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"Is this how you treat your guests?" I ask, through gritted teeth. "What will your mafioso say when they learn this is how you've treated an innocent woman?"
"You don't look too innocent to me," he says, giving me a lecherous smile as his eyes go toward my breasts, exposed from the haphazard way I wore my dress. "And who will ever find out?"
"I'll tell Stefano," I mutter. "If you do anything, I'll tell him, I swear."
"We'll see about that," he says, his finger now on my cleavage, going lower.
His touch burns like acid, suffocating and degrading. I beat at his arms, claw at his face, but nothing deters him. He is going to take what he wants, and there's nothing I can do to stop him.
Panic overwhelms me as his hands roam freely over my body. I can't breathe, can't think - all I feel is terror and violation. The walls seem to close in around me, darkness clouding my vision. I'm drowning, suffocating, dying.
Somewhere in the distance, I hear a familiar shout. A voice, calling out for me.
Stefano.
Stefano's cry jars me back to myself. The Capo is distracted for just a second, but it's enough.
With a yell, I bring my knee up into his groin with all the force I can muster. He grunts in pain and stumbles back, grip loosening. I duck under his arm and sprint down the hall as fast as I can.
My heart pounds wildly in my chest as I race to my room. I slam the door behind me and throw the lock, gasping for breath. Leaning against the door, I strain to hear any sounds of pursuit over the rush of blood in my ears.
For several long, agonizing moments, all is silent. Then a roar of rage echoes through the hall, rattling the door against my back. I flinch away instinctively. A loud bang shakes the door in its frame, the Capo throwing his weight against the sturdy wood.
Panic and adrenaline surge through my veins. I look around frantically for something, anything to defend myself. My gaze lands on the heavy oak chair by my vanity. I grab it and wedge it under the door handle for good measure.
Another bang. The chair holds, but I know it won't last long against his fury. Fear coils in my gut like a venomous snake. I'm trapped. There's no escape, and when he gets in...
I shake my head fiercely, chasing the thought away. I can't think like that. I have to stay calm and alert, be ready to fight my way out of this.
The Capo lets out a string of angry curses, pounding on the door. "You can't hide in there forever! When I get my hands on you, you'll wish you were dead!"
I steel myself, taking a defensive stance and facing the door. You picked the wrong woman to mess with today. Finally, the banging stops. An eerie silence follows. I strain my ears but can't hear anything from the other side. Has he given up and left?
I don't dare hope for it. This is just another of his games, trying to lull me into a false sense of security. He wants me to lower my guard so he can strike when I least expect it.
Well, he'll be waiting a long time. I'm not falling for his tricks.
Exhaustion starts to creep up on me, but I push it away. I have to stay alert. As much as I want nothing more than to collapse into bed and forget this nightmare, I can't rest now. Not while that monster is on the loose.
My thoughts drift to Stefano in spite of myself. Is he looking for me, wondering where I've gone? Does he have any idea of the danger I'm in? I ache to see him, to feel his arms around me and hear his soothing voice. I could use his strength and courage right now.
But I can't depend on anyone else. I'm on my own here, and it's up to me to survive this.
I've already proven that I can hold my own against the Capo once. I just have to do it again...and again, for as long as it takes. He'll have to kill me before I give in to him.
I straighten, determination burning away the fatigue. Let him come. I'm ready. All I need to do is practice all the self-defence I've learned over the years.
In this very moment, I thank my father for forcing me to take those karate lessons as a kid.
Chapter 22
Stefano
Myeyessnapopenat the first light of dawn. The remnants of our picnic from last night litter the garden, but Isabella is nowhere to be seen.
Fear grips my heart as I scramble to my feet, memories of making love to her under the stars flooding my mind.
Where has she gone? If anyone finds out and reports to the Capo that she's missing...
