Willow sighed. “I'm sorry, Daphne. I shouldn't have said anything.”

  “No, I'm glad you did. Because now I need to talk to Travis.”

  She put her hands up to stop me from marching straight up to my brother-in-law-to-be. “No, don't do that. He’ll feel terrible if you yell at him. I don't want him getting upset. He's just trying to show you he cares about you.”

  “By giving some creep the impression that he has a shot with me? Does Travis not know that we don't live in the 19th century? I don't need a male relative to arrange dates for me.”

  Willow shifted from foot to foot, and I could feel her anxiety coming off her in waves. “He was just trying to help, Daph. He figured you would be uncomfortable with Mum there, so he thought a date would make it better.”

  I was caught between a rock and a hard place. I didn't want Willow to feel anxious, but I still wanted her to get the message. “I hear you. But he was just super creepy and acting a little bit possessive. Considering I didn't even remember him, it was ridiculous. He acted like we were dating or something.”

  “Maybe you just misunderstood. Or maybe Travis told him you'd be happy to be his date.”

  “Not okay, Willow.”

  "I totally get it,” she said, chewing her bottom lip. “To be fair, though, I didn't know he was being creepy and possessive. And he is a friend of Travis’s, so Travis can invite whoever he wants. I just thought you should know so there are no surprises."

  I sucked in a sharp breath, finally understanding why I had been so reluctant to tell Willow about everything my mother did. This Massimo thing was minor, but from the sounds of it she was siding with Travis. Like I was the one who just didn't understand.

  "Let's move on, okay?"

  "Okay good. I just… I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

  Uncomfortable didn't even cut it. "I won't be. It's your wedding. I can handle a lot for your wedding. Now show me around. What else do we need to see here?"

  As we located the restaurant, Travis was waiting for us. When he saw us, he stood and embraced his wife-to-be. "Hello, my beautiful love." And then he gave me a tight squeeze. "And my soon-to-be sister. What are you two cackling about?"

  "It's not a cackle. It's a hoot and a holler really,” I said. “We're planning our next adventure."

  His brows furrowed at that. "Maybe the next one won't get my wife killed?"

  "Ugh, one time you fall off a tight rope…"

  He rolled his eyes. "How much longer do you need to have your adventures?"

  I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Did he really need to talk to me like he was my dad? "I don't know. Until I think I've had enough, I guess."

  He nodded. "Maybe we keep Willow away from them. Or maybe don’t tell us until after you’ve done it. I mean that’s if you even do it. It makes her worry."

  I knew what he was saying. He was concerned about his wife. But I didn’t want to be shamed as if I was a rebellious child.

  Just a few weeks. It’s just wedding stress. I shoved down my unease.

  The chef came over and introduced himself. He was a short, squat, jovial man with a zesty enthusiasm that played out on his ruddy face as he talked about the dishes he was going to bring us to taste. He was animated in a way that made you excited to eat whatever he was bringing.

  When he was gone, Travis leaned forward. "So, how are we doing on the dating front?"

  I expelled a long breath. "Please, can we not talk about it?"

  Willow nudged him with her elbow. "Lay off, love. Besides, maybe she wants to bring the bloke she was snogging."

  Drake’s smug smile flashed in my memory, and I squirmed in my seat to try to dull the slight throb between my thighs. "I barely know the bloke. I'm not bringing him as my date. Besides, I might just go by myself."

  Travis groaned. "Please, God, no. Your sister will not let me hear the end of it. Just let me set you up with someone. I heard Massimo ran into you."

  I had just been taking a sip of my wine and put it down immediately. I was not doing this, and one glance at my sister said she was not going to stop him. "Actually, Travis, him running to you after he crashed my night out was bang out of order."

  Travis's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean, I don’t know him and what I do is none of his business. The fact that he was pissed off about me snogging some bloke is a problem."

  The patch between his brow and just below the bridge of his nose also squinched up. "Oh, he's just being persistent, that's all. He's harmless, I promise."

