by Alone Eagle
Would Vlad be home by now? I gritted my teeth as I visualized him likely enjoying his scotch, happy that he was now free of me and my smart mouth. Maybe he had simply concluded that he couldn’t stand me and now he was making me pay. A sad part of me wished I was with him.
It was safer with him around.
My safety wasn’t guaranteed anymore.
A torrent of emotions ran through me.
Hurt. Betrayal. Sadness. Then anger.
There was a movement next to me, interrupting my thoughts.
I felt the man’s presence before he even spoke.
An expensive leather, masculine smell hit my nose. My eyes were still on my lap, not facing the man. I could see his shiny, black leather shoes and his navy-blue formal pants. It clearly wasn’t Enzo stood over me.
“Hey there sweetheart.”
I grimaced at the nickname.
At least when Vlad called me ‘Doll’ he had picked it because of my name. Sweetheart made me feel like a sack of potatoes. My throat ached at my thoughts of Vlad. Where was he? Why had he punished me like this? I would keep my mouth shut just to see him again, just for him to hold me in his arms again.
“You look lonely here all by yourself.”
This man’s voice was deep and strong. The voice almost sounded like it was purring and teasing me. It wasn’t like Vlad’s voice which was edgy and cold. I didn’t know where Enzo had gone, likely he’d stepped aside so this man could check me out and devour me with his eyes. It made my skin crawl.
“Enzo said your name is Dahlia.”
I kept quiet. I didn’t want to look at him. He didn’t deserve my eyes on him. He wasn’t worthy if he was into buying women.
He chuckled then. “Did Enzo forbid you to talk?”
I was unresponsive as I kept my eyes averted.
Then, his hand lifted, and he ran a warm finger down my cheek. “Never seen you before,” he murmured, leaning close to me.
I cringed, moving my face away from him, away from his touch. “Kol khara,” I said at last.
“Hmm… what does that mean?” he asked me, curiously.
Then, I met the man’s eyes for the first time, disobeying Enzo’s order.
I’m a fool.
“Eat shit,” I replied fearlessly.
Maybe I was going to get myself killed by Enzo.
But better him than this man touching me.
The man looked surprised for a second before recollecting himself.
I slowly blinked, taking in his Mediterranean features. He had fair skin with slicked back golden blond hair that was styled and tucked behind his ears. He had a light, trimmed beard. His strong gaze held mine with eyes that were a crystal blue and outlined by long eyelashes that rested above his aquiline, Italian nose. His blue orbs twinkled at me, noting my reaction to him. Clearly, he was used to being looked at by women. He had the kind of the face that made you stop in your tracks.
He was attractive. The face of an angel.
That terrifying fact hit me hard. Unfortunately, all the men around me were good-looking, but their appearances didn’t match their cold, ugly souls. It was a pity though. Good looks wasted. I had thought differently of Vlad, but he had proved me wrong. I was here because he didn’t want me. Maybe I shouldn’t have been a bitch or run my mouth off at him. I swallowed with difficulty as that realization was making it more painful to be here.
I had yet to see an ugly man here. Maybe it was because these were Italian mobsters. Good genes but ugly souls. Beauty could only take one so far. This man had an angelic appearance, but I knew his hands were covered in blood like all the rest.
Then, he leaned in, smirking, and said in a low voice “You’re a fighter huh?”
Oh yes, I was, and I wanted to knee him in the balls. I looked away from him and toward the exit. Then, I returned my gaze to him.
“Go away blue-eyed white devil,” I snapped at him.
He smiled at me, teasingly, as if I had cracked a cheeky joke.
“Where are you from?” he asked after a moment.
I kept my mouth shut and just glared at him. Then Enzo appeared by the man’s side.
He saw that I was no longer staring at the ground, and he gave me disapproving look, but thankfully didn’t try to hit me.
“She is Lebanese,” Enzo spoke, answering Salvi’s question. “Dahlia, this is Salvi Moretti. He’s the ruling Don of the Moretti family.”
