Under his protection

Chapter 2

Aria

“You were not supposed to hurt her.”

“She broke my nose!”

“I am just saying, the Don is not going to be happy.”

Voices pull me from the fog. My head throbs, heavy and slow. I tried to move but my hands and feet were tied. I was in the back of a car but I could not tell how long I had been out.

““Please… let me go,” I whisper.

“Great,” the broken-nose guy mutters. “She’s awake.”

“Go back to sleep. We’re almost there.”

“Where are you taking me?” No one answers.

Why would anyone take me? I did not have money for ransom. Were they going to kill me? Maybe they were organ traffickers. Different thoughts spiraled in my mind until I drifted off to sleep again.

The next time I woke up, I was in a beautifully furnished and well lit room. Luckily my hands and feet were no longer bound and my cuts had been cleaned and bandaged.

Perfect. Maybe they wanted me in good condition for whatever comes next.

I looked around. The room was massive with a large bed and expensive furniture. Looking nothing like a hostage situation. I hurried to the door and tried to open it.

Locked. Obviously.

I tried the window but had no luck there either.

I decided on the next best thing. I started banging on the door.

“Let me out,” I screamed repeatedly. Hopefully someone remembered I was here. For all I knew, hours had passed. It was bright outside, so at least it was daytime. Maybe someone was already looking for me.

Although since the library was closed today, it might take a while before anyone noticed I was missing. I thought about Matt. We were supposed to have coffee today. Maybe he would realize I was gone and send a search party.

Who was I kidding? He would probably think I bailed on him.

I tried the door again, still no answer.

I looked around once more and saw the bathroom at one end of the room and a full closet attached. The closet was filled with clothes in my size, all with tags still on them.

Creepy doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Making the best of the situation, I decided to take a quick shower and get changed. While I was in the bathroom, someone must have come in because when I stepped out, I noticed a tray of food on the table.

As if on cue, my stomach rumbled. I had barely eaten yesterday and had no idea what time it was now. Judging by the meal, it was still morning. Toast with eggs, bacon and grilled cheese.

I took a bite and almost moaned. It tasted amazing. Do all abductors feed their victims gourmet food? Everything about this ordeal was bizarre.

After I finished eating, the reality of it all settled in. I had been taken. I had no idea where I was or why.

As the fear settles deeper, I reach for my necklace — and freeze.

It’s gone.

It must’ve snapped during the struggle.

My chest tightens. My throat burns. The one thing I had left of my parents—

A click at the door.

A man walks in.

And not just a man.

He looked like he had been carved from marble. Tall with devastating blue eyes, A perfectly tailored suit that did nothing to hide the muscular body beneath it. He looked like he had walked out of a romance novel with a presence that filled the room.

I snapped myself out of it immediately. This was the man responsible for my k********g.

“Who are you?” I demand. “What do you want from me?”

He ignores both questions. “I see you’ve settled in, Miss Russo.”

His voice is smooth, deep, almost hypnotic. Completely at odds with the cold expression on his face.

“Please,” I say softly. “Just let me go. I won’t call the police. I swear.”

He laughs, a dark, genuine laugh that chills me.

“You’re not going anywhere, cara. And the police can’t help you.”

My eyes flick to the open door.

“There is really no point,” he says casually, reading my mind.

“There is a guard outside your door. Even if you slip past him, you will not get past the others in the compound or the dogs outside. So be very careful so you don’t hurt yourself while trying”

I swallowed hard as he continued.

“Someone will come and give you a tour of the house and explain which areas you are allowed in and which are restricted. Until then, sit tight.”

He turned to leave.

“Wait” I breathe “What will you do to me?”

He paused, stared at me for a long moment, almost as if searching for something.

“I do not know yet,” he finally said.

Then he leaves, closing the door behind him. I waited for the click of the lock, but it never came.

Somehow, that made things worse.