by Penelope Sky
“But if you run and he catches you…then he’ll definitely do it.”
Now that I was pregnant, my priorities had changed. I wanted the best for my child, and the best was not staying here. If Cato really did kill me, that would be an even greater disadvantage to my baby. The only parent they would know was a cruel and terrifying man. They needed a mother to balance it out. “Cato makes me feel safe…but he also terrifies me. He’s capable of anything. I’ve made up my mind, Landon. I’m leaving.”
He turned his gaze back to mine, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “Then I’ll help you.”
“I’m not asking for your help.”
“You can’t do this alone.”
“And if I get caught, he’ll kill you.”
He shrugged. “I would rather die trying to protect my sister and my niece or nephew than do nothing. The world is a scary place, and I know you’re strong, but you shouldn’t do this on your own. I can protect you from the evil things that will cross your path. I may not be able to protect you from Cato…but I can handle anything else.”
“Landon…” I knew my brother loved me, but I didn’t expect such a selfless gesture. “Are you sure?”
He held my gaze. “Absolutely. We’ll just have to think of a good plan. Cato will need to be at work for most of the day to make it work. You’ll need to get off the property somehow, but there’s no coming or going without security checks. There’s no way you could just walk out of here and jump the wall.”
“No.”
“Does anyone come and go without being vetted?”
I stared at my plate of half-eaten food. “No. Even the staff does the same security checks. The only person who actually lives here is Giovanni…” My eyes focused on the pink fillet in front of me, and that’s when an idea hit me. “Giovanni goes to the store every day…he says he only uses the freshest ingredients for all his meals.”
“Your point?”
“He’s the only person who leaves without being checked. He has his own car.”
Landon rubbed his hand across his chin. “I think you’re onto something. Is his car in the garage?”
“It must be. There are never cars in the roundabout, except the one that picks up Cato and drops him off.” My heart started to beat with excitement. This plan just might work. There was a possibility I could fool Cato and get out of there without him noticing for eight hours.
“If you could get into the trunk before he leaves, this could happen. When he puts the groceries in the back, you could kill him. I’ll be waiting for you, so you’ll hop into my car and we’ll take off.”
“Whoa, back up.” I held up my hand. “I’m not killing Giovanni.”
“If he lives here, then Cato trusts him the most. He’s the person you need to be most concerned about. If you just knock him out, he’ll only be unconscious for a few hours. Then he’ll call Cato. We need as much time as possible.”
I didn’t care how necessary it was. “Landon, let me save you some time. I won’t do it.”
Landon sighed like a bull, his nostrils flaring.
“I’ll tie him up and leave him in the back seat of the car. When Cato gets home, he’ll realize Giovanni is missing. When he does, the grocery store is the first place he’ll look. Problem solved.”
“Unless someone sees you tie up an old man.”
“He probably goes to the store in the morning, so there won’t be many witnesses.”
“This is still a bad idea.”
“And you think killing him will be less obvious?” I snapped.
“I don’t know, alright? But we have to make sure we do this right. This is the most critical step in the entire plan.”
“Giovanni and I have a good relationship. I’m sure he’ll understand—”
“You can’t trust him, Siena. He’s loyal to the man who pays his bills, not you.”
“But he’s very fond of me.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “You aren’t paying his bills. He may not want to rat you out, but he will. Losing his life over you isn’t worth it. This is about survival. Do what you have to do. He’ll do what he has to do.”
I knew I had to escape, and that meant I couldn’t let Giovanni ruin my plan. If I had to tie him up in the back seat and cover him with a blanket, I would. If I told him what was going on, he probably wouldn’t struggle. And under no circumstances would I kill him. There were some people I would murder in a heartbeat—like Damien. But Giovanni was too good to be the victim of a bad situation. “Alright.
“Do you know Cato’s schedule?”
“No. He’s all over the place. But even if he is home, he doesn’t visit me until after two.”
“But if Giovanni doesn’t return by lunchtime, he’ll know something is wrong.”
“Yeah…”
“You’ll have to make sure you do it on a day he’ll be in Florence.”
“I agree.”
“Wait until that moment comes. When it does, leave everything behind. It’ll be too suspicious if you’re walking around the house with a bag. Text me and ask me if I want to come over for lunch the next day. That will be your code to me that the plan is happening. I’ll wait for you at the grocery store. I won’t text back just in case your phone goes off.”
“Okay.” God, this was really happening. I was really going to make a run for it. Like a lamb, I was going to run from the big bad wolf and hope he didn’t catch me. If this plan worked out smoothly, I might have a real chance.
Or it may be only a matter of time before he caught up with me.
It could be weeks. Months. Or it could be hours.
I was about to find out.
16
Cato
I sat in my living room going over paperwork on my lap. Ever since that shit with the Siberians happened, business had picked up. People respected the way I handled my enemies, and they also respected the way I protected my money. If men wanted to keep their money safe, putting it in my hands was the best decision.
Because I was the only one with enough balls to protect it.
