AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Knowing someone must’ve heard me, I try to ignore the pain and dart to my feet. Holding my right hand to my chest, I run across the lawn toward the boundary wall, but I have no idea how I’m going to climb it.
Suddenly something plows into my back, and I slam into the perfect green lawn. An excruciating sharp pain shoots through my arm. It’s so intense that my vision blurs, and a wave of nausea hits, making my body feel feverishly hot all over.
The weight gets off me, then I’m grabbed by my wounded arm and yanked up. An agonizing cry rips from me.
I’m dragged back to the house by a guard, where the heads of the Cosa Nostra are gathering, all looking at me with anger.
Mr. Greco stalks toward us, and when he raises his arm to hit me, I instinctively duck away. The guard yanks me back, causing more pain to engulf my arm.
Before I can let out a cry, a fist connects with my face. I sway on my feet. The only thing keeping me standing is the guard.
“What’s going on?” I hear Alissa’s worried voice, then she shrieks, “What are you doing to Rosalie? Let go of her!”
“Go back to your party,” Mr. Perisi snaps at his daughter.
“No,” she argues. “What the hell is going on here?”
My vision comes back, and I turn a pleading gaze to Alissa. “H-help me.”
Her face is torn with shock, but when she tries to take a step in my direction, her father grabs hold of her and shoves her back inside the house. “Don’t test my patience, Alissa. This is business. Go back to your friends.”
“Daddy,” she gasps. “Rosalie is my friend.”
“Go, Alissa,” Mr. Parisi shouts at her.
“No!” she screams back, and it’s so convincing, I’m starting to think Alissa is just as shocked as I am, and she never had anything to do with this.
Maybe she’s just as in the dark about her family’s business as I was about mine.
“They’re going to make me marry, Mr. Greco,” I tell her, my voice hoarse and pleading. “I didn’t know what my family did.”
“Enough,” Mr. Parisi roars. He points at me. “Alessandro, get the girl back to the room and make sure one of the guards seals all the windows so she can’t try to escape again.”
“Yes, boss,” the guard answers, then he grabs hold of my shoulders and forces me to walk past everyone.
Alissa tries to reach for me, but her father holds her back, which has her crying, “This isn’t right, Daddy.”
Out of desperation, I shout, “Alissa, call Viktor. Tell him what’s happening.”
“Shut up,” Mr. Greco snaps before slapping me against the back of my head.
A dizzy wave hits me before I’m overwhelmed by a wave of nausea again. This time I gag, but nothing comes out.
Shit, I think I have a concussion.
I’m dragged up the stairs and shoved back into the bedroom.
Mr. Greco follows us inside, then orders, “I’ll stay with the woman while you get something to seal the window.”
The door shuts behind the guard, and as another wave of dizziness hits, Mr. Greco yanks me to his body.
He locks eyes with me, then grins cruelly. “I don’t think anyone will mind if I sample my bride-to-be.”
“D-do–” I don’t manage to finish the word as everything goes black.
The morning light is bright when I come to, and it takes a moment for my sight to adjust.
My head is pounding so badly, my eyes start to water. When I try to move, my right arm comes alive with searing pain.
