33

Three

Talia sprang up from the bed in panic, quickly pulling on her clothes as Leo stood by the door, watching her with an unreadable expression. She rushed to him, grabbing his arm as he turned to leave the room. "Wait! Wait!" she cried, breathless, her heart racing in her chest.

Leo stopped, turning slowly to face her. His intense gaze made her feel small, but she forced a smile, trying to regain some control. "Rape? But we’re both adults. We can make decisions for ourselves, right? How did this turn into harassment and rape?" Her smile wavered as she added, "Look, if it's money you want, I'll pay you. Just... don't take this to the police."

What Talia didn’t realize was that Leo knew exactly who she was—his brother Marco’s wife. But she didn’t recognize him; he’d been away for years, and time had changed him. She had no clue the man she spent the night with was part of the same family she was trying to escape.

Leo curled a smile, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he gripped her h