ABSOLUTE INSANITY: A forbidden bond-Chapter 183: Just trying to help

Chapter 183

ROMEO POV

I walked out before I said something I couldn’t take back. The corridor swallowed me whole, the heavy door clicking shut behind my back like a final judgment.

My strides were long, eating up the floor and shadow as I headed straight for my office. The house felt different when I moved through it like this—too quiet, too aware of me.

By the time I reached my office, my jaw ached from how tightly it was clenched.

I shut the door and crossed the room in three steps, dropping into the leather chair behind my desk like it had personally offended me.

The wood creaked softly under my weight. I didn’t care. I dragged a cigarette from the case, stuck it between my lips, and lit it with a flick that was sharper than necessary.

The first drag burned my lungs. I welcomed it. "What the fuck," I muttered, smoke curling from my mouth.

All I wanted was to help.

The thought came unbidden, ugly and raw, and it pissed me off more than anything else. I leaned back, staring up at the ceiling as smoke stained the air.

I had walked into that room calmly. Carefully. I hadn’t raised my voice. I hadn’t touched her. I’d knelt—knelt—like a fool, trying not to spook a girl who looked like she’d shatter if someone breathed too hard.

And somehow, that made me the villain.

Nonna’s words replayed in my head, sharp as broken glass. Haven’t you done enough?

My grip tightened on the armrest.

Of all people, she should have understood. Nonna had seen what this house did to the weak.

She’d been the one to teach me that fear was a weapon, that power had consequences. And yet she’d looked at me like I was a monster.

Kicked me out of my own damn room like I was the threat. I took another drag, longer this time, letting the smoke cloud my thoughts instead of clearing them.

Didn’t work.

Katya’s face flashed behind my eyes anyway—pressed into stone, hands raised, eyes too wide, too empty. Like she was bracing for a blow that would never come.

Traumatized. That was the word everyone would use.

And fine. He could accept that.

He did accept that.

But Nonna—Nonna should’ve known I wasn’t trying to hurt her. Should’ve known I was trying to... trying to what?

My fingers came up, raking hard through my hair. "Christ," I muttered.

Why did it matter so much?

I straightened slightly, irritation shifting into something colder, sharper. Katya was still his enemy’s daughter.

Blood didn’t lie. Her father had bled people dry and smiled while doing it. She came from that.

Didn’t she?

And yet...She hadn’t been treated like a princess in his house. That much was obvious. No softness clung to her. No entitlement. Just fear layered on fear, stitched into her bones.

That wasn’t learned overnight. I exhaled hard, smoke spilling out as my knuckles tapped against the desk once.

Then again.

Why do I even care?The question echoed relentless.

I didn’t care about my enemies. I didn’t care about collateral damage. I sure as hell didn’t care about the emotional scars of an enemy’s child.

So why had her flinch felt like a knife under my ribs?

Why had the way she’d looked at me—like I was both executioner and last chance—made my chest tighten instead of harden?

I crushed the cigarette out halfway down, far earlier than usual, the ash smearing dark against the tray.

"What the fuck is wrong with me," I muttered, scrubbing a hand over my face.

This wasn’t strategy. This wasn’t power. This was distraction.

And distraction got people killed.

I leaned forward, elbows on the desk, staring at nothing as the office filled with smoke and silence.

God I needed something to do. I picked up my phone. The screen lit up my palm in the dim office, casting harsh light over the mess in my head.

I hit one contact.

"Antonio," I said the moment the line connected. My voice was flat. Controlled. "Get to my office. Now."

I ended the call before he could respond. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

The silence rushed back in immediately, heavier this time. I leaned back in my chair, jaw tight, eyes fixed on the door like it had personally betrayed me.

Get it together.

This was business. This was structure. This was the world I understood.

I reached for another cigarette, then stopped myself halfway. I should burn my lungs because of them.

Instead, I drummed my fingers against the desk—once, twice, again—until the tension crawled up my arms.

A knock sounded less than a minute later.

"Come in."

Antonio entered without ceremony, closing the door behind him. He took one look at my face and straightened slightly.

"You called," he said.

"Sit." He did, across from my desk, posture alert. Waiting.

I didn’t bother easing into it. "Status," I said flatly. "Marina’s father."

Antonio didn’t blink. He already knew what I was asking—just not how much it mattered to me in this exact second.

"There was a car accident earlier today," he said. "multiple vehicle. No survivors. Identification confirmed an hour ago."

Dead.

The word settled in my chest with a satisfying weight.

Good.

I leaned back in my chair slowly, fingers steepled in front of my mouth. The tension that had been coiled tight inside me loosened just a fraction.

So that Chapter was closed.

No more shadows pulling Marina’s strings. No more safety net masquerading as a father’s protection.

Now she was just Marina.

And I could deal with her properly.

"Good," I said aloud, my tone unreadable. In my head, gears were already shifting, recalculating power, leverage, consequences.

Antonio waited. He always did.

"Next," I said. "Marina. And the maid."

"The maid is barely alive. She’s extremely weak. Lost a lot of blood. Doctor stabilized her, but she won’t be conscious for a day or two." he reported

I nodded once. That was enough.

"And Marina?"

Antonio exhaled through his nose. "She’s in the basement holding room. Very much awake. Very loud."

Of course she was.

"She’s been demanding to see you," he continued. "Hasn’t stopped since she was brought in. Threats. Screaming. Claims this is all a misunderstanding. Says you’re making a mistake."

I huffed a humorless breath, leaning forward again, elbows on the desk.

"She always did have a talent for noise," I leaned back, fingers tapping once against the armrest already planning on my next move.

†††

Merry Christmas

2 more Chapters coming