However, it was necessary to walk the streets in order to keep a presence. It didn’t matter which country or how differently we were required to operate.

  In today’s mafia wars, anything was possible, the stakes higher than ever before.

  “Thank you, Issak. Is everything in order?”

  “Of course. The house is opened up, the food stocked. We’ve had some issues with the electricity, but everything seems to be in working order at this point.”

  “Excellent. Make certain it stays that way. The last thing we need is a breach in security, even for a short duration.”

  Issak nodded. “Noted, boss.”

  I turned my attention to Sergei. The man was former KGB turned assassin. He had an uncanny ability to sniff out an enemy from miles away. “The men?”

  He smiled, his wide grin unable to counter his hard, cold stare, his eyes reminding me of a glimpse into the devil’s soul. “We do daily training exercises. They are ready for anything.”

  Anything. I knew the drills he ran, all merciless in nature. Several men had been injured, even more expunged from the program. That allowed me to employ the best. He’d developed a specialized communications system and radar, his equipment military grade. “Make certain there are twenty-four-hour watches. I don’t want anyone to reach this island.”

  “No one will be able to breach security. No one.”

  I liked his confidence, although I’d been through far too many scenarios where overconfidence meant certain death. “I want to see recent footage just to ensure there’s nothing you missed.”

  While he seemed miffed at my command, he knew better than to question my tactics.

  “Roman. When is the next shipment coming in?” He’d been placed in command of the arms sales in my absence, both purchasing and selling. He spoke several languages as did I, making him the preferred man to handle foreign relations.

  “Three days. And we have a buyer interested from Colombia, someone we haven’t used before. While his credentials check out, my gut tells me it’s a setup.”

  A red flag shot up, my mind shifting to the attack on the restaurant, what few words two of them had spoken. Plus, his instincts were almost always right. Also, if word on the street was correct, this could be the scenario I’d heard about in order to steal the shipment. “Set up a meeting later today. I want the details.” While the sale had been planned, the deal made far too lucrative to pass, the timing was terrible. I would handle this transaction personally. As far as a new buyer, I kept the target market small for a reason.

  Staying alive.

  “Absolutely, sir.”

  “What now?” Sanchez asked as he moved closer.

  “Now is all about waiting and watching. Some asshole will rear his ugly head, claiming the attack. At this point, he has no idea my plans or that of my father. But fatted pigs always make their way into the light.”

  He laughed softly, shifting his gaze toward the car. “What about her?”

  “As of now, she’s my property. The contract my father signed means that the wedding can’t occur until her twenty-first birthday, which is almost two months away. Until then, we wait and see. Make certain she doesn’t find a way to make contract with her family. I don’t need their interference.”

  “How did this happen?” When I gave him a certain look, he held up his hands. “Not prying, boss. Just curious. I didn’t know we were getting into bed with the Italians.”

  The term he used was strikingly correct. “Not my idea but it could work for us, as long as she cooperates.”

  “Understood. Is she on lockdown to the estate?”

  “We shall see how she behaves. At this point, yes, at least until further notice.” It was likely I’d be required to handle business off the island. The last thing I needed was for the rebellious woman to create any issues. “Antonio. A doctor is expected in a couple hours. Have him brought to the house.”

  “You got it, boss.”

  I returned to the car, opening the door and gathering her into my arms. She was likely dehydrated from the long hours, her terror creating some of the exhaustion. As she laid her head against my chest, I gritted my teeth. She seemed so small in my arms, all the spunk and power she’d tried to portray wiped away.

  If only I could feel guilty about taking her away from her life. That wasn’t possible. I carried her into the house, marveling at the various displays of flowers. I allowed the staff to decorate as they saw fit, but it appeared as if they’d been told I wouldn’t be alone on this trip.

  How news traveled fast.

  I took the stairs two at a time, moving to the end of the hall. The room had been prepared as I’d required, the second-story location providing a limited but gorgeous view of the ocean. Yes, I wanted to make her suffer, but my methods had nothing to do with the ways I handled my more aggressive enemies.

  I ripped down the covers, gently placing her on the soft sheets. Then I gingerly eased her dress over her head. While it was torn, I’d give her the choice whether to toss it in the trash. Her naked body was a powerful draw, pulling me into the same kind of darkness I’d felt around her for two nights. I could easily devour her, but even I wasn’t a sick fuck. She would be completely awake and an active participant when I took her again.

  She immediately rolled over, sliding her hand under one of the pillows. As I stood over her, my thoughts were driven to the moments before the attack. She’d felt good in my arms, her body molding against mine perfectly. A single touch of her skin had seared the ends of my fingers, providing an entirely different set of sensations than I was used to.

  The intense need continued to burn, keeping my heartrate high. The dichotomy of emotions had riled me more than once and I suspected would do so again, my hunger already active even in her state of slumber.

  I eased onto the bed, caressing her face, trailing my fingers down her arm. She was soft, far too much so for the rough world she’d been born into. She’d been sent away, which meant her father had attempted to protect her. Look what good that had ultimately done him.