I was aware of this man’s name like I had been aware of Vlad.
They were hard to miss, with their photographs plastered on the news so often, linking them to some crime or other before the cases were always dismissed. On the surface, they all seemed to have legitimate businesses, such as Vlad’s restaurants and Salvi Moretti’s casinos, but I knew they were just the public facing facades.
The Five Families of New York. I’d met two so far.
“Salvi has offered to buy you,” Enzo continued.
I flinched, and the words made my heart plummet. My fate had been decided for me in less than the thirty minutes I had been here.
Hell no. I stared defiantly at Salvi. “I’m not for sale.”
Enzo looked like he was about to speak, but Salvi held out a hand cutting him off. He smirked at me. I hated how his eyes smiled at me as if we were buddies now. If this was a normal situation and he was smiling at me like that, it would be inviting, and I would be keen on giving him my number. But I had no interest in being this devil’s friend.
What I was interested in was possibly stabbing him in the eye. He had no right to get comfortable with me. I fantasized briefly how liberating and good it would feel to crack his bones with my bare hands.
“Salvi has bid the highest price for you. He has already paid $5 million for you.”
My eyes widened at the amount. My jaw almost dropped to the floor. Idiots. I was surrounded by power hungry misogynistic morons.
I scoffed at Enzo, and Salvi’s smug smile turned wider.
“Well too bad, you might need a refund,” I shot at Salvi.
Salvi gave me a taunting smile and he chuckled.
He laughed at my words.
The sound of his mocking laugh cut through me, easier than steel would cut through silk leaving me wide open.
Enzo’s cold, gray eyes narrowed at me. His jaw ticked and his nostrils flared. Crap, he looked like he was going to kill me. He raised a hand to backhand me. This time I was prepared to defend myself. I remembered the time he’d slapped me before, he’d caught me off guard. Just as he was about to hit me, and I lifted my forearm to block him, Salvi’s forearm shot out and blocked Enzo’s hand inches away from my face.
I hadn’t expected the devil to defend me.
Apparently, neither had Enzo. He frowned at Salvi.
Salvi lost his smile, more resembling the cold bastard he likely was underneath.
“She belongs to me. I will deliver her punishment.”
I rolled my eyes at his comment.
Entitled pieces of shit.
Then, his second comment registered with me. Punishment? My blood ran cold at the kind of punishment he would choose for me. What was he into?
Enzo looked confused before nodding.
“Very well. Pleasure doing business with you.”
Business?
I swore my jaw was aching with the effort of keeping it closed.
Then Enzo walked away.
Conflicting feelings ran through my mind. I wanted him to come back. I kind of missed his presence now, God, I must be desperate. He’d looked at me like he had wanted to kill me, but at least he hadn’t wanted to touch me. That time with Vlad he had wanted to humiliate me. I wanted the man who wanted to slap me to come back. I would rather be hit than ravaged… I didn’t know which man was worse.
I turned my attention to the Don Salvi.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
I glared at him, but he only looked amused.
Maybe I should stop talking so he would stop looking a
t me like that.
“You can either come with me under your own free will, showing class, and with what dignity that dress affords you, or my men can carry you.” Then he shrugged. “Choose.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “That isn’t a choice!” I snapped at him. “I belong to Vlad.”
I knew Vlad had given me up, but I wanted to spite this Don.
Then, Salvi lost his smile.
Bingo. Now, I knew what triggered the devil.
From what I could sense, there was tension there.
“Enzo said Vlad has no interest in keeping you,” Salvi drawled out.
It was like a stab in my gut, causing a pain that hurt more than it should have.
Vlad promised me.
But I knew it was too good to be true. Vlad lied.
Then, Salvi stood up to his true height, over six feet tall. He towered over me and stared at me coolly. “Are you coming?”
I made no move to leave.
Then Salvi motioned to his men.
