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I studied his every move, cognizant of my body’s treacherous reaction to him. I loathed the fact I was just as aroused by him as I’d been at the bistro when he’d held the book in his hand. I thought about the powerful kiss and pressed my fingers to my lips, remembering the closeness, the warmth of his body spreading through me like a wildfire. A flush of embarrassment crawled up from my neck when I involuntarily pressed my fingers across my lips.
My God. What was I doing?
The man was a killer, which was exactly what he’d do to me. This wasn’t some game of fantasy. This was real life, filled with irrefutable consequences.
Sadly, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
No, this was a game to him. That was something I needed to keep fresh in my mind. I was a strong girl, refusing to give into anyone’s bullshit. I could win this if I kept my head.
The moment he disappeared from my line of sight, I bolted toward the doorway, making it through without making a sound. I’d been right. The door led outside. It was still pitch black outside, which either meant he hadn’t taken me far or I’d been out for a full day, I didn’t care at this point. Getting away from him was the only thing on my mind.
I fumbled with the lock, holding my breath as I threw a glance over my shoulder. As soon as I turned the handle, I winced, hearing the single creak of the hinges. Then I wasted no time racing out the door into the night.
Tripping almost instantly, I tumbled down a set of stairs, hitting the ground with a hard thud. The wind knocked out of me, I gasped, clawing my way to a standing position, lumbering off. I made it at least six steps before he grabbed me, lifting me off my feet, crushing me against him so tightly I could no longer breathe.
“That wasn’t very nice of you. You disobeyed me again,” he half whispered. “You will be punished.” The promise scared me to death. He dragged me backward and up the stairs and into the house, immediately turning me around to face him after closing the door.
His expression was entirely different than before, the darkness in his eyes raw and possessive, angry yet the hunger burning in his system was more powerful than anything else. The lion inside of him had claimed his prey, but the man held the ownership papers.
I was momentarily mesmerized by him, the exotic, woodsy scent filtering into my nostrils, slip-sliding all the way down to my toes. When he smiled, another chill coursed through me. Whatever he had in mind would lead to an additional nightmare.
“You are a beautiful woman, Sierra. You’re also more courageous than I’d anticipated.”
“You were hoping for a pushover?”
Smirking, he rubbed his knuckles down the side of my face, the touch far too intimate. I jerked my head away, which clearly angered him, but the betrayal of my body continued, the scent of my desire floating between us.
He confirmed my suspicions by taking a deep breath, holding it in his lungs for several seconds before exhaling. “It’s going to be such a pleasure to take all of you, following through with the temptations we both experienced.”
“You’re crazy,” I whispered, shifting my body to try to gain some space. The only thing I accomplished was creating friction between us, his cock throbbing into my stomach. Vile thoughts slipped into my mind that I quickly shoved aside. I couldn’t think about him as anything but a horrible beast, a stalker turned killer. “Tell me why the hell you kidnapped me.”
He laughed as he released his hold, but I knew better than to try to get away from him. “Be careful what you ask for, Sierra. The truth is ugly, demanding, and will change your world including all your beliefs.”
“Try me. It couldn’t be any worse than being kidnapped by the likes of you. That is, if a man like you has any intention of telling me the truth.”
Alessandro’s eyes shimmered in the ugly fluorescent light, his voluptuous lips making it impossible to concentrate. “The truth is often what destroys us. As you’ve likely suspected, I run a very powerful mafia organization in New York. My family and I don’t take kindly to anyone who doesn’t play by our rules or chooses to enter into an adversarial scenario.”
“That means you kill them in cold blood. What does your illustrious job description have to do with me? I’ve never been to New York and now I know why I never bothered. There’s too much trash located in the city.” The mafia? I had been right about his identity. He was a killer, a horrible man who’d done inexplicable things. Unforgiving. Savage.
His smile made me sick inside. When he laughed, a cold sweat broke out across the back of my neck. He was enjoying every minute of toying with me. “How much did you know about your fiancé?”
“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean? My sweet kitten. What a shame to crack your glass house. Tristen Bradford worked for me. And before you ask, I’ll answer the question floating inside that beautiful mind of yours. Yes, he was a brutal man, capable of violence.”
“I don’t understand.” I could barely speak, my mind filled with ugly thoughts, wretched images. “That’s not true. That’s just…”
He chuckled as he’d done so many times before. “I’m afraid it is.”
He was taunting me. He had to be.
Remember…My inner voice was trying to connect the dots.
“What does it matter? He’s dead. Someone killed him.”
When he cocked his head, it seemed all time stood still, the air in the room sucked out. The moment he answered, I was forced to accept I’d lived a lie.
“I haven’t had the pleasure of acting on his required punishment. But I will.”