  I wanted to believe him, but I didn't. My intuition was telling me that something was wrong. It was also screeching at me that Travis needed to listen.

  "Well, I wish it would stop."

  Travis sat back. "What? You don't have a date. He likes you. Just go out with him once. You’ll probably like him if you get to know him."

  "You're not listening to me, Travis. I don't want to go out with him. He gives me the creeps."

  "I'm vouching for the man. There's nothing creepy about him."

  I clenched my jaw, biting back the fury. "He makes me uncomfortable. Isn’t that enough?" Heat spread over my skin. It was so rare I dug in my heels.

  Travis rolled his eyes and sat back, crossing his arms. "Bloody fine, I guess. I thought it was going to be a good thing. Besides, Willow has been going on and on about being all you have. I mean she said she doesn’t understand why you bother going on all these adventures if you're just going to chicken out. We both agree you need more of an outlet than just Willow."

  That heat turned to a block of ice in my chest as I turned to my sister. I blinked to force the tears back. "You said that?"

  Willow’s gaze darted between Travis and me. “Wait, that’s not what I meant.”

  Except, she did mean it. I could see the look of chagrin on her face. I shook my head. "It's fine. I just… Can we drop it? I don't want to talk about him."

  As Willow started to speak, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I felt the shadow over my shoulder.

  "Is this seat open? Can I join you?"

  9

  Daphne

  I glared up. "What are you doing here?"

  "Relax, rabbit, I was invited," he chuckled.

  Travis glanced up at Massimo, back down at me, then back up at Massimo. "Um, Massimo, why don't you sit here? Let the girls sit together. Willow, didn’t you want to show Daphne the chapel at night? Maybe now is a good time while we wait for the food.”

  "Absolutely," Willow chimed in quickly. "Nice to see you again, Massimo." She stood, but Massimo shook his head.

  "No, I'd rather enjoy Daphne's company."

  My skin crawled, and my stomach churned.

  "You know, I'm actually kind of tired," I said, attempting to rise. I could get room service.

  His hand shot out, grasping mine in a vice-like grip. "Daphne, you wouldn't be so rude as to leave before we've had a chance to talk, would you?"

  I ground my teeth. Every instinct was screaming at me to get away. This was worse than my frustration with Drake. Drake was annoying but tolerable. And well, I was annoyed with Drake because I wanted to be near him. This was cloying, claustrophobic and manipulative. It was like he was siphoning off my energy until I had nothing left to give.

  The same way my mother made me feel.

  "Actually, I was just leaving. Enjoy your meal," I snapped, wrenching my hand from his.

  He leaned in closer. "People are watching, Daphne. Sit down. I'll release you when I'm ready to. Your vanishing act the other night was rude."

  I had no idea what got into me. None whatsoever. But I laughed. "If they're watching, then they'll hear me say, for when the police ask, I don't want to see you. I want nothing to do with you. We aren't friends. We aren't dating. I am not interested. Let me make sure you hear that I don't want you."

  Oh, boy.

  The flash of anger in his eyes told me I had hit a nerve. I probably should be more worried but all I could muster was exhaustion, annoyance and discomfort. I just wanted him to leave me alone.

  His eyes narrowed. "Are you sure that's the way you want to play it, Daphne? I always get what I want."

  "Please just stop," I muttered. “I’m just coming off a relationship. I’m focusing on myself.” Turning to my sister and Travis, I said, "I think I'm going to have a lie down."

  Massimo stood. "I'll walk you."

  Travis, nodded. "That sounds like a great opportunity to get to know each other. Maybe you guys can be friends or something. Give Daphne a chance to get over her ex."

  Massimo scoffed. "She won’t even think about him after a few minutes with me.”

  I only barely resisted the urge to gag.

  My sister, who I expected to stand up for me, folded. “Maybe becoming friends is a good idea. Daph, you don’t really know Massimo that well. Maybe there’s no harm.”

