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I waited for him to say something, but the silence stretched between us.

What was I supposed to tell him? That the man chased me through the woods, threatened my family, and coerced me into a confession and marriage?

“No, Sienna,” Kristoff hissed. “I have friends who can help. Maybe I can pull some strings with Interpol and⁠—”

“No,” I cut him off. “I’m done hiding.”

Silence lingered for a heartbeat or two.

“He’s a criminal,” he rasped. “Your mom and I want better for you.”

“If we think about it, I’m no better,” I said softly. “I put him behind bars.”

Kristoff let out a sardonic breath.

“Maybe you did it out of spite, but that man deserves to be locked up. He’s a mobster.” I swallowed, staring at nothing. “You cannot be sure he wasn’t behind your kidnapping.”

“I am absolutely sure he had nothing to do with it.”

I never told Kristoff that it was his cousin, Sophie, who admitted it was her ex-boyfriend’s lunatic wife who had me kidnapped and tortured. It would have put a wedge between them, and I didn’t want that.

“Is he blackmailing you?” he asked.

“No,” I lied, because there was no point in telling him the truth.

“When did he find you? Why didn’t you call? I would have gotten you out of there.”

“It happened fast.” That wasn’t a lie.

“Sienna, your mom and I want better for you. Please let me help you.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, emotions squeezing my chest.

“I always liked Tyran,” I started slowly, then let out a scoff. “I might have even been falling for him before…”

I trailed off, still finding it impossible to talk about it.

“Before your kidnapping?”

“Yeah.”

Silence dominated the line for several heartbeats. “So there was something between you two in the beginning?”

“Not really. He kept saying I was too young and that I didn’t belong in his world.”

“And of course you didn’t listen.”

My stepfather knew me well. “No, I didn’t. Instead, I kept stalking him.”

“Jesus, Sienna. Why?”

I let out a dry chuckle. “Maybe every rejection from him tempted me and I bit into the challenge.”

“I don’t believe that.”

Neither did I, but honestly, why couldn’t I walk away from Tyran after that first kiss? Yes, it was a kiss that literally stole my breath and ignited a fire that melted the rest of the world away. My soul caught on fire and seared into his, then refused to let go.

But then I was kidnapped.