Page 61 of The Strength Of A Woman

I spend a few more moments searching her eyes before I rise from my seat, and she straightens at once.

Her eyes follow me as I move away from her.

Her voice swiftly rings behind me.

“Can I get one of your men to accompany me home?”

A few moments pass before I speak again.

I’m standing in the middle of the room, my back turned to her, a hand rubbing the back of my neck.

“You’re not going anywhere tonight.”

The silence in the room makes it seem as if my words have had a magical effect on her, making her vanish.

The atmosphere is eerie and tense when I glance over my shoulder. She seems carved out of stone, her eyes wide, her hair luscious, her lips slightly open.

“What do you mean?”

I step back to her, sliding a hand into my pocket, reaching for my phone.

“Exactly what I just said.”

I break my stare away from her, look down at my phone, and call Cosimo.

“Have someone prepare the guest room. Leilani stays with us tonight.”

I end the call when she begins to protest.

“No, no. This is not a good idea. I need to go back, or they’ll never let meleave my houseagain.”

Calm and composed, I slide my phone into my pocket.

“They won’t do that.”

“How can you be so sure? They absolutely will. Please don’t do that to me.”

Cosimo enters the room a second later, interrupting our conversation and noticing the broken glass and the wine stains on the tablecloth.

“Someone needs to change that,” I say.

“Sure, Boss. Anything else?”

He looks at Leilani.

“Is she hungry?”

I look at the woman myself.

“Are you hungry?”

“I had dinner, but I could have a snack.”

“Send food to her room.”

“Anything else I need to know?”

“Have every one of our men on high alert, and get ready for war.”