  I didn’t know what the hell I was waiting for. Or why the hell I thought that anyone would stand up for me. “I’m done.” Before Massimo could join me, I put up my hand. “No. I’m going. By myself. I need air.” I marched out of the restaurant, not giving a damn that people were staring at me. I retreated to my room, planning to leave the next day.

  I didn't want to. I wanted to spend time with Willow and Travis, but Massimo was like that creepy guy at school that just leered at you. Not really scary, but creepy and persistent.

  I was tired. I kept trying to be that person that said I wanted to live my life to the fullest, to experience everything, but something always stopped me. There was so much I was excited to do, but it was either shit or get off the pot. I wanted that life. The one I kept promising myself. So the moment I got home, I was going to start living it. I wasn't going to let anyone scare me away.

  I'd been angry with my mother for so long, and while she was a problem, she wasn't in control of me now.

  A man like Massimo just wanted to control me in his own way, just like Christopher had. I might want to run, but I wasn't going to. And I wasn't going to let people like Massimo stop me.

  Once in my room, I began packing my bag quickly until banging started at the door. Someone was shouting my name, and they were insistent about getting in.

  I knew who it was. What more did I have to say? Why couldn’t I sculk out like a normal person avoiding an over eager suitor?

  The banging started to rattle the door and my heart rate spiked. This was more than creepy now. I shoved a chair under the door handle, backing up.

  My phone in my hand I was ready to call emergency services. But how long would it take to get out here. I was better calling the front desk for security.

  He banged again, this time shouting my name. “Open the door Daphne!”

  I barely contained a squeak as I jumped and backed up.

  The tingle of awareness came a second too late as my arse hit crotch and a hand clamped over my mouth.

  10

  Daphne

  Headbutt.

  Instep.

  Fight.

  Claw.

  I could feel his presence looming behind me, the heat of his breath radiating off my neck. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and my palms were slick with sweat. I had never been in a predicament like this before, and I was absolutely petrified.

  My mind raced as I tried to remember everything that I had learned in self-defense class. Elbow, head, your whole body is a weapon. I mustered all my strength and shot my elbow back, digging the pointy tip into a rib bone.

  A low growl escaped from his throat as he grabbed both my arms and squeezed them tightly, leaving me immobile and helpless. Panic flooded through my body as I frantically searched for a way out.

  "Stop struggling."

  My heart skipped a beat. I had heard that voice before. It was familiar, deep, and terrifyingly menacing. I knew exactly who it belonged to—the man who had kissed me so good I wanted to slap my ex. He was here, inches away from me, and there was no escape.

  Dread engulfed me like a tidal wave. Who the fuck was Drake Foster? I'd looked him up. He was legitimate, so what was he doing here in my room? And was he going to give me to Massimo?

  I fought the panic and rising bile. The only way out was to fight like hell. I might not win, but I might take enough evidence with me to send him to the nick for a long time.

  I tried to smash his instep with my foot, but he had me up in the air and there was no leverage. I could feel tears rimming my eyes, and I knew screaming for help was pointless—no one would be able to hear me except Massimo.

  Desperately, I whacked the back of my head into his face with as much force as I could muster, and suddenly my head felt like it was on fire as a sharp pain surged through my skull. He released his grip on me slightly, allowing me to squirm away from him just enough so that I could throw an elbow at him again.

  "Stop fucking attacking me!" he growled out. "Get your shit together!"

  "Maybe you don't kidnap me," I growled right before I bit his hand.

  Drake yowled and held me tighter.

  "Miss Winslow, I like things done in a particular way. If you can't comply, things will get far more difficult for you."

  I writhed in his grip. "You mean more difficult than a client kidnapping me?" My breath huffed out with my muffled question. I was embarrassingly out of shape. Should have spent more time really working in the gym and less time on the Krav Maga mats staring at the ceiling wondering how I got there.

