AllFreeNovel
Share Us
8
ROCCO
This was certainly not how I wanted to do this. I didn’t want to forcibly take Allegra, but I also didn’t want her to get caught by Ricardo instead. He wouldn’t just kidnap her, he might do worse, and I couldn’t allow that. I’d lied to Allegra when I said I was out with Ricardo. In fact, I’d come out by myself, hearing that Martina Russo was out and about. I knew she was pretty close to Allegra, and I urged her to call her, ask her to come down. My mission, for once, wasn’t babysitting Ricardo. It was kidnapping Allegra Rossi. I felt awful about drugging her drink, but I didn’t know how to get her out without everyone noticing. It wasn’t like we were exactly friends.
She’d only be out for a couple of hours, so I took her to my car, placing her in the backseat. Martina was standing outside, leaned against the brick. “Allegra?” she called, stumbling over, and I cursed inwardly.
“I’m just making sure she gets home okay,” I said, trying my best to give Martina a charming smile.
Luckily, she was too drunk to question me. “Okay,” she said, and then her unfocused eyes turned when someone called out to her. She ran up to a man walking down the street, jumping up into his arms.
I let out a sigh of relief and managed to get Allegra into the backseat, driving off toward upstate New York, where I planned to stay in a few safehouses until I heard word from Ricardo.Job’s done, I texted him just before I took off, hitting the interstate after getting out of the traffic of downtown. She was sleeping peacefully, face down on the backseat. It wasn’t very safe, I supposed, but it was the only way I could figure out. Allegra wasn’t receptive to my words, and I couldn’t keep my head together long enough to sweet-talk her. Not that it would have helped any. I knew Allegra, and I knew she wouldn’t have gotten in my car willingly no matter what I said.
I made it two hours north before Allegra woke up and kicked me in the back of the head. I swerved the car, pulling off on the side of the road, yelping. “Allegra, hold on,” I said, but she was scrambling out of the backseat and running down the road. I groaned and ran after her, sweeping her up into my arms. She kicked and screamed and clawed at me, but I calmly took her back to the car. “We’re two hours out of town,” I told her.
“Did you…did youkidnapme?” she screeched, still kicking and fighting me.
I wrestled her back into the backseat, pinning her arms above my head, and her eyes met mine. I thought something might have passed between us, but instead, Allegra kicked me far too close to the testicles for comfort. “Stop,” I ordered, but she wasn’t listening.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she demanded. “What, you were jealous and so you justdruggedme and took me?”
I sighed, still pinning her wrists with one hand as she wriggled under me. “I’m doing this for a job,” I said. “Ricardo wants you out of town, so I’m getting you out of town.”
Allegra froze. “Why does he want me out of town? I’m only—”
“Only the heir of the Rossi business,” I pointed out. “Ricardo isn’t stupid, Allegra.”
“If he’s planning on hurting my father—”
“I don’t know what he’s planning,” I lied. “All I know is that he wanted you out of the way, and I do what I’m paid to do.”
She scoffed. “I doubt it’s Ricardo who’s paying you. What does Enzo have planned?” At least she’d stopped fighting, her face pale.
I worried she might get sick so I let her loose, and she tackled me, trying to climb out the window. “Jesus Christ, Allegra, I don’tknow. I’m just doing my job,” I argued weakly, pinning her wrists again. “And you don’t even know where you are. You can’t run all the way back home, and I’ve already ditched your purse and your phone.”
“Fucker,” she spat, but her voice was getting weaker, her eyelids sliding closed. ThankGod. Allegra was a hellcat and I’d have marks on my forearms for days.
When she finally passed back out, I made my way to the first safehouse, carrying her inside. She woke slightly, mumbling and pressing her face into my chest, and it made my heart ache. It was so much like it used to be, but now she hated my guts. She had a good reason, at least. I put her down on the bed, not bothering to undress her and trying not to look at the long lines of her thighs. What had she been thinking, anyway, going out without a chaperone?
I huffed out a breath, going to the bathroom to wash the blood off my forearms, and when I returned, Allegra was stirring, slowly sitting up on the bed. “Are you going to kill me?” she asked in a weak, hoarse voice
I blinked at her, shocked. “No, of course not,” I said quickly. “I would never hurt you. I just needed to get you out of town.”
“Because of Ricardo Gallo,” she said, and I didn’t answer. She knew who I worked for. “They wanted me out of the way to take my father down,” she muttered.
“You’re jumping to conclusions, Allegra,” I said, although I didn’t think she was. Ricardo was definitely gunning for Romeo Rossi, but I didn’t want her trying to escape again. I’m a big guy and pretty strong, but Allegra still did a number on me.
“I know what he’s up to,” she growled. “He knocked over one of our laundromats and now he’s had me kidnapped?” She paused. “It doesn’t matter. He’s no match for my father.”
I nodded, agreeing. I didn’t think Ricardo would get anywhere with taking down Romeo, not without his father’s help, but I didn’t want Allegra caught in the crossfire. “No matter what happens, you’ll be safe here. With me.”
“I’m going back home,” she said firmly, standing up and swaying on her feet. I went toward her and she held her hands up in defense, as if she was going to punch me. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
“I’m sorry,stellina,” I said again, and I really was. I didn’t want to be here any more than she did, hadn’t wanted to do this job, but I was the only one who could protect her.
“And don’t call me that,” she snapped, sitting back down on the bed and putting her head in her hands. “Jesus, what did you give me?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t exactly know what it was, only that Ricardo said it would knock out a buffalo. I hadn’t even put all of it in her drink, not wanting to overdo it. I really didn’t want Allegra hurt, and this was the only way I could think to get her safe. “I just wanted you safe,” I said.