The TV was on in the background, but I didn’t pay attention to it. The news was on, and of course, the media only reported the boring crimes and homicides they were allowed to cover. The heavy shit never made it on the news—unless they wanted to die.
My bedroom door opened and closed, and I knew exactly who it was. I didn’t look up from my paperwork. “Need something?”
She came up behind me and rested her hands on my shoulders. Her nails playfully dug into my skin before her hands slid down my chest and to my stomach. She leaned over and kissed me on the neck, her lips grazing my ear with sexy breaths.
I had shit to do, but once this woman was on me, I stopped caring.
Her hands moved all the way down to my hardening cock and back up again. “Fuck me, Cato.” She kissed my neck and pulled her hands from my chest. “I’ll be waiting.” She walked out of the living room, her footsteps growing fainter as she reached the bed. Clothes hit the floor, and then the mattress shifted under her weight.
I stared at the papers and read the same sentence five times.
All I could think about was that naked woman in my bed—and the sexy words she’d just whispered in my ear. I tossed the papers aside and headed to the bed, unprepared for what I was about to witness.
Her legs were spread, and her fingers worked her clit. Naked in my bed with her hair across my pillow, she’d gotten started without me. Maybe those pregnancy hormones were really kicking in.
I watched her touch herself as I dropped my sweatpants and boxers, my cock harder than I’d ever been. My fingers wrapped around my length, and I gently stroked myself, watching her rub her clit harder. “Can I join you, baby?”
She opened her eyes and looked at me, her fingers still working her nub. “Please.” She spoke in a husky voice, so sultry, like a cloud of smoke.
My knees hit the mattress, and I moved on top of her, our bodies melding together instantly. She widen
ed her legs for my arms to lock into my place, and then she stuck her fingers in my mouth so I could taste her.
I sucked everything off, tasting her delicious pussy.
She drew her fingers away and pulled my face to hers. She kissed me softly, her lips trembling for a moment before she continued the embrace. Her hand started at my cheek then slid into my hair.
My crown found her entrance like it had a mind of its own, and I slid inside her, pushing through the slickness and tightness until I was balls deep in that pussy. My pussy. Our kiss continued as my dick twitched inside her. “Baby…” I couldn’t imagine taking another woman after having this. It wasn’t just the skin-on-skin sensation. It was also those kisses she gave me, packed with so much passion that she burned me. It was the soft way she touched me, the way she trembled as she enjoyed me. And she was so wet between her legs there was no doubt she truly wanted me, wanted me more than any other woman had. She pissed me off with her stubbornness, but it also made me want her more. She stood up to me when no one else did, not even my brother. She made me better, made me harder, but also made me softer.
I thrust into her as I kept our kiss going, melting inside her perfect cunt.
She gripped my biceps and breathed into my mouth. “I want it slow tonight.”
I slowed my pace and gently moved inside her, savoring the buildup of cream on my shaft. I pushed completely inside her and felt the moisture gather on my balls. She was so wet that it leaked between her cheeks and stained my sheets.
Fucking her was the best.
I didn’t even mind taking it slow.
She sucked my bottom lip and moaned when I hit her in the right spot. It wasn’t hard to make her come. It usually only took a few minutes before I could make her pussy explode around my dick. Her moans grew louder during our kisses, slowly building up until she hit the crescendo. “Cato…yes.” She stopped kissing me altogether because she couldn’t focus. All she could do was lie there and feel the goodness between her legs. She clawed at me with the nails of a cat and slathered me in even more moisture.
I watched her come around me, watched her reactions match the explosion between her legs. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever had in my bed, the best pussy my dick had ever met, and I wanted to stay buried inside her forever. I wanted to make this last longer, but this angle felt so good. I loved being on top of her, her legs spread to me, and watching the fireworks go off in her eyes. Seeing her get off on me made me want to get off too.
And I did. With a few pumps, I exploded inside her, dropping a load that would overflow and leak down her ass. “Baby…fuck.” Every orgasm was amazing with this woman. She didn’t even need to do anything. I could do all the work and be content with that.
She kissed me again as she felt my dick and come deep inside her. “Again.”
An hour later, our fucking finished.
I lay in bed ready to go to sleep, and she got up. She pulled on the robe she’d been wearing and covered herself up. She picked up her panties and tossed them on my pillow. “A gift for you.”
I grinned. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” She leaned over me and kissed me on the mouth. “Good night.”
“Night.” I was surprised she didn’t try to sleep with me anymore. Seemed like she’d given up on it.
When she reached the door, she turned around. “Do you have any plans tomorrow?”
I had a packed schedule, from morning to night. “Why?”
“I was wondering if we could go shopping for the baby.”
“I can pay someone to do that.”
She shook her head slightly. “I want to do that, Cato. So, are you free?”
“Not tomorrow. I’m going to be in Florence all day.”
Like that meant something to her, she nodded slowly. “How about the next day?”
“I think I can take the afternoon off.”
“Good.” She smiled. “We’ll do it then.”
“Alright.”
She lingered by the door, staring at me for several seconds.
“What?”
