Chapter 7 - The Penthouse Cage
Clara didn't go back to her small apartment in Wicker Park. Victor drove them straight into the subterranean, high-security garage of Morreti Tower.
Julian led her into a private elevator that required a retinal scan. When the doors opened, Clara stepped into a sprawling, two-story penthouse made of floor-to-ceiling glass, black marble, and dark velvet. The city of Chicago sparkled endlessly below them.
"This is your home now," Julian said, stripping off his suit jacket and tossing his weapon onto a marble console table. "Your things will be packed and brought here by morning."
"You can't just kidnap me!" Clara yelled, finally finding her voice as the adrenaline wore off. "I have a life! I have a job!"
"Your life is currently in the crosshairs of the most vicious cartel in the Midwest," Julian snapped, turning on her. The raw violence from the diner was still radiating off his skin. "They saw you with me. In their world, that makes you a weakness to be exploited. If you go back to your apartment, you will be dead by Tuesday."
Clara backed away, her breathing shallow. "Because of you. Because you dragged me out to a diner!"
"Yes!" Julian roared, closing the distance between them. He stopped inches from her, his chest heaving. He looked down at her, the anger in his eyes slowly melting into a dark, possessive guilt. "Because of me. I was arrogant. I wanted you near me, and I put a target on your back. And now, I will burn this entire city to the ground before I let them touch a single hair on your head."
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Clara stared up at him, her heart pounding. The way he looked at her wasn't just protective. It was an obsession.
"Victor will show you to your room," Julian whispered, stepping back. "Lock the door. Try to sleep."
