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I stop and scrub a hand down my face. Why is this innocent, perfect woman worried about me? I’m a goddamn monster, and I like it that way. I have no business doing what I did. No business with this curvy goddess of a woman. I should take her back. Maybe it would keep the hammer from dropping on Antonio–and itwilldrop. Once Constantine Larone realizes I’m the one who stole his prize daughter, he’ll come for Antonio, and he’ll want blood.
“I’m so fucked.” I put my hands on my waist and lean back, letting out a deep sigh.
She shifts, yanking down her skirt to cover her knees. “If you want my father to pay my ransom, you should probably take pictures or record me saying I’m alive and the time. He’ll want proof of life before he’ll pay you.”
I turn and face her.
She blinks several times as she takes me in. I’m a giant. I hit the gym every day to stay that way. When I put the hurt on some mafia asshole who thinks he can cross me and mine, I want him to tremble in fear and piss himself when he sees me coming for him. But when I see her lean back just a little, it makes me wish for the first time that I wasn’t so hulking. Then again, this is who I am. I’m the Butcher, and I can’t change that fact. I don’t want to. But what Idowant is to understand why the fuck I just kidnapped Bianca Larone, brought her to my safe house, and sat her on my bed.
I arch a brow. “Why aren’t you screaming for help?”
“What?” She darts her tongue out and wets her plump bottom lip.
I shrug. “Generally, when I have someone in my clutches”—I gesture toward her—“like you are now, they start screaming for someone to come save them. You’re not screaming. Why is that?”
Her light brows draw together as she thinks it over, then she lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “I guess it’s because I’m not scared.”
I never work off my back foot. I’m never at a loss for a clever quip or a knife in someone’s gut. But this time, this time I have no fucking clue what to say. She’s notscaredof me?Everyoneis scared of me. She must be lying.
“Are you trying to play mind games, Bianca?”
“Mind games?” She shakes her head. “You’ll have to talk to my dad if you want mind games. They’re his specialty.”
I step closer to her.
Her eyes widen a little, but she doesn’t lean away. Fuck, why does that please me on levels I didn’t even know existed?
“What’s your specialty, Bianca?” I look her over–the doe eyes, olive skin, delicate neck. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and also the most fragile. I could break her in my hands the same as snapping a twig. Fuck, that thought is sobering. I step back from her.
She cocks her head to the side as if she’s confused, but she answers, “I don’t have a specialty. I’m just supposed to look pretty, be obedient, and marry whoever my dad tells me to.” Her tone turns bitter as she goes.
“I take it that’s not what you want to be?”
“No.”
“Then what do you want?”
She swallows hard. “No one’s ever asked me that before. Well, no one except Angelica. But certainly not a man, and absolutely not my father. He doesn’t care what I want. Never has. Neither does Mom.” She finally drops her gaze, her eyes going to the wooden floor at my feet. “It’s because they don’t care. For so long, I hoped they did, but then I found out they wanted me to marry a Frangione.” She shakes her head slowly. “The cruelest family of all, the worst of the worst, and they’re going to sell me to them, to make me a brood mare for those horrible people.” She sniffles. “So if you demand a big ransom, they’ll pay it. They don’t want to mess up their deal with the Frangiones. You don’t have to hurt me or threaten them. It’ll be easy for you to get your money. Then they’ll marry me off like I said.”
This time when I step to her, I take the risk and reach out to stroke her cheek. “Over my dead fucking body.”
2
BIANCA
Slowly, he reaches his hand out. I think he’s expecting me to flinch away, but I don’t. Is he scared of me? His finger ever so gently strokes my cheek. I lean into his touch.
I can’t remember the last time someone touched me so softly. Not since my sister was married off and taken from my life. She was the only person who ever protected me. For some reason, everyone always thought I was the prized one out of the two of us. They were so wrong. My sister isn’t only beautiful, she's brave. I'm eleven months older than her, but it’s always her watching over me, not the other way around. I’d never been more scared than when she left.
Not even when this hulk of a man burst into my bedroom and scooped me up. I hadn’t even bothered to fight him. I knew it was pointless. I’d only end up getting hurt more. I’d also been a bit in shock. Especially when he was carrying me out and I saw some of my father’s men dead on the floor with their throats slashed. There had been so much blood, it soaked the rugs. He merely stepped over them or around the bodies as if it was no big deal.
Angelica would have fought. She would have kicked, scratched, and screamed at least. If she’d been there, she would have even thrown herself in front of me. She’s a protector, and I don’t know why, but as I stare up at the man hovering over me, I think he might be one too.
Even when he placed me into the trunk of the car, he did it with care. He could have tossed me right in without regard for my well-being. Nothing he’s done so far has given me a reason to truly fear him. I turn my head, his finger catching the corner of my mouth. He leaps backward. I swear the house shakes as he lands on his feet.
“Don’t do that.” He grits his teeth together. I’m not sure if he’s fascinated by me or annoyed. His eyes linger on me. They have been since he placed me on the bed. I noticed him trying not to look my way but failing.
Angelica often joked that I was a siren. That I drew everyone's eyes toward me. I hadn’t noticed until she pointed it out. She was right, and I hated it. The feeling of having my father’s men always looking at me creeped me out. It had gotten worse after Angelica was gone, but they’d thankfully kept their distance. I’m not sure if it was in fear of my father or my future husband. What I do know is that if I didn’t show up a virgin there would be hell to pay.
