Page 4 of Revenge of Sin

Now I stay locked in this room waiting to be handed off to Bastian Gallini to take his revenge for the death of his brother.And Vincenzo gets to pocket a billion dollars.A billion fucking reasons to take me hostage.Not that the bastard doesn’t have enough money already.I guess a mafia boss can never have enough wealth or power.

Vincenzo DeLuca for all his good looks and good manners, he’s worse than the rest.A dark-haired devil with dark eyes and an even darker soul.At least I know where I stand with the Gallinis.They want revenge for the sins of my father, but Vincenzo, I’ve done nothing to him.

Except let him do unmentionable things to me in the lower-level private playroom of the DeLuca X Club, naïvely thinking the attraction was two sided.They may want to kill me but at least they didn’t take advantage of me the way he did.I would have never consented if I knew he was a DeLuca.He may have paid a debt to my brother-in-law and carried me out of the Gallini hideout months ago, but it was because he was forced to pay a debt.Now, maybe he’s getting even.

All to hand me over to the Gallinis for the billion-dollar ransom they put on my head.I would have never believed it if I hadn’t heard him say it himself while he was talking on the phone.The words of Delz float in mind.Fucking trust no one.Well, if I didn’t learn that lesson before I sure as hell have learned it now.Never will I trust anyone like this again.In this world everyone is just out for themselves.

And now my fate is sealed… Back to the Gallinis.

The blood in my veins races as I glance around my surroundings, all the while still trying to shake the cobwebs of fog from my cloudy brain.My father’s soldier’s instructions from training come back to me in pieces, slowly making sense as the haze continues to lift.

Take in your surroundings, use the time before your assailant shows himself to gather all the intel you can, learn everything you can about where you are.Where the locks are, potential escape routes, possible weapons, and so much more that was drilled into our heads from a young age.

In our world, the daughters of crime families are always a target.Or used to merge families and that’s exactly what Barcelo wanted with me, until he changed his mind.

I slide my feet over the side of the double bed, my cheeks turning hot as I realize that someone has undressed me.Every bit of my clothes are gone and in their place, a long pale green night gown, with not one piece of underwear on beneath.

Not one recollection of how this could have occurred.I try to remember what happened but not one thing comes to mind since realizing I was being drugged and kidnapped in the back of that car.

Now is a bad time to realize that Massimo Roselli, the brother-in-law I never wanted, and my sister were right to keep me at their house, protected, shielded from the outside world for as long as they did.

Pretty sure Vincenzo DeLuca was just too happy to have me walk right into his club and get a little action with the naïve Cassone daughter who thought we had fucking chemistry.My cheeks burn with the humiliation of it all.All that we did together in that lower level, the intimate conversations on the phone.

My finger catches a tear.I will not allow myself to cry for that lying bastard.

While I was sneaking out from the safety of our soldiers to be with Vincenzo, dreaming about his every touch, he was working on a plan to sell me to the Gallinis as soon as I got to his club.One fucking billion dollars is enough to make anyone turn on you, no matter what anyone says.

My only hope is that Addie got word to Massimo before they took her, but I doubt she had time.I have to believe I’m on my own and any chance of escape I’m going to have to find myself.

Here in the enemy’s lair, waiting for the person buying to arrive and there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s Barcelo’s brother.Massimo always said if Bastian ever found out I was alive he would seek revenge for the sins of my father and the death of his brother.

Maybe Vincenzo’s driver already took me to Bastian, and he’s going to walk through that door any minute.My heart races with fear.

Bastian Gallini is said to be far worse than his brother, and Barcelo was evil personified once he dropped the smooth as silk act and stopped pretending that he actually cared.

Evil brothers, and now that one is dead, the second one is after me.Or already has me.

I inhale a deep breath.I have to stop worrying about him and find a way out.I put both my feet onto the cool tile of the floor, testing my strength, holding onto the headboard to steady myself as I stand, and getting my bearings to make it to the window for a quick peek outside.

I must be a hundred floors in the air but at least I know where I am—confirmed now by the ocean and boardwalk below.No matter that I hoped he wasn’t really behind it.

This is DeLuca territory.Not delivered to Bastian yet, or they’re all staying here before they take me away.

I move faster, urged on by increased fright as the fog lifts, reaching the door, only to confirm my worst fears as the doorknob doesn’t even turn.Locked from the outside.

Calm down.Breathe.Take in your surroundings, process everything before the enemy arrives.

The mantra flows on repeat, drilled into our heads by Delz, remembering what he always used to say when Sophia and I were little, and his words and even his voice seem to echo in my head right now.

Calm down.Breathe.Take in your surroundings, process everything before the enemy arrives.

My pace slows walking toward the dresser on the other side of the room, looking into the oval mirror.My body feels beat up and drugged, but the woman staring back at me is anything but beat up.Instead my hair is clean and has been brushed out recently because if not, this long mane would be a whopping mess instead of silky smooth and shiny.

I put a hand to my nose, inhaling the scent of coconut along my recently moisturized skin.My chest tightens.They’re probably making me presentable in exchange for a better price.

Bastards.

A sound down the hall makes me move, now the instruction of yesteryears clear and kicking in.I open drawer after drawer as quickly and quietly as I can, my brow furrowing as I take in the items that can only be for me.Dainty negligees, tank tops in a multitude of colors, and little no-show socks in a variety of patterns but not one pair of panties.