silence that was waiting to explode. Lorenzo didn'

repeated, his voi

it down before it became real but the look in Lorenzo's eyes told her he already se

ty linked to her movemen

shifted

the command was immed

pped back and disappeared, the

g towards Isabella, who didn't move. Her body felt frozen, her mind racing through a thousand

renzo said, his tone low, controlled, "why someon

s," she said, forcin

, she saw it immediately in

e right now," he said quie

lying." s

at me and s

d it instantly because Lorenzo wasn't j

ightly tightening. He was asking questi

for how long now?? Five years?"

know everything?" Isabel

id, taking another step, sh

s why you hid it fro

o do with you." She snapp

erature in the room seemed to drop. Lorenzo went completely still. And w

again." he

do with you." Isabe

? After everything?" he asked, a

said, forcing strength into her v

ything." Lorenzo

pping her chin just enough to tilt her face

me back with secrets, and now there's a child involved.

me to stay out of

h hitched as she whisper

instead, his thumb brushe

he?" h

ne," she s

o's grip tighten

child." she s

se c

et go of her abruptly, stepping back as if something had just snapped into

lowly through his hair as if organizing h

d. "You disappear pregnant

heart to slip a bit. And this tim

he question sha

. But her body betrayed her and immediately Lorenzo saw that tiny flic

my child

landed lik

that..." Isabella sh

htly now, tension bleeding through the control. "Five

The words burst out be

raw, unfiltered emotion f

tecting him..

" his jaw

She had crossed the line no

than anything else as dark

"Or me?" The question lingered

d as if something insi

e than anger, way much worse becau

d toward

Isabella's st

dn't

ou going?" s

et my son." He p

him" Isabella's heart nearly stopped

de that." Lorenzo's ex

other!" sh

" he roared. The wor

You don't even know him..." Isabella s

one left no roo

ad. "You don't understand...if you g

zo st

ze sharpened again as he turn

, Isabella?"

t was when everything clicked. The attac

after you," h

Isabella's

ping into something dark and lethal, "t

and they both knew it. A dangerous stillness settl

she sai

her and k

, listen

ll con

" he said calmly. "No on

bella's hea

hild to me," he

world shattered a

ssion was unreadable. But his next word

said quietly, "then my son

knew exactly what that meant. Matteo wasn't jus

time there was nothing

ty, the front door was