Chapter 20: Put you in danger

As the guards dragged Lizzy away, her hysterical screams faded down the dark corridor, leaving behind a tense silence.

Soraya stood in the center of the hall, her chest heaving with an overwhelming wave of fury and disgust. She didn’t want to look at the pool of fresh blood on the marble, nor did she want to look at the man responsible for this chaos.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away.

"Sora, wait," Santino called out. He handed his gun to Leo and immediately followed her long, hurried strides.

Soraya ignored him, speeding her pace as she moved through the grand corridors.

"Sora, stop," Santino said, his voice firm as he caught up alongside her. "Let’s talk about this."

"There is nothing to talk about!" she snapped, keeping her eyes fixed ahead. "You forced me into your world, Santino. You dragged me into your house, claiming I’d be safe, and you can’t even keep track of your own staff. You can’t even handle your own damn business!"

"I handled the situation—"

"You didn’t handle anything! You let an assassin’s accomplice live under your roof for three years." Soraya’s voice cracked with raw emotion as she walked faster. "Because you can’t manage your own people, my life was almost ended last night. I’m paying the price for your careless security."

Santino’s jaw tightened, but he kept pace beside her. "The threat is neutralized. Franco Bristow won’t survive this either."

"I don’t care about Franco! I care that I am taking the fallout for your enemies."

She burst through the glass doors leading into the indoor pool pavilion.

Soraya marched toward the far side of the pool terrace, desperate to put distance between them, but her frantic steps only brought her closer to the edge.

"Sora, stop walking," Santino warned in a low, commanding tone.

"Don’t tell me what to do," she shouted, turning to push past him.

Before she could take another step, Santino closed the distance. His hand shot out, locking firmly around her wrist and pulling her to a sudden halt right at the water’s edge.

Soraya gasped, trying to yank her hand free, but his grip was firm. "Look at me," Santino demanded softly, his dark eyes boring into hers.

"Fuck off!" Soraya gritted her teeth, but pushing and pulling made her fall in the pool along with Santino.

The cold water swallowed them both, and pure panic instantly hit Soraya as she couldn’t swim.

She thrashed wildly, her hands clawing at the surface as water rushed over her head. Before she could sink deeper, Santino’s strong arm locked tightly around her waist, hauling her up to the surface.

Soraya came up gasping for air, coughing as wet hair stuck to her face. Terrified of going under again, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her fingers digging desperately into his wet shirt.

"Shh, I’ve got you," Santino murmured softly.

He moved them toward the wall, pinning her gently between his body and the edge of the pool. Even though her feet could touch the ledge now, Soraya couldn’t bring herself to let go. Her body trembled from the shock of the cold water, her chest rising and falling fast against his.

Santino didn’t pull away. Instead, his grip on her waist softened, holding her securely against his chest. The water around them was freezing, but where their bodies pressed together, it felt hot.

"You’re right," Santino said, his voice low and gentle as his dark eyes searched hers. "I failed to protect you in my own home. I let someone get close enough to put you in danger, and it drove me crazy."

Soraya’s gaze locked onto his. The anger that had fueled her earlier calmed with the cold water as she remembered Angelo’s words. She knew she had to be patient with Santino, even if the timing felt completely wrong.

Held so closely in his arms, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her hands, she couldn’t bring herself to push him away.

She was not only terrified of the cold water, but of the bloody mess she had seen in the hall; she closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. Slowly, her tense muscles relaxed. Instead of pulling away, her tight grip on his shirt loosened.

Santino went completely still, surprised that she was stopping her fight.

Soraya breathed in his scent through the cold air. She thought she would feel gross being this close to him after seeing all that violence, but she didn’t. In his strong arms, her fear started to vanish. For the first time since coming here, she actually felt safe.

Santino’s face softened. He raised his hand, his thumb gently wiping a water drop from her cheek before leaning his forehead against hers.

"You’re safe, Sora," he whispered. "I’m right here."

Soraya opened her eyes and looked into his. Her face felt warm despite the cold water.

"I... I should go," she muttered.

"Let me help you," Santino said. He lifted her body up from the water and let her rest on the counter. Quickly he got out of the water and looked around to find the towel. Picking one, he held one from the lounge chair and wrapped it around her.

"I will try to be better but my methods can’t change. If I hadn’t shot one of the maids, Lizzyy wouldn’t have shown her true face."

"She said she loved you," Soraya said in a teasing glint.

"Oh, please. That bitch is going to die soon," Santino remarked.

"You can’t kill her," Soraya said, running her hand over her face. "That would be wrong. And apologize to the woman whom you shot. I hate whatever you do. And even if I turn a bit softer that doesn’t mean I feel anything for you. You ruined the day. I had so much fun outside today but my mood is spoiled."

With that, she dashed inside, leaving Santino in a state of contemplation.