Two large men in black, fitted suits quickly came over to me, grabbing me. It was going to be hard to fight in this dress and high heels. I dodged them until one of them pulled me back by my hair, making me wince. It hurt, and I instantly regretted my decision to keep my hair long. One of them threw me over his shoulder like I was a ragdoll. I punched his back as hard as I could, making him grunt. I smiled to myself for landing a solid one, then I pounded on his head, making him yelp, and eventually drop me.
I landed on the ground with a hard thud, making my bones rattle. I knew that would bruise and hurt like hell in the days ahead. Ever since I’d entered this world, I’d received too many injuries. And I was getting damn tired of it. Another reason I needed to get free.
I glanced down at my dress, to see if my breasts were exposed. I could never trust strapless dresses. Thankfully, the big girls were still tucked inside the dress safely, even if my cleavage was on full display. My dress was pulled up over my thighs now, exposing my nude underwear. I quickly reached down, trying to fix this so-called dress.
I glanced up again.
The crowd of men around me gawked at me. All eyes were on me, yet no son of a bitch came to help me. Not one.
I glanced sideways at Salvi Moretti who watched the scene unfolding in fascination. He leaned against a chair and ran a hand down his face, observing me. Was he impressed?
The other man who had come toward me now grabbed me hard and hoisted me into the air. I headbutted him and he released me. I caught Salvi’s eyes again. He looked on with amusement as his fingers grazed his beard. He clearly liked watching me fight. It egged him on.
I clawed at another man’s cheek, making him groan and bleed. I was so grateful for long nails now. Perfect for scratching their stupid faces. When he tried to reach for me again, I kicked out his leg from beneath him, knocking him over, and he fell like the clumsy asshole he was. The man who’s head I’d pounded seemed to have had enough and he reached for his gun and pointed at me. He was breathing heavily now as he stared me dead in the eye.
I stopped fighting and stared at him.
Was he going to shoot me?
“Do it,” I challenged him.
The man looked at his Don Salvi waiting for instructions.
Salvi looked at me, still smiling, still amused.
“Just tie her hands and her feet up,” Salvi said, dismissively.
Before I knew it, several pairs of hand had my wrists and feet retrained with rope, and I couldn’t move. I panicked and tried to bite through the rope, but it was too thick. My heated gaze met Salvi’s again.
“Carry her. Try not to get injured by her,” he said to his men, chuckling.
Then, he turned around and walked away.
One of his men lifted me roughly over his shoulder. My hands and feet were bound with rope, so my futile attempts to attack them were failing. Besides, now that I couldn’t run, perhaps it wasn’t wise to attack them anymore. The man carrying me squeezed me roughly around my thighs, pinching me, and that made me stop. I had to find another way. Maybe when I was alone with Salvi, hopefully untied, I could fight again. I tried to control my breathing, taking in large gulps of the cool air as we went outside but it didn’t help.
The cold air bit into my flushed exposed skin, making me shiver.
The men shoved me into a spacious black limousine, probably Salvi’s because the car’s scent seemed to smell like him.
“Untie her,” Salvi ordered from behind me.
The men looked like they wanted to protest but they didn’t voice their opinions.
“I can handle her,” Salvi said.
I smirked to myself.
We’ll see about that.
26
Chapter 26
The men untied me, freeing my hands and legs. I tried to kick one, but they were expecting it now. They had deemed me harmless before but now they knew better. I knew they couldn’t kill me. Their Don didn’t want me to die… yet.
The devil climbed in after me and sat at a distance across from me. He slowly took off his blue coat blazer, loosening his tie, pulling it off as he watched me. He discarded it to the side. He leaned forward and rested his hands between his thighs as he stared at me, curiously.
I didn’t attack him yet. I needed a moment when he was caught off guard. I had to bide my time. He knew that I would attack him. I just needed a small opening. If I attacked at the wrong time, he would tie me up or beat me.
I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.
That movement pushed my breasts up, and his eyes were quickly drawn down to my cleavage. I sighed. Typical.
Then, I uncrossed my arms, but that was no better. My nipples had hardened in the chilly weather. They more erect and visible through the sheer fabric. I had seen the way he had looked at them. Sometimes, I wonder if men actually thought with their dick, their hormones certainly seemed to control them, their eyes watering at the sights of two mounds.
