Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Nine
Alicia's POV
I thought about Zhao. About the boy who'd tormented me as a child. The man who'd watched me at the charity ball. Who'd sent men to kidnap me.
Who'd sent that photo to Malachi with a threat to kill our child.
"Yes," I said finally. "I'm okay with it."
"That's a dangerous path, Alicia. Once you start accepting violence as a solution—"
"I'm not accepting it as a solution to everything. Just to this. Just to someone who won't stop until I'm dead or taken."
Marco didn't look happy. But he nodded. "Your choice. But I'm doubling security anyway. Just in case."
"Thank you."
He left. Alessandro followed. Leaving me alone with Signora Moretti and Sophie.
"You love him," Signora Moretti said. Not a question. A statement.
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do. You love him and it terrifies you. Because loving someone like him means accepting darkness you don't want to accept."
She was right. That was exactly what terrified me.