She suddenly turned away. “Nothing. Sleep well.”
17
Siena
Now was my best chance.
Cato would be in Florence all day.
He would probably be too busy to intervene when his staff told him Giovanni was missing.
The next morning, I woke up early, shoved the kitchen twine I’d found in the pantry into my pocket, and pressed my ear against my door. I listened for all the noises, waiting for an indication Cato had left. Thirty minutes later, I heard him go downstairs and exchange a few words with one of his guys. Then he left.
I knew Giovanni had already made breakfast, so I hoped I wasn’t too late. He might have already left for the store.
I tiptoed into the kitchen and saw him standing over the sink, washing all the dishes and pans he’d used to prepare breakfast for Cato that morning. As careful as I could, I silently moved across the tile and grabbed all the car keys hanging by the door. Then I stepped into the garage and saw five cars tucked away.
Four of them were fancy cars, Bugattis and Ferraris.
One was a Volkswagen.
That had to belong to Giovanni.
I clicked the button and opened the trunk. Then I cracked the door and hung up the keys before I snuck back into the garage. The trunk was wide open, so I lay down then took a deep breath. Once I shut that trunk, I would be stuck in there until Giovanni opened it. If he didn’t go to the store that morning, I could be in there for a few days. Thankfully, there were a few water bottles in there with me. I steeled my nerves and shut the trunk.
I texted Landon. We’re going shopping for the baby tomorrow. Do you want to come with us?
Then I waited.
An hour later, Giovanni started the engine and pulled out of the garage.
This was really happening.
Now there was no turning back. I couldn’t change my mind because it was obvious what my intentions were. Giovanni would tell Cato he’d discovered me in his trunk, and there was no excuse I could give that would justify my behavior.
I hoped this plan worked, but a part of me hoped it didn’t.
Leaving Cato was harder than I thought.
I said goodbye to him in the best way I could, by going into his room and having a passionate night. It was slow, tender, and so good. I wanted to treasure him one last time before he moved on to someone else, but it just made me want to leave less. It destroyed my resolve and made me weak.
I knew I would miss him.
This was the right thing for the baby and me, but I would still miss that man deeply. A part of me hoped I would have a son who looked just like him, so I could look into his face and see Cato every day. I knew I would never find a man I felt so passionate about, not after being with Cato. Maybe I would fall in love someday, but Cato would always be the man I wondered about.
It was a bumpy ride to the store, and I tried not to move to attract Giovanni’s attention. Thirty minutes later, the car slowed and then parked. The engine was turned off, and then everything was still.
I wanted to text Landon, but since my phone was bugged, I couldn’t.
I just had to keep waiting.
Thirty minutes later, I heard footsteps approach the trunk. A beep sounded from the pressing a button, and then the trunk opened. Giovanni didn’t notice me right away because he’d turned back to the cart to begin unloading.
I jumped out of the trunk as quickly as I could before he could shut it again.
“Siena—”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I don’t want to hurt you, so I just need you to lie in the back seat and let me tie rope around your wrists.”
Stunned, he just stared at me like he couldn’t believe the reality right in front of him. “You’re leaving Mr. Marino?”
I nodded. “I have to. He killed those five people right in the driveway. I don’t want him to do that to me too. So…get
in the back seat.” I pulled the twine from my pocket and hoped he would be cooperative.
He sighed quietly before he gave a nod. “I suppose it makes it easier this way. I feel obligated to tell Mr. Marino what happened, even if I do want you to be safe. At least this way, I can keep my ethics and allow you to run at the same time.” He grabbed the groceries from the cart and loaded them into the trunk.
“You aren’t going to talk me out of it?” I asked in surprise.
“No. Humans will do extraordinary things to survive and protect their child. That’s exactly what you’re doing, and I can’t blame you.” He shut the trunk then gave me a weak smile. “I know Mr. Marino is dangerous. In my heart, I know he wouldn’t hurt you. But my heart has been wrong before…” He pushed the cart back to the retrieval area then sat in the back seat.
I moved beside him and tied the rope around his wrists.
“But I should warn you, Mr. Marino has more power than you can imagine. I don’t think you’ll be free very long before he finds you. And when he does…he may not be so forgiving. He’ll see it as a betrayal.”
I nodded. “I have to try, Giovanni.”
“Then good luck to you.” He smiled at me. “I hope everything works out.”
“Thanks for everything. You were my favorite thing about living there.”
Like always, his cheeks reddened. “And you were mine.”
His hands were tied, but I hugged him anyway. “I’ll miss you.” I kissed him on the cheek, and before I could get too emotional, I left the keys beside him and exited the car. The second I started to look for Landon, I found him.
He stood outside his black SUV, dressed in all black.
I crossed the parking lot and moved into his chest for a hug.
“That was the easy part. Now comes the hard part.”
18
Cato
Bates and I had a long meeting with a group of investors that shoveled money into our bank. They hid their wealth from their respective governments, and then we, in turn, invested that money into various stocks. We split the profits down the middle. They made money off invisible money, tax-free. And we made money doing almost nothing.