  When I moved to a standing position, she opened her eyes for only a few seconds. But I caught a glimpse of her anger. I’d broken the slender tether of trust she’d thought she’d found with her savior. She would never again make that same mistake. I opened the window and by the time I peered down again, she was fast asleep.

  “I will return, printsessa.”

  I moved to the door, looking back only once. The dull ache in my heart was as confounding as the attack. The desire for her was increasing. There would be no letting go, the beast inside needing a fix.

  I issued a strangled laugh then closed and locked the door. That would likely be my damnation.

  CHAPTER 10

  Giada

  A small sound captured my attention, but I was comfortable, unwilling to respond. The light breeze gently wafting across my cheek, brushing ever so silently down my arm tickled, yet I didn’t want to open my eyes. I was captured in softness, billowy clouds of down feathers tickling my skin. I could tell I was smiling, although as visions rushed in front of my eyes, I wasn’t certain whether the images were real, or some enticing fantasy.

  I opened my eyes, wincing from the extreme light. After rolling over, a small part of my consciousness realized I was in bed. Maybe I was having a wondrous dream about… a cold shiver slammed into my system. The attack. The fire. Oh… I opened my eyes again, remaining still as I tried to focus. Where was I? Nothing was recognizable.

  I slowly turned my head, realizing a window was wide open, transparent drapes billowing in the wind. The humidity was thick, but the breeze was cooling, providing a prickling shiver. There was also a distinct aroma. Salt. The ocean. Where in the world had he taken me? Fear crawled through my system, my throat tight as bile remained there. No one knew where I was. There would be no one coming to save me.

  I tried to control my breathing, doing everything I could not to panic. Sevastian would want my vulnerability exposed, enabling him to break me. I could never allow that to happen. The man didn’t deserve an ounce of satisfaction.

  Another jagged edge of sensations breathed against my back. Someone was in the room.

  When I turned my head the other way, I bit my cheek to keep from crying out.

  He was there, the bastard who’d seduced me and…

  I tried to remember the details but so many of them were fuzzy. My vision finally clearing, I glanced from one side of the room to the other, finally able to comprehend my surroundings. I was in a bedroom somewhere, the dark stained wood of several pieces of furniture ornate in design.

  He was watching me, studying me. I hated that he remained quiet, but I had nothing to say to him either way.

  I purposely rolled over, trying to avoid his heated gaze, but I felt the slow burn from it against my naked skin. Oh, no. I shifted again, forced to realize I wasn’t wearing anything under the sheets. At least catching sight of my beautiful dress gave me some crazy moment of comfort. I was tired, more exhausted than I’d been in so long.

  A shot. He’d given me an injection of some kind.

  “Bastard,” I whispered involuntarily.

  His dark chuckle was at least an acknowledgment that he’d heard me. I pulled the sheets tightly around me, hating the fact tears had already formed. I was terrified. Of him? Of the situation? Of the unknown? Yes, to all three.

  “You can’t avoid me, printsessa. You will always belong to me.”

  His deep voice skittered over me as it had done before. Softly. Sensuously. God, I hated the man for what he’d done. It didn’t matter he likely saved my life. I couldn’t forgive him for the horrible moment of seduction. “I can do what I want.”

  His laugh was more boisterous. “Look around you. What do you see?”

  “I don’t need to talk to you.”

  He sighed, the sound more like an angry growl. Anger boiled within me, shoving aside the fear. I rolled over, fisting the covers. I hated my body’s reaction, my breath quickly stolen from the sight of him. As before, he held a stern expression, his ice blue eyes showing zero emotion as he studied me.

  I allowed my gaze to fall, surprised to see him wearing jeans and an open shirt, the sleeves rolled past his elbows. He looked far less formidable, but I’d seen exactly what he was made of, the anger and hatred behind his actions. He loathed my family, and I would be required to take the brunt of his rage.

  I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off him anymore than he was doing with me. I hadn’t noticed how tanned he was, his golden skin reflected in the bright sunlight. The lightweight material of his shirt managed to highlight his chiseled definition, his long arms, and his fingers flexed open as they rested on the thick arms of the upholstered chair.

  When he sat up, I trembled, uncertain of what to expect. Every ounce of kindness, the man I’d called a savior was gone. He was on edge, every muscle tense. At this moment, he was nothing more than a ferocious predator, longing for retribution.

  “You need to adjust to your surroundings, Giada, but I will no longer tolerate your insolence. I’ve brought you to a safe location, where you will remain. At some point, we will need to have a discussion.”

  “How long are you planning on keeping me here?”

  “As long as it takes.”

  “That’s not a decent answer.”

  “It’s the only one you’re going to get at this point.” He remained exactly where he was, still staring at me, dissecting me.

  I’d never felt so uncomfortable, especially being naked around him, yet I couldn’t ignore the electricity that crackled around me like a wildfire. How could one man have this kind of effect on me? I turned away on purpose, shifting under the sheets until I was able to bring my feet to the floor. I remained woozy, obviously from the drug I’d been given. At least by sitting up in bed, I was able to see the glorious outdoors.

  “Am I a prisoner?” I asked, fearful of the answer.

  “That will depend on your behavior.”

  I clutched my hand around the sheets, angry words ready to sputter from my mouth. “Do my parents know I’m alive?”

