Thirty One.

I pull back from our kiss, licking my swollen lips and I gaze into his eyes. "I have to go," I mumble breathlessly.

"I'll come with you." He smiles as he raises my hand and kisses it.

I look at him with a perplexed expression on my face. I have been under his employment for two days now and I'm beginning to wonder if this is why he goes through so many P.A's.

Is he courting me solely for the purpose of sleeping with me?

Bitterness manifests itself as goosebumps along my skin. My son's father is a womaniser, and that fact bothers me.

"Why? You have no idea where I'm going."

He locks his gaze on me for an eternity before letting out a soft chuckle.

"I just want to be sure you'll be safe. You still haven't told me who that man was?" He says intensely.

"That's because there is nothing to tell."

"I beg to differ. Upon my arrival you were a frenzied wreck, chasing after the man that left your apartment and when you believed I was here solely to fire you.." He pauses, rubbing the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip. "You panic more, retrieving your things and requesting that I leave."

"We don't all live in a fairytale, Mr Burak. Meaning, we all have hidden secrets that are screaming to escape and sometimes you just have to pick your battles wisely to keep those secrets hidden." I feel the need to remind him that the world is still filled with ordinary people who have demons lurking in the shadows.

"I dont think-"

"I agree, this was a mistake." I quickly cut him off and watch as fine lines etch deeply into his flawless complexion.

I'm well aware that those were not the words he was about to utter. But, they should have been, which is why I uttered them for him.

"No need to worry, Mr Burak. When I arrive at work tomorrow, I'll pretend none of this ever happened." I inform him, maintaining a firm and steady tone in my voice.

His face gradually changes from lust to stone, and I immediately recognise that I have struck a nerve.

I turn away from him before he can say anything to convince me to stay and discreetly stroll down the corridor, praying he does not follow.

I stand outside of the mansion, looking through the bars of the iron fence as I wait for one of Trent's goons to let me in.

I clutch the bars tenaciously, my knuckles rapidly becoming a ghastly shade of white. And as I glare up at the one place I refer to as my hellhole, butterflies evolve in the pit of my stomach, making me nauseous.

My breathing becomes shallow, and I close my eyes, trying to remind myself why I have come here in the first place, knowing what can happen if Trent gets his hands on me.

I have to warn Ace.

I have to give him a sugar-coated version of what's going on and I have to try and convince him to give Sandro to me.

Taking Sandro outside of the mansion without Aces authorization will be impossible. Especially since Trent has his goons posted everywhere.

And telling Ace that I know who Sandros biological father is could result in my death and possibly Sandros out of spite.

My hands begin to tremble significantly as I gaze down at them. The fearful sensation of not knowing how he will react is the most frightening.

Is he going to lash out, maintaining Sandro's separation from me?

Or,

will he lose his mind and retaliate on the Esposito's, plunging us into an entirely new level of chaos?

"Mila, you're pretty ballsy for showing up knowing the shit you caused around here before you cowardly ran away." Jacob opens the gate and I glare into his eyes as I brush past him.

"I didn't exactly run away and I never caused shit. It was Trent." I reply defensively as I continue walking towards the mansion.

He wraps his hand around my upper arm bringing me to a halt. "You know you can't talk about him that way. If he finds out that you've stepped foot within those walls and you haven't stuck around to see him, he will-"

"I dont plan on sticking around here longer than I need to. I've come to see my son." I hiss, shaking his hand off me.

"Well, that's unfortunate." He scoffs.

Fear licks my skin.

"What do you mean, that's unfortunate.?" My voice quivers.

"Ace didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Tears begin to brim my eyes and my heart slowly plunges into my stomach.

"They're not here. By Trent's orders, Ace and your son were shipped away to one of the safe houses." He explains with a scowl on his face.

"No, he never told me! Neither did Castello when I saw him not long ago." I cry out. "I'm doing everything they are asking of me!!" I violently wipe away my tears.

Tears haven't saved me in the past and I doubt they'll start now. "Where are the Esposito bastards?" I hiss.

"They're on their way back from having a meeting with the Russians. Don't tell me you're gonna sit around and wait for them to return?" He regards me with curious eyes.

"You bet your sorry fucking arse I am." I march towards the house with my hands clenched at my sides.

I want to fall to my knees and let out a gut-wrenching scream that would make a banshee look like a sulking baby.

But I refuse to let myself crumble in front of these bastards and on shaking limbs, I will myself to stand strong as I concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.

"You must have a death wish!" I faintly hear Jacob call out as the sound of my pounding heart drowns him out.

"No one ships my son away without my knowledge or fucking permission!" I mutter under my breath. "You fucking bastards will all burn in hell if anything happens to him!"