“We’d like to speak to her alone,” Madison said.

“I’m sorry,” Drake said. “I can’t allow that, not without her consent. You came here with a man who attacked her. She’s afraid for her life, and I’m handling her security.”

Madison’s gaze jumped to the bed. Elijah had already crossed the room and had taken her hand. Siena sat up in the bed, pillows supporting her back, but he could see she was sitting stiffly.

“Does it hurt, baby?” he asked softly. “You don’t have to sit to talk to them.” He glanced at the detectives. “The leopard injured her back as well.”

Siena’s free hand crept toward her face and the bandage there. He caught her wrist before she could cover the gauze with her palm. Deliberately he brought her wrist to his mouth, his gaze back on hers. She moistened her lips and then shook her head.

“You can do this, carino. This is Detective Madison and Detective Harrison. They would prefer to speak to you alone . . .”

She gasped and shook her head, her gaze jumping to his face and then to Drake’s. “Whatever you want to ask me, you can ask me in front of them,” she said.

Madison nodded. “Are you here of your own free will, Ms. Arnotto?”

“Please call me Siena,” she said. Her fingers bunched in the blanket. Elijah gently rubbed the back of her wrist and hand. “Yes,” she said in a low voice.

“Are you engaged to Paolo Riso?”

A small squeak of alarm emerged. She shrank deeper into the pillows and winced, her face going pale. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Did Paolo Riso assault you?” Harrison asked.

She turned her face away from the detectives. “I don’t want to talk about any of this anymore. My grandfather was murdered and I was attacked by a leopard. I just want to be left alone for a while.”

“We can put him in jail if you make a complaint,” Madison encouraged.

She shook her head. “Men like Paolo don’t stay in jail. I’m not giving any kind of a statement.”

“Are you planning on marrying Elijah Lospostos?” Harrison asked.

Elijah’s heart jumped in his chest. She had only to deny it and the detectives would be suspicious all over again.

“We haven’t finalized plans,” she dodged diplomatically, staring down at Elijah’s hand.

Drake had coached her and apparently considered every contingency. Elijah leaned into her and brushed a kiss along her temple. “Her grandfather just died. She’s mourning that loss and now has to cope with a leopard attack. It isn’t the best timing.”

Both detectives nodded their heads simultaneously. They stayed another ten minutes, asking Siena questions and coming back several times to the subject of whether or not she was there of her own free will. She insisted she was.