through tall gates and up a winding driveway until it stopped in front of a house - no, a mansion.

One of the men opened the door. I didn't move.

Matteo glanced at me. "You can walk, or they can drag you. Your choice."

I climbed out, my legs shaking.

Inside, the house was beautiful - marble floors, high ceilings, chandeliers that sparkled. It should have felt luxurious. It felt like a prison.

"Upstairs," Matteo said.

I stopped. "No."

He arched a brow. "No?"

"I'm not going anywhere until you explain what's happening."

For a moment, he just stared at me, and the room felt very, very quiet.

Then he smiled - slow, dark, and not entirely kind. "You've got a mouth on you."

"Sorry to disappoint," I said, my chin tilting up.

He stepped closer, and every nerve in my body went tight.

"You saw something tonight," he said softly. "That means you're a liability. And I don't like liabilities."

I swallowed. "So what? You're gonna kill me?"

His thumb brushed over my jaw, slow and deliberate. "Not yet."

The words made my stomach flip. Not from fear - or maybe not just from fear.

He turned, walking toward the stairs. "Come on. I don't like repeating myself."

I stayed put.

One of his men moved toward me, but Matteo lifted a hand, stopping him.

"She comes willingly," he said without looking back.

I hated that a part of me wanted to follow, just to get away from those other men's eyes.

The room he took me to was bigger than my entire apartment - a king-size bed, floor-to-ceiling windows, silk curtains.

"This is kidnapping," I said, spinning to face him.

"This is protection."

"I don't need your protection."

He smiled faintly. "You need it more than you think."

"Luca will come looking for me," I said before I could stop myself.

That got a reaction. His smile vanished. "Luca Moretti?"

My stomach dropped.

"Interesting," he murmured, stepping closer until I had to back up. "So that's who you were waiting for tonight."

"Leave him out of this," I said quickly.

Matteo tilted his head. "You care about him."

"He's my boyfriend."

Matteo's laugh was low and humorless. "Not anymore."

"You don't get to decide that!"

His eyes met mine, dark and unreadable. "Everything you do from this point on, bella, is decided by me."

"Go to hell."

For a moment, silence. Then Matteo actually laughed - a real one this time, deep and low.

"You've got fight in you," he said. "Good. It makes this more fun."

"Fun?" I repeated, disbelieving.

"Go to bed, Isla."

"I'm not tired."

He leaned closer, his breath warm on my ear. "That wasn't a suggestion."

I stayed rooted to the floor, glaring.

His lips curved in that infuriating, calm smile again. "Suit yourself. But you won't leave this room."

And then he was gone, the lock clicking behind him.

I waited until I heard footsteps fade, then went to the window.

Too high to jump.

I tried the door. Locked.

I kicked it anyway. "You can't keep me here!"

No answer.

"Do you hear me? I'm not some pet you can keep on a leash!"

Somewhere down the hall, I heard his low chuckle.

And that scared me more than the silence.