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I recognize that word. Whore. He’s calling me Luca’s whore. So these aren’t Luca’s men.
He pulls a phone out, continuing to speak in words that aren’t likely complementary. Holding his phone at me, he snaps a picture.
“Andiamo,” he says to the men, and they all leave.
Once they’re gone, I struggle to get free, but it’s no use. I give in, sagging into the dirty mattress. I wonder what sort of germs I’m going to catch but then decide whatever is lurking in the mattress is probably less lethal than the men who’ve kidnapped me.
Why did I come here? Niko is right, I’m immature. I have my head in the clouds. But I’d been so sure Luca loved me, or at least cared about me. Unable to stop the tears, I cry until exhaustion brings on a fitful sleep.
I wake, and it takes a moment to orient myself. This isn’t a dream. I’ve been kidnapped and am being held by a man who is likely Luca’s enemy and will kill me. I shirk away from him, hoping he doesn’t try to touch me again.
“Who are you?” he asks in English.
I consider my answer carefully. Do I say I’m Luca’s fiancée? Probably not. That might make things worse for me. Does he know my brother? Would knowing I’m a Leone be helpful or a hindrance?
He waves a gun. “Do you speak English? Who are you?”
“Aria Leone.”
He doesn’t react, making me think he doesn’t know my brother.
“Where are you from? Why are you here?”
“New York.” I don’t answer the latter question. What can I say? I’m here because I’m naïve and stupid to believe in love and happily ever after.
He tilts his head. “Don Conte brought a plaything home from his visit to New York?”
I want to deny it, but I’m convinced that Luca doesn’t see this relationship like I do. I’m either just a toy or a pawn to get back at my brother for something.
“You dance too?” His eyes rake down my body, sending a shiver of fear and disgust through me.
“I’m Don Niko Leone’s sister.” In hindsight, perhaps I shouldn't have admitted that.
He stares at me for a long moment. Then he shrugs and pulls out his phone. After poking at it, he puts it up to his ear. “How much do you think Don Conte thinks you’re worth?”
“It doesn’t matter what I’m worth. You take something from a Don, they’ll hunt you down and kill you.”
He laughs. “And when he does, I’ll kill him and take over his Family.”
So this man is from a rival Family?
He puts the phone in his pocket. “Don Conte doesn’t seem too interested in you anymore. Of course, he has more than one toy.” He sighs, scraping his hand over his face in what I suspect is fatigue. “I really thought you’d be more useful to me.”
He stands and moves to the edge of the bed. Panic rips through me. Is he going to kill me or assault me? Maybe both.
15
LUCA
I’m drinking another scotch, knowing I shouldn’t, but unable to stop myself. I like control, and too much booze robs one of that. But my chest is filled with an ache that I want to get rid of. I’m thinking that no amount of scotch will work.
My phone rings. Seeing it’s Bruno, I pick up the line. “Pronto.”
“The car is parked in the garage. She was booked on a flight that left ten minutes ago.”
“I thought I told you to?—”
“I had to find the car. Since I was there, I thought I’d find out what was up.” Bruno is nothing if not efficient.
