The unknown number kept flashing across the entry table, a steady pulse in the dim hallway. It wasn’t just a call—it was bait, a trap disguised as urgency. Liam’s eyes flicked to mine, sharp and questioning, but my feet were already moving before I could second-guess myself.
I snatched the receiver and pressed it to my ear. “Clara Romano.” My voice was sharper than I intended, steadier than I felt.
A pause. Then—low, velvety, threaded with menace—Marco’s voice.
“You’re growing bold, Mrs. Romano. Dangerous, even. That little message you sent—forty-eight hours. Do you think you can threaten me and not bleed for it?”
My stomach clenched, but I forced myself to stand taller. “You don’t frighten me, Marco. Not anymore. I’m not your pet. I’m not your pawn. If you think I won’t fight back, th
