Page 7 of Revenge of Sin

They’re going to get to me anyway.

I crawl out of bed and walk to the window, swiping angrily as tears continue to stream down my face.Thinking of being in his arms just mere days ago, feeling the butterflies dance before he made me come alive in the most intimate of ways.

The lights from the yachts twinkle in the distance.So close to freedom but so far… There has to be a way to get from this ivory tower they’re keeping me in to the casino below, and out to sea.Away from the man who once saved me, then made my world spark before learning he’d had a change of a heart due to a billion dollar offer.

If I could talkto Addie, she and her family could reach Massimo, they even have secure connections set up because of her father’s handling of his legal affairs.They could get me onto a ship, and far, far away from here.If I could somehow get a message out, I would have options.But of course the fuckers took my phone.Now, I just sit and wait for a fate that should make me tremble at the knees, unless I can find one opportunity out.

And that’s all it will take because the minute I see it, I’m gone.

I should have taken Sophia and Massimo’s suggestion to heart, and let him have his family relocate me, protect me in a different place, with a new name and new everything.They have the connections, but I wanted to stay in my own city, see my sister, and my future nieces and nephews.Who knows, now, maybe I’ve even brought trouble to their door.

Never again.If I’m lucky enough to escape I need to go far, far away from here.One loud rap on the door is all the warning I get before a tattooed soldier walks in, carefully opening the door before scanning the room.No doubt I’ll not get the advantage of surprise on anyone else walking through that door again.

He gestures to the bed.“Sit, while I deliver your tray.”

The curve of my lips is impossible to contain as I slowly make my way across the room.If Massimo hadn’t taken my pipe, this guy’s right, I may be tempted to use it again and make my way down the hallway just visible over his shoulder.

There’s no sense fighting when I don’t have the advantage though.Far better to refrain, wait until an opportunity presents itself, because no one’s perfect, even well-trained soldiers of the most notorious mafia families slip, and someone inevitably will.

And when they do, I’ll be ready.

I slide closer to the headboard and farther away from him, slipping my legs beneath my gown with my feet flat against the mattress, ready to leap if I get the chance.He places my food tray on the table and walks toward the bed, observing me closely while making the little hairs on the back of my neck that warn you of danger when it’s present stand right on end.

Self-preservation.

Papa and Delz taught us always to rely on and pay close attention to our internal instincts.We’ve been given the instinct to protect ourselves from pending danger, and this man looks like he could do a hell of a lot of damage in a very short amount of time.And something about his eyes sends a shiver right down my spine.

Well bring your best, asshole…

Instead of grabbing me, something all women are conditioned to expect in a situation like this, he keeps staring at me.And not in a leery sexual way.No, this is almost more intimidating and like a bolt of lightning, it registers.

He recognizes me.I can see it in his eyes, and the dollar signs it could bring before he even says a word.

“Well, what the hell do we have here?”he says, keeping his voice low while seemingly assessing the stroke of dumb luck he’s encountered in his boss’s home and probably wondering just how he can capitalize on the surprise windfall that’s landed within his reach.“Anna fucking Cassone.The woman everyone thought was dead, what do you know, very much alive and well.”

He waits without a care in the world, moments of silence passing while he probably contemplates how he’s going to get me out of here and into the hands of the Gallinis to get that billion-dollar reward himself.It’s a lot of money.Even if Vincenzo pays him well, I doubt he hands over a billion-dollar payday to his top soldiers much less this fuck who was sent to deliver a food tray.

As though reading my mind he sneers, leans forward, and runs his fingers through my hair.I cringe, drawing myself farther against the headboard.“Don’t touch me.”

He laughs.“Anna Cassone, I’m going to do much more than touch you.Your father is a bastard, his daughters are whores, and now you’re going to get what’s coming to you, little bitch.”

My heart beats rapidly as I keep my eyes focused on him, trying not to say a word or let my eyes wander to the six-foot-something shadow that’s walked into the room, stealth as a panther, and has made his way behind the man who suddenly leans in so close I can smell his foul breath permeating my senses and almost causing me to retch.

The beast has animal instincts too, feeling the dark-haired predator behind him, having enough self-preservation to know he’s about ready to come up against someone extremely dangerous.

His eyes widen and his head turns slightly, but it’s far too late for him.A strong pair of hands grasp him around the neck from behind, slowly squeezing so tight that it cuts off his air supply without much for delay.

My heart races with anxiety watching him squeeze, but something fleeting passes across Vincenzo’s face and he abruptly releases the man’s neck but keeps a firm grip on the back of his scruff.“Say you’re sorry, and fucking mean it,” he growls.

The man tries unsuccessfully to get garbled words out, but I know exactly what it feels like to try and talk after being half strangled to death by a strong massive set of hands.Lord knows Barcelo liked to see me turn a dark shade of blue.At least it always felt that way to me, squeezing until I almost couldn’t feel a thing at all.

That’s not getting him off the hook with Vincenzo though, who now has a Glock to the back of the guy’s head.“Last chance.”

This time, the man gets his words out on a croak.“I’m sorry.”

Vincenzo smacks him in the back of the head with the barrel of his gun.“Walk to the door,” he growls.Another dark-haired man who looks very much like Vincenzo takes the man off his hands as they reach it.I don’t miss the gun in his hand either, forcing the guy to do exactly as he says before closing the door.

Those dark eyes meet mine, but don’t stay there long before scanning every inch of my skin down the length of my neck, and over the length of my arms.“Did he hurt you?”