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Seeing him for the first time without a mask, since he was sixteen, was a shock in itself. He no longer had the boyish features, floppy brown hair and wannabe dangerous, rockstar vibe. He was all man now. Pounds of hard, beautiful muscle filled out his mouth-watering physique and his brown hair was cropped, showing off the striking symmetry of his chiselled, stunning face. He was no longer pretending to look the part. He was the part. All power, danger and oozing masculinity without even trying. But those eyes were the same. Enchanting with the ability to hypnotise. Except now, there was an unholy gleam in them. One that warned you he would laugh in your face while tearing out your heart, and he would enjoy it.
I moved my gaze to my surroundings and realised I was on a luxurious, private plane much like the ones my family own. I closed my eyes and mumbled, “Just sedate me again. I don’t want to be awake.”
A low, sexy chuckle forced my thighs together and I refused to open my eyes and look at him. This wasn’t the man I thought he was. The man I had been getting to know the past week was an illusion. Panther didn’t exist. Only the ruthless mafia leader, Alessio Barbieri, my family’s enemy did. The man who tried to kidnap Olivia but got stuck with me. He wanted to harm my family. Destroy my brother. No, Panther couldn’t exist to me. Ever again.
“Where would be the fun in that? You are far more entertaining awake,” he replied and my nostrils flared. At least he had no idea who I was to him. He had no idea I was Flora. I could save some of my dignity while being held as his captive.
Forcing myself up to a sitting position, I glanced out the small window, only to see the blinding whiteness of clouds. Peering over my shoulder, I noticed two large men wearing all black with matching sunglasses sitting at the back of the plane. Guns were tucked into their belts and visibly on display as a warning I presumed. Apart from them, it was just him and I. I could feel his penetrating gaze on me as I turned back around and found him smirking, amusement flashing through his eyes.
“Where are we going?” I asked, refusing to look away or cower under his naked stare. It felt like he was stripping me of all my clothes with those diamond eyes.
“Sicily. To my home. But you already knew that. Didn’t you, Flora?” he replied calmly, raising his whiskey to his lips. My eyes dilated on that name and his twinkled with a mix of terrifying danger and desire. He knew. My mouth fell open to speak, but I closed it again when the air hostess appeared from behind a curtain with a tray of food, a glass of water and another glass of champagne.
“You must be hungry. Eat,” he ordered as she placed it down beside me. My stomach rumbled and my mouth suddenly felt parched. I picked up the glass of water and took large gulps, but I wasn’t about to thank him. He watched me like a hawk with that sadistic smile still plastered on his face. How? How did he know?
“So, you aren’t going to try and deny it?” he finally asked as the silence between us grew unbearable.
“What would be the point?” I snapped back, folding my arms across my chest. His gaze dipped down to my cleavage with predatory intent and I felt my body go up in flames. No. He would not affect me anymore. His nostrils flared and he licked his bottom lip with such deliciously slow accuracy that I felt my arousal grow between my legs. Damn this body of mine.
“So, what was the plan, Princess? You were sent to the club to see if the rumours were true? To gain proof that my family had broken the treaty?” he asked, his tone icy and unforgiving. He was mad. He was trying to hide it, but he was furious. I stared at him hard, confused by his words and then it all clicked. He thought I was at the club undercover? He thought it was all a set-up. I breathed in deeply as relief swept over me. Yes. That was so much better than him knowing the truth. Knowing the real reason I was there and that everything between us had been real. That I had actually liked him. That would be so much worse.
I lifted my chin and smiled, “What gave me away?”
“The fact you cut me off once you knew my name. I presume that was the proof your brother needed to go to the commission. I have to say, Princess. Well played. You had me fooled for a moment,” he rubbed his stubbled chin and tilted his head to the side. I couldn’t help but feel smug as shit. Even if what he was saying wasn’t true, I liked that I had affected him. Pissed him off.
“Grazie. It was one of my best performances to date,” I smirked and his eyes flashed with something savage.
In a blur, he was no longer in his seat but had invaded my personal space. One arm was gripping the armrest next to me and the other rested on the back of the chair behind my head, caging me in. His face was inches from mine and I shoved myself back into the cold leather cushion to try and create some distance, but there was none. His eyes bore into mine and I suddenly couldn’t breathe. My heart was pounding uncontrollably in my chest and the smell of mint, musky sandalwood and vanilla swarmed my senses.
