HIS NAME, MY CURSE

Chapter 3: No Way Out

Juliet POV:

My father’s eyes stayed fixed on mine as he held the photograph between his fingers. I knew there was no point lying anymore.

“His name is Michael.” His jaw tightened. “Michael what?”

“I don’t know his last name.” He stepped closer. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.” He entered my room and closed the door behind him. “Do you even know what kind of man you were talking to?”

“I only met him tonight.” His eyes hardened. “And you kissed him.” My cheeks burned, and I looked away. That was all the answer he needed. “You kissed a Romano.”

I looked back at him. “You knew who he was before I did.” “That doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.” He stared at me before telling me I was staying in the house. I could hardly believe it. “You’re locking me up because I spoke to someone?” I asked.

“Because you spoke to Michael Romano.”

My father said my security detail would be doubled and that I wasn’t leaving until he allowed it. I told him I wasn’t a prisoner. His cold reply hurt. “Then stop behaving like one.” I swallowed my tears and refused to let him see me cry.

“You’ve spent my whole life telling me the Romano are monsters,” I said. “They are.” “Then why did Michael treat me better tonight than most people in this family ever have?”

My father went silent. For just a moment, I saw something in his eyes that wasn’t anger. It was fear. I noticed it immediately. “Why are you afraid of him?” His expression closed again. “Because I know what his family is capable of.” He opened the door and gave me one final warning. “Stay away from him.” Then he walked out and slammed the door behind him.

I stood alone in my room, my eyes burning. I refused to cry. Instead, I walked to the window and stared at the city below. So many people were free to go wherever they wanted, while I was trapped inside my own home. My father had always called it protection, but tonight it felt like a cage. My phone suddenly buzzed. I looked down and saw Michael’s name. I knew I shouldn’t answer, but I did. “Hello?” His voice came immediately. “Are you okay?” I looked at the closed door. “How did you know something was wrong?”

“You disappeared,” he said. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.” I sighed. “My father knows.” His voice changed at once.

“What did he do?” “Nothing. I’m locked inside my room.” There was a pause.

“What?” “He says I can’t leave the house.”

Michael swore under his breath.

“Where are you?” “At home.”

“I mean your exact location.” I asked why. “I’m coming.” My heart jumped. “No.” His answer was firm. “I’m not asking.” I warned him that my father could kill him. Michael simply replied, “Then he should have thought about that before locking you up.”

I almost laughed. “You really don’t listen.” His voice softened. “Not when it comes to you.” I closed my eyes. “Please.” “Please what?” he asked. “Don’t make this worse.” Silence followed. Then he said, “Tell me to stay away from you.” I opened my eyes. “What?” “Say it, Juliet.” I couldn’t. “Juliet.” I finally whispered, “I can’t.” His breathing changed. “That’s what I thought.” The call ended. I stared at my phone. “i***t,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure if I meant him or myself.

“Turn the car around,” I told my driver. He looked at me through the mirror. “Sir?” “Take me to the Santino estate.” He hesitated and mentioned my father, but I cut him off. “I didn’t ask what my father said.” He turned the car immediately, I knew it was reckless, I knew exactly what Marco Santino would do if he found me at his home, but Juliet had sounded afraid, and I couldn’t stand the thought of her being trapped while I did nothing. Twenty minutes later, I got out several streets away from the estate and headed toward the house alone.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Juliet. Don’t come. I stared at it before replying, Too late. Her answer came quickly. You’re impossible. I smiled. You like that about me. She didn’t answer. I put my phone away and approached the estate. Getting inside wasn’t difficult. The Santinos had good security, but they weren’t expecting someone like me.

I reached the side of the building and looked up. Juliet’s bedroom light was still on. I climbed until I reached the balcony, then tapped softly on the glass. Juliet looked up, and her eyes widened.

She quickly opened the door. “What are you doing here?” “Checking on you.”

“I told you not to come.” “I know.”

She closed the door behind me and looked at me with red eyes. I reached toward her face, but she stepped back. “Don’t.” I stopped. “Did you cry?” “No.” I studied her for a moment before lowering my hand. “Okay.”

She looked surprised that I had listened. A small smile appeared on her lips, I wanted to kiss her but instead I asked what happened. She sat on the edge of her bed and told me her father thought I was dangerous.

“He isn’t wrong,” I admitted. She looked at me. “You’re admitting it?”

I told her I had done things I wasn’t proud of, the kind of things that made men afraid of me.

“Should I be afraid?” she asked. “No.”

“Why?” I moved closer. “Because I would never hurt you.”

She wondered how she could believe me. “You don’t have to,” I said. “You can watch what I do.” Her eyes softened. I admitted I didn’t understand why I was doing this either. “You’re supposed to hate me.” “I was raised to.” “But?” I looked at her. “But then I met you.”

Silence filled the room. She whispered my name, and I reached for her hand. This time, she let me take it. We both knew our families hated each other, and if they discovered what was happening, we would be in trouble. “Then why are you here?” she asked, I leaned closer. “Because I don’t care.” She stared at me. “And if I care?” My heart stopped. “Then we’re both in trouble.” She smiled sadly.

“I think we already are.” I touched her cheek, and she didn’t pull away. Our foreheads touched. “Tell me to stop.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t want you to.” I kissed her slowly, and she kissed me back.

The kiss deepened, but when I felt her tense, I pulled away. She looked at me. “Why did you stop?” “Because I want you to choose this.” She stared at me before saying I was different from what her father believed. I smiled. “Don’t make me sound like a good man.” “Are you?” she asked. “Definitely not.” She laughed softly.

Then someone knocked on the door. We froze. “Juliet?” Her father’s voice. She quickly pushed me toward the balcony. “Michael, hide.” I stepped outside, and she closed the door, Marco entered her room and looked around, then his eyes moved toward the balcony, I stood completely still as he walked closer.

Juliet stepped in front of him. “What are you looking for?” “Nothing.” His eyes returned to the balcony. My hand slowly moved toward the weapon beneath my jacket. If he opened that door, the night would turn into a war.

Marco reached for the handle, but before he could open it, a gunshot suddenly rang through the estate, he turned at once and alarms began screaming as people shouted downstairs. “Stay here!” he ordered Juliet before rushing out. She opened the balcony door.

“Michael!” I stepped inside. “What happened?” she asked. “I don’t know.”

Another gunshot echoed through the house, I grabbed her hand. “We’re leaving.” She shook her head. “My father is downstairs.” “You can’t help him.” “I have to.” She pulled away from me.

For the first time, I saw determination instead of fear in her eyes. Then a scream came from downstairs, Juliet’s face went pale, she looked at me. “That was my father’s voice.” We ran toward the door, but before we reached it, every light in the room suddenly went out. Darkness swallowed us, we froze. Then a man’s voice came from somewhere inside the room. “Looking for me?”