chapter 31

—Ellie—

Over the next couple of days, Tristan kept his distance. We didn’t go on runs, and Kate or one of his brothers brought me food. The look in his eyes when I’d screamed in the basement, it was difficult to describe, but I knew for some reason it had bothered him. Damian had informed me this morning that Mateo was back in Minneapolis. I believed him. Tristan had promised and despite my difficult feelings toward the Don, I knew he’d keep this promise. I also knew that Mateo and my family were suffering every day I was here.

Damian treated me even colder than before—if that was even possible. I had a feeling things between Tristan and him were strained because of Mateo. Damian probably would have killed my cousin. It was the obvious solution, the one Salvador would have chosen. But Tristan ... he was unpredictable. Cruel. Fierce.

I didn’t understand him. If he’d tortured and killed Mateo, I would have hated him with brutal abandon, woul