“I wouldn’t attack me if I were you,” he said, smiling at me.
I hated his smile. I hated how he acted like we were best friends now. Stupid shithead.
I didn’t say anything and kept my mouth shut this time. He said he liked that I was a fighter. I wasn’t going to fight him, at least not verbally. Maybe he was waiting to see if I would defy him again.
“Cat got your tongue now?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
I ignored him, pressing my lips together, not taking the bait.
The car was moving now, leaving the area.
I glanced outside the tinted windows for a moment.
Just then, the devil leaned over, catching me off guard.
Shit. I hadn’t expected him to start so soon!
Horny devil.
I could have kicked myself for giving him an opening to reach over. As soon as I’d realized how close he had suddenly got, I tried to punch him, but he twisted my hands behind me in an arm lock. I head-butted him but missed when he moved, quickly dodging to the right. He pulled my hair hard, making me groan out in pain. My scalp burned from the tug. It wasn’t even kinky. It was just brutal. His hand grabbed my jaw. I stared at him with hatred and malice.
“Get off!” I ordered him.
He didn’t listen.
He let go of my arm and pulled my dress down in a swift movement, so now piled up at my waist. I stared at him open-mouthed and stunned before I quickly began fighting him again. I was not going down without a fight.
“I bought you. I paid for you,” Salvi muttered into my ear.
Every instinct inside me crawled backward at his words.
“You don’t own me,” I growled at him through clenched teeth.
His hard chest was pressed against my bare breasts and I felt exposed and violated. I’d never felt like this with Vlad. Even when Enzo forced his hand that time, he had made sure I was okay. He had touched my hip gently to reassure me. He also did that when he viciously cursed at me in front of his men. That time he’d touched my hand
. I had recognized his signal, a silent communication just between us, no outsiders.
Vlad, where are you? Where’s your signal now?
I hated myself for thinking of my captor and worse still, for putting my hopes in him to care enough to come and save me when he was the reason I was here.
Salvi’s satin shirt was soft, and I hated the feeling of the fabric of his pants against my bare legs. It was too soft. It was all wrong. It should be rough like him.
He leaned down to kiss me, maybe. I wasn’t sure.
Did his kind even kiss?
His kiss wasn’t sweet and gentle. It wasn’t tender nor affectionate. He was rough and aggressive. His mouth was hard and demanding. This wasn’t a kiss. This was to prove who he was and what he could do.
As his lips pressed against mine, I bit his lip hard and soon tasted his bitter blood on my lips. His eyes widened, and he grunted, caught off guard.
I pulled away and gave him a small, proud smile. I could only imagine what I looked like. His blood was on me now. All gory and sinister like a horror movie.
Then, he smiled at me through his bloody lip.
Holy damn, stupid shithead was smiling at me.
Then, a realization hit me.
He gets off on pain.
He was a sadist. He was no dominant.
I slowly lost my smile. I was just about to attack him again, but he was lightening quick, and had my hands pinned down in seconds, forcing me down onto the seat. I laid sprawled in front of him. Every inch of me acutely aware of my exposed body. At least the limo was heated.
The driver didn’t stop the car at the fight going on in the back of the car. I couldn’t see him due to the partition wall.
Salvi was on top of me now.
His grip against my arms tightened as he stared down at me with heated blue eyes.
He no longer looked angelic.
The devil was once an angel.
His eyes were smokier and darker now. They had changed colors right before me. He seemed focus on the task. I couldn’t detect anger in his eyes yet.
I tried to move, even tried to kick him, but he sat on top of my legs, pinning me down completely. He didn’t even need rope to restrain me. His fingers dug painfully into my flesh. For a few seconds, I struggled against him. But then, I stopped. I couldn’t waste my energy. I would be too tired. It would be easier for him to hurt me. I knew better. I had learned how to fight. I needed to wait it out, look for another opening when he let his guard down.