“No.” I feel his presence behind me, but we don’t touch. “Hazel, why are you getting so close to Emily and Mother if you want to leave?”
“Why should I answer that if you won’t even explain why you’re keeping me here?”
“Safety, yeah.” I spin on him. “But why do you care about my safety?”
He flinches. “Do you really have to ask me that?”
“Yes, I do, because one second you’re Carlo, and the next you’re this shadow, and the next you’re something in-between. I don’t know you. I can’t get a handle on you.”
His hand caresses my cheek. “I love how when you get flustered, the red in your cheeks hides your freckles. I love how wide your eyes get. I love—” He shakes his head, sighing, letting his hand drop. “The women who throw themselves at me are like robots. They just see my name, my money. T
