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Chapter Sixteen
Splendor Orchard Farm, Bunkie, Louisiana...
“This is turning into a bad habit, Marino, and you know the saying about habits, don’t you?” Aria grumbled irritably as she came upon the mafioso lurking around the farmyard again.
“Can’t say that I do, but knowing you, I’m sure you’re about to lecture me to death.” Marino leaned against the large oak tree as he chewed lazily on a piece of grass. The pilot sunglasses shaded his eyes from her cold glare.
“Good habits are the key to all success, whereas bad habits unlock the doors to failure. I suggest you aim for the first, and maybe one day you will find peace and happiness within.” Aria kicked a pebble and watched it bounce into the trickling stream nearby. “You’re trespassing... again.” She pointed to his shoulder. “Didn’t you learn your lesson the last time?”
“You know the drill, Principessa. We have one purpose in the organization. To make things happen for the Don of the Sanchigo Mafia, or in this case, the Comare.”
“I’m not a piece of commodity to be logistically carted around, Marino. I suggest you beat it before I lose my temper and set the dogs loose.”
Straightening, he looked around. When there was no sign of the dogs, he relaxed but offered her a stern look. “I’m warning you. I see a dog charging at me, I’ll shoot him dead.”
“Be my guest, but that would just mean you signed your own death warrant. You’re not welcome here, so vaffanculo!”
“Still as eloquent as ever, I see.” Marino chuckled. His eyes drifted over the horizon. “I can see the attraction this place has for you. Maybe one day, very far in the future, I’ll retire on a Southern American farm.”
“Dream on. Men like you waste your time dreaming of one day. It’ll never come. You’ll be pushing up daisies before you’re fifty, mark my words.”
“Si, you may be right, but it’s not going to be because I failed to bring you to the Comare.” He smiled widely. “Your chariot awaits, Principessa.”
Aria frowned as she followed his eyes to find a black van approaching at a high rate of speed. Situational alertness kicked in as a dose of adrenaline engulfed her veins.
“You just made a big mistake, fuckface.” Releasing a shrill whistle, she could hear the dogs barking in response. She knew they were already running toward her. A smile flashed on her face. “I’m not going without a fight.” Wiggling her eyebrows, she took off at full speed, dashing in and out of the trees. “You gotta catch me first.”
Aria took comfort in the fact that she could see the two Malinois dogs charging toward her, even as Marino’s heavy tread sounded in her ears. She whistled again. “Come, Basta, Bette!” If she could avoid being run over or bundled into the van until they reached her, she would be safe. With no weapons, and even though she was a master in martial arts, she couldn’t fight off four heavily armed men.
“Aww, fuck!” her scream ended in a muted sigh as pain suddenly exploded in her head. The blow came out of nowhere. “No! I’m not...” Struggling to stay alert, she felt her legs give out. In the split second of not paying attention, a man jumped at her from behind a clump of trees.
Crack! A fist slammed into the side of her head.
“Jesus!” she cried as a flash of light, then purple dots occupied her vision. Dropping to her knees, it felt like her brain was bouncing back and forth inside her skull. Before she could recover, and with the angry barking of the dogs drawing closer, she was coldcocked with a weighted-knuckle glove.
“Get her into the van before those fucking dogs reach us.” Marino’s voice echoed inside her tormented brain. It was the leer of satisfaction on his face that dissolved into black as she gave in to the void of oblivion.
“Fucking cowardly assholes!” No one heard the furious shout that was restricted to her fogged mind. Knocking her out, then yanking a hood over her head, as if she didn’t know who they were, and throwing her into the back of the van, happened so quickly that no one was any the wiser since all the farm hands were having lunch. No one but her trusted Belgian Malinois’ saw a thing.
Goddammit, my head hurts! Aria reached up with trembling fingers to gingerly touch the right side of her face. Her cheekbone throbbed relentlessly. She wouldn’t be surprised if the bone was likely fractured from the brutal sucker punch she’d endured. The pain was excruciating, radiating outward in waves from the point of impact. She probed the tender, swollen flesh, wincing as even the slightest pressure made her see stars.
