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I hate him for it.

"You're stronger than you think."

"I don't want to be strong." The words come fast now. No charm. No polish. Nothing left to hide behind. "I'm tired of strong. I want ten days in Rome with you. I want to get lost and complain about my feet and sit in some kitchen while you pretend you don't like when I ask too many questions." I lean as far forward as the rope lets me. "You promised me ten days. You told me you don't break promises, so don't you dare become a liar."

"I made you another promise," he says quietly. "I told you I'd try harder than I've ever tried at anything in my life."

"Then try."

His hand comes up to my face.

"I am," he says. "Until they stop me.”

The door opens, and Valentino doesn't fight.

The men come in behind him. He keeps his eyes on me.

"Goodbye, bella mia," he says.

The scream tears out of me before I can stop it.

"No. No, Valentino⁠—"

Two men take him by the arms. He doesn't resist. Doesn't even tense. That is worse somehow. Worse than dragging him. Worse than hitting him. He lets them have him because he already decided they could.

Then hands are on me.

Two more men. One on each side. A blade saws through the rope at my wrists, and for one stupid second, I think they're letting me go to him.

They're not.

They're moving me.

"Don't touch me." My voice breaks on it. "Don't fucking touch me."

I grab for the chair, the rope, anything that keeps me in the same room. The man on my left hauls me up by the arm, hard enough that my feet leave the floor. I kick back and catch someone's shin. I swing blind and my palm glances off a cheekbone slick with sweat.

It doesn't matter.

I'm not strong enough for this, and they know it.

"VALENTINO!"

He's already at the other door. He turns his head, and his eyes find mine across the room.

His mouth moves.

I can't hear him over myself.

Bella.

Then he's gone.

They drag me the other way.

"He didn't do anything wrong," I tell them. My voice has dropped out of the scream into something worse. Thin. Pleading. "Your boss knows that. He told him the truth. Please."

The men say nothing.