“But here’s the thing, Princess. I don’t believe you. I don’t believe it was a performance at all. You can’t fake what happened between us in that club or what happened after. Do you know how I know?” he husked, his voice caressing my skin like a feather.
“No, but I am sure you are going to tell me,” I hissed back, trying my best to hide how much having him this close to me was turning me on. The throb between my legs was growing with every second and when he brushed the tip of his nose against mine, the alluring blue of his eyes crippling my senses, I melted completely.
“Because it is right here. Between us now. I know you can feel it, Elenora. Flora. Princess. You wanted this so badly that you let yourself be taken hostage for it. I always knew you were as dark and twisted as me,” he chuckled and my anger flared.
“I am nothing like you. You are sick! As if I would ever choose to be kidnapped!” I shouted, pressing the palms of my hands to his chest in a failed attempt to shove him away from me. That was a mistake. The impressive hardness of his pecs only spiked my arousal more, feeding his words. He smirked and his eyes became hooded with need when I couldn’t bring myself to remove my hands. I could feel the pounding of his heartbeat against my palm and it had paralyzed me with desire.
“Feel that. Only you can make my heart race like that, Princess. With that sassy mouth. And I already know your heart is doing the same without me even touching you. I felt it eleven years ago when I took those lips as mine and felt it again meeting you in your ‘Flora’ disguise,” his voice was a low growl of seduction now, barely a whisper as his eyes darted down to my lips and I licked them involuntarily.
“My heart is racing because I have just been brutally kidnapped, drugged and now I am being harassed,” I growled, forcing myself to not be charmed by his act.
“Liar,” he brushed the tip of his nose across my cheek and down my throat and I gulped, the sensation causing goosebumps to adorn my skin and my eyes to flutter shut.
“How soaked are your panties right now, Princess?” he husked against my neck.
My eyes flew open and I shoved him harder. This time, he let me. He stood up towering over me with a look of satisfaction before he returned to his seat. I glared at him; my eyes narrowed into slits of hatred as he laughed deeply. Damn him. My panties were fucking drenched.
“Vai a farti fottere!” I told him to go fuck himself, turning my gaze out of the window.
“I think you have missed the point there,” he mused, rearranging his trousers with a devilish grin. My eyes had a mind of their own as they tracked the movement and I saw just how hard and large that bulge was. I released a sound of disgust and looked away from him again, although now my mind was racing with mental images of him naked and just how big that dick might be.
“Keep up the act, Princess. Let’s see how long it lasts,” he teased and I ignored him.
The plane fell into complete silence, except for the low murmur of its engine. He put in some earphones and picked up his laptop, almost pretending that I wasn’t there at all. Only the sweep of his eyes over my body every now and again reminded him of my presence. I stayed silent, my mind whirling with what this all meant. How the fuck was I going to survive this? Survive him? What was their plan with me anyway? Would they kill me? Torture me? I glanced back over at Alessio, and his eyes flickered up from his screen to meet mine. I looked away quickly. Who was I kidding? This was already torture. For some stupid reason, I didn’t get the feeling that he would kill me. This may be some sadistic game for him to mess with me, but at no point since being alone with him have I felt like my life was in any real danger. I was being naïve, of course. I couldn’t trust this man. And regardless of our past, I didn’t know him. Not really. He could be capable of anything. You don’t become the most powerful mafia leader in the South without committing some horrendous crimes. Yes, Elle. Keep reminding yourself of that.
As the plane started to descend towards our destination, the nerves kicked in. Now what? I had to try and escape; I knew that much. It would have been so much better if they had kept me with the Leones. Gio would have had a better chance at finding me quicker. But now, I was God knows where in a part of the country I had never stepped foot in.
Alessio slammed his laptop shut and removed his earphones. His eyes met mine again and my heart fluttered. I really needed to get some control over this body of mine. He stood up and walked towards me, looking over at one of the men behind us. He whistled and made a gesture with his hands pointing at something. I tried to crane my neck to see what was happening when a burly man appeared next to us, tugging off his black tie and handing it to Alessio.