  “They will at some point.”

  “At some point. Do you understand or care that they’ll worry?”

  “It’s no concern of mine.”

  “How can you be this way?” I jerked to my feet, sweeping the sheets around me.

  “Because this is my home, and you are my guest.”

  “I will never want you. Get it through your head.”

  He leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. “Do you not know how much your body quivers when you’re near me, your breath little more than ragged pants as the hunger swells inside of you? You may try and protect yourself, Giada, but your body already betrayed you. You wear your desire for me in every movement you make, the quick glances of your eyes, the excitement when I enter a room. Even now, your pulse is racing, the anticipation of what I’m going to do more thrilling than any experience you’ve had in your meager life.”

  “My meager life? You mean the one you disrupted? I could never want a man like you. I had plans and that didn’t include this… atrocity.”

  “Plans,” he said, laughing, his eyes shimmering with delight. “Tell me something, sweet Giada. What plans could a mafia princess have?”

  “Julliard, you fool. I’m a violinist. A damn good one. I was just accepted to the institution. I was leaving this horrid world behind. Then… you.”

  Guest. I was nothing but his prisoner, a woman he hated simply because of a legacy and actions that I’d had no part in. I’d never felt so hopeless, the loss of my entire family something he couldn’t understand, and I wouldn’t be able to get over. Nothing was supposed to go this way. I jerked the sheets tightly around me, moving toward the window. The view outside was breathtaking, spectacular in every way, yet as I gazed on the expansive ocean, a feeling of hopelessness crushed my resolve.

  I’d never play my beloved instrument again. I’d never bask in the glory of being on stage. I’d wasted my breath bothering to tell him. I was the fool here, not him. As I stared out onto the water, I felt his heated gaze remaining. Maybe he was trying to determine what horrors he was prepared to inflict. Fuck him. I would never allow him inside my mind.

  Or my heart.

  I was far away from home. There was no lifeline, no safety net with regard to Sevastian. He was my captor, my fiancé, and someone I longed to eliminate, but some rational side of me knew that was impossible. From where I stood, I could see several men walking the area, both around the grounds close to whatever structure I was in and further out toward the beach. They were soldiers. They carried guns: assault rifles. There was no way of escaping, no possibility of turning back the clock.

  This was my life.

  I sensed movement and stiffened, clutching the sheets as if the slight barrier would keep him from fulfilling whatever need remained in his mind. His expression wasn’t entirely different than the one he’d carried at the restaurant. Lust had mixed with a crazy moment of obsession. He’d claimed me the second he’d shoved his cock inside. I closed my eyes, taking shallow breaths as another wave of electric stimulation pulsed into my system. Why was being around him so difficult? Why were my nipples aching for his touch, his wet mouth, the way his tongue had swirled around both hardened buds until my entire body had been left aching?

  I heard his heavy footsteps as he approached, every long stride making me cringe. While he remained a few feet away, he’d blocked me from any possibility of getting out of the room. I continued staring out the window, trying to memorize details, but my mind remained foggy.

  “Take a look outside, Giada. You’re now in paradise.”

  “A cage is still a cage, Sevastian, whether it’s in a damp basement surrounded by darkness or a gorgeous setting in some faraway land. I’m not a bird. I deserve to be free. While you saved my life, you can’t accept the fact I have no interest in belonging to you or having anything to do with your family. You simply believe that by snapping your fingers or gruffly ordering your men, you can make anything happen. Let me give you a hint. I’m not a thing to be possessed. I’m a living, breathing woman who will find her own happiness, and I assure you that it has nothing to do with you.”

  He said nothing at first then started clapping. Of course, he meant to incense me, acting as if my words were just a fine performance.

  “I will keep that in mind, Giada, but the fact remains. You were gifted life. I could have solved several problems by allowing you to die in that fire. You owe me.”

  “Fuck you, you bastard.”

  I wasn’t just shocked, I was horrified. Without thinking, I flew in his direction, slapping my hand across his stubbled face. The sharp cracking sound filtered into the room, managing to echo in the dense space. I immediately took a step away, horrified with my actions, almost tripping over the sheet as I clutched it more tightly against me. There was no doubt how a brutal Russian thug would act.

  He rubbed his face, taking several deep breaths, then just as I’d expected, he snatched my wrist, immediately backing me away then dumping me onto the bed. As he crawled over me, I struggled beneath him but there was no chance I’d get away. He was far too strong, ripping both arms over my head, securing my wrists in one hand.

  “My rebellious yet beautiful fiancée. I suggest you remember who owns you,” he said in a husky tone, cocking his head from one side to the other as he stared down at me. His fingers dug into my skin with enough force I was certain there would be bruises. He seemed pleased with himself, as if branding me with marks heightened his desire.

  I was sick inside from realizing how excited he was, his cock pressing against my stomach.

  “Get off of me.” The sheet had slipped enough to expose one breast, my taut nipple giving away my arousal.

  There was fire in his eyes, a burning need to take what he believed belonged to him. His actions were more aggressive than before, but his need was just the same. The past continued to haunt him, defining him as a man just as this moment would mean a shift in the twisted relationship we’d been forced into.