Trapped by Seven Mafia Wolves novel Chapter 40

**Just Yell**

**Jace’s POV**

I lift my hand and tap my knuckles against her door, the sound reverberating through the stillness of the hallway like a distant echo. The silence that follows wraps around me, thick and suffocating, filling the air with an oppressive weight. Frustration gnaws at my insides, and I realize I can’t remain in this limbo any longer. With a determined push, I swing the door open, the creaking hinges sounding like a warning bell.

There she is, perched on the edge of her bed, her shoulders hunched and defeated, as if the weight of the world rests on them. Her eyes widen in alarm, darting toward me, filled with a terror that makes me feel like a monster emerging from the shadows.

Her wrist, tightly bandaged, is pressed protectively against her chest, as if she’s trying to shield it from my view. The sight sends a chill racing down my spine, a cold wave of dread washing over me.

“Hey,” I manage to say, my voice flat and lacking warmth as I step into the room. “What the hell happened to your wrist?” My heart begins to race, a mix of worry and anger swirling within me. She flinches, drawing herself inward, as if she wishes to vanish altogether.

“I asked you a question,” I press, my tone sharper than I had intended, the urgency of the moment amplifying my frustration.

“I-I’m fine,” she stammers, her voice barely rising above a whisper, a feeble attempt to brush off my concern as if it were a mere nuisance.

“That’s not an answer.” I take a step closer, my heart pounding in my chest like a war drum. “Did Nico do something to you? Was it from earlier?” My mind races with dark possibilities, each one more sinister than the last. She shakes her head, her gaze still averted, avoiding my eyes as if they were a source of unbearable heat.

“Then where did the damn blood come from?” My voice rises, frustration spilling over like an overflowing cup. “Don’t lie to me.”

Her fingers tremble visibly, delicate and fragile, and still, she won’t meet my gaze. Something inside me snaps, fraying at the edges of my composure. “Why won’t you just say it?! I’m trying to help!”

“I SAID I’M FINE!” The scream erupts from her, shattering the fragile silence like glass breaking against concrete, leaving shards of tension in the air.

I freeze, momentarily taken aback by the raw intensity of her voice.

The entire house seems to hold its breath, time stretching into an unbearable silence that feels almost tangible. She stands now, tears streaming down her cheeks, her hands clenched tightly at her sides, trembling like a leaf caught in a fierce storm. “Stop yelling at me! Stop cornering me like I’m some problem you have to fix!” Her voice quakes, filled with a potent mix of fear and defiance.

“SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!” Her desperate words ricochet off the walls, filling the space with a haunting echo that makes my heart ache.

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