My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 199

Chapter 199

Gianna

“Going somewhere?”

I froze, my heart dropping into my stomach. I slowly turned my head, my hands still gripping the top of the wall.

Silvio was standing there, leaning against the trunk of the tree I had been planning to use as my escape route.

His dark eyes fixed on the purple bruise blooming across my cheek.

“It’s a little late for a jog, don’t you think?”

I stayed frozen on top of the wall, my fingers digging into the cold stone until my knuckles turned white. My legs were dangling over the edge, halfway to freedom, but my body wouldn’t move.

Silvio didn’t look angry, he just looked bored, which was somehow much worse. He took a slow drag of his cigarette, the tip glowing like a small, angry eye in the dark.

“I’m… I’m just getting some air,” I managed to say.

“If you’re planning on sneaking out, this is definitely not the right way to do it,” he said. He flicked the ash from his cigarette, stepping closer to the base of the wall, “Actually, it’s probably the most painful way you could have picked.”

“What are you talking about?” I whispered.

“Well,” I muttered, “when you put it like that—”

“You’re my fucking hero, Gianna,” he cut me off, his eyes bright with wonder and a hint of mischief. “I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never seen anyone flip so many birds to this family in the span of twenty-four hours. You’re either the bravest person I know or you’re actually insane.”

He tossed his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it with his boot, a grin spreading across his face.

“Get down from there before the thermal cameras pick up your heat signature and the snipers in the west tower get curious,” he said, reaching up to help me. “If you’re going to do this, you’re going to do it right. You can’t be getting caught by a basic perimeter fence. It’s embarrassing after everything you’ve pulled so far.”

I slid down the wall, landing unsteadily on my feet. I looked at him, confused, “What are you doing?”