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“I know that she will be happy to hear that.”
“Why don’t you go tell her and let her give her father a call as well. Just listen in closely to make sure she doesn’t try to tell anyone anything she shouldn’t.”
“I’m surprised that you’re giving her so many freedoms.”
“She has to feel free to make her choice.”
“Sì, signore.”I let out a sigh and Teo raised an eyebrow as he studied me.
“You don’t think she’ll agree to stay.”
I hadn’t wanted to admit it, but it was true. I shook my head. “I think she’s an idealist. I’m sure she has friends, colleagues, commitments to the hospital where she works. I don’t think that a house and a large paycheck is going to be enough to persuade her.”
“And what do you think would be enough?”
“I think that her knowing the truth would be the only way that she would choose to stay here.”
“Choosing between working for us and death is hardly a choice at all. What assurances would we have that she would remain loyal to us instead of going to the authorities after gathering information on us? A doctor is someone we have to be able to trust.”
“We could have someone stay with her father, use him as leverage for her to do her job well.”
“And if someone happens to die on her table? How would we determine whether she did all that she could to save the person or if it was some form of retribution?”
“She saved Luca’s life.”
“By threat to her own.”
“But it worked.”
“And how happy do you think your doctor will be if she’s constantly working under threat?”
“I don’t know.” My shoulders dropped with discouragement.
“Alex, listen. I get it. You feel responsible for this woman because you’re the one who took her, but this is the life that we’ve chosen. Sometimes we have to make hard decisions to protect the family and those we care about. She still has three weeks to make her choice. Maybe she’ll choose to stay. If not...” Teo let his words fade but I understood.
“I’m going to go let her know about our trip next weekend.”
Teo nodded before going back to his work. I took that as my dismissal, so I slipped out of his office and headed upstairs to see Sienna.
I knew that Sienna was going to be happy to hear about visiting her father and I was sure she’d want to call and check in on him as well, but I didn’t know how she would react to bringing him back with us.
I knocked on her door and waited but there was no answer. I knocked again with a little more force but again, nothing.
Shit. Had she somehow managed to sneak out while I was busy talking with Teo?
Panic, fear, and anger all flashed through me in an instant. I opened the door without waiting any longer and barged in just as Sienna stepped out of the bathroom and gasped, still dripping wet with a towel wrapped around her like a tiny terry cloth tube dress. A water droplet dripped from her dark, tousled hair, down her collar bone toward the swells of her breasts that spilled out from the top of the towel, and I found myself mesmerized by its seductive path.
Sienna cleared her throat and I realized that I’d been staring.
I dragged my eyes back to meet her gaze. “What?”
“What are you doing in here?”
“You weren’t answering the door.”
“Because I was in the shower.” She sounded annoyed.
“Right.” It was as if my brain and my mouth were fully disconnected and all I could do was stare at her dripping wet body and wish that I could lick each drop.