  "Kidnapping is such an ugly word. Think of it as momentarily restraining."

  When I ran out of options, I made my body go slack. What was he doing here? Was he working with Massimo?

  It suddenly occurred to me that they were the same kind of men. Brutal and terrifying.

  But even as I thought it, my brain wouldn't latch on. No, that wasn't right. They weren't the same. This was different.

  Behind me, he murmured, "That's it, relax. Is there anything here that you cannot replace?"

  I frowned, my brain wary. I pointed at my phone, and he chuckled softly then dragged me backward, carrying me as if I weighed nothing. I still couldn't find a purchase on my feet.

  He lowered me just enough for me to grab my phone but didn't release my mouth or the grip he had around my waist, and then he dragged me to the window.

  As he carried me, I felt my body start to tremble with fear. My every instinct told me to fight back, to lash out with everything I had. But I knew deep down that it would be useless. This man was stronger than me, more experienced at this kind of thing. I was entirely at his mercy.

  "If I let you go, will you scream?"

  I could lie and say I wouldn't scream and then scream anyway. He didn't seem to want to hurt me. Or rather he wanted to take me somewhere else to hurt me. Fuck. I was never supposed to let an attacker take me to a second location, right?

  But then the door was rattling again, and this time Massimo was sticking something inside the door, trying to fuck with the latch.

  I shook my head vehemently.

  "That's it, that's a good girl."

  Then he shoved the window open even further and dropped me feet first. I gave a little yelp as he plopped me into the shrubs below. "Aaaahhh."

  He was on the ground with me seconds later. But I had to at least try to run for it. If I was lucky, maybe I could make it to the parking lot. The attendants would see me, or somebody would help me, right?

  I made it exactly three feet, just enough for the crunch of gravel under my feet to sting. Then I winced as he hauled me back up against him. "And here I thought you were going to play nice."

  Before I knew what was happening, he picked me up and swung me over his shoulder, digging into my midriff as I now had a perfect view of his arse.

  My stomach flipped. Wow. Taut, high, firm. Obviously, he never skipped leg day.

  I knew that this was not the time to be admiring my captor's physique, but I couldn't help it.

  He had a strength that belied his size, and I knew that he could crush me if he wanted to. But instead, he carried me as if I weighed nothing at all.

  I shook my head at the thought. All of this was wrong. Even so, there was something about him that drew me in, something that made me feel safe when everything else about this situation screamed danger.

  "What do you want from me?"

  "Right the fuck now, I want to get you bloody well away from here. After that, we'll talk about it."

  He moved quickly for a man his size. He carried me through the back end of the property, past the lawn and over to the tree line as if I weighed nothing, and I could feel that he wasn't even breathing hard.

  And then he dragged me to the woods.

  Every time he turned, my hair caught on leaves and branches and twigs.

  "Could you slow down? It could take me a month to get these twigs out. Maybe you're going to kill me, but don't let me fucking die with sticks and leaves in my hair."

  He didn't say anything, but he did slow his pace ever so slightly. Finally, we reached the road on the other side of the woods. There was a car there. Something shiny and black.

  He dropped me into the back seat, and his face was grim and stern as he buckled me into the car. When he slammed the car door and then ran to the other side, I considered crawling over the console and driving away, but I didn't have the goddamn keys, and I was guessing they were on his person.

  Fuck. At least he hadn't shoved me in the boot, and I could sort of see where I was going. Maybe I could roll out when we started moving. That was a thing, right?

  You're going to kill yourself.

  He opened the car door and smirked at me in the mirror as he started the engine. "Considering locking me out?"

  I frowned. "I gave it some thought."

  "Smart you didn't. I have the keys."

  "I know that."

  "You're not dumb, that's for sure."

  "But you've been riding my arse ever since you bloody showed up."

  The smirk he gave me as he pulled along the winding road sent a hot slice of heat through me. "Trust me, sweetheart, when I ride your arse, you'll know it."