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“Motherfucker, you’re better then I fantasized about.” He placed the scissors down and reached for her breasts. She cried out and then heard the shots.

“She’s mine.” Gia’s eyes popped open as she heard the gunshot. Jeffrey fell over onto his side, a bullet in his head. She looked at the doorway and there stood Antonio.

She cried out, closed her eyes, and squeezed them tight as the fear overtook her body. “Oh God no. Please.” She begged for the nightmare to end and then she heard Antonio’s voice.

“Shhh, baby, I got you. I saved you from that lunatic.” He placed his palm against her cheek.

She could hardly focus on Antonio, his dark eyes, and the way he spoke to her. He just killed a man, granted saving her from rape and assault, but wouldn’t he do the same thing? She was never so scared in her life.

He looked her body over and smiled.

“I missed you, Gia. You should have never left me, baby. I’m nothing without you.”

She didn’t know what to do or what to say. This was outrageous.

“Untie me, Antonio. I’m scared.”

He ran the palm of his hand along her breasts then to her mound between her legs. She thought he was going to go farther, but then he knelt on the bed and leaned down next to her face.

“I will in a minute, baby. We just need to get a few things straight.”

“Like what?” Her teeth continued to chatter. She couldn’t stop the tears rolling down her cheeks or the spasms in her body.

“You’re coming with me. I don’t want to hear anything about Texas ever again, you hear me? Not about the three men you’re fucking, about your family, or any of this. You’ve always been mine, Gia, and now we’ll be together forever.”

“Fat chance, asshole.”

Gia turned toward the doorway to see Valdere standing there.

Oh my God, this can’t be happening.

“What the fuck?” Antonio stated as he climbed over Gia and kept a possessive hold over her waist.

Valdere smiled.

“She is quite the gem, isn’t she? And the ultimate price for your betrayal, Antonio.”

“My betrayal? What have I done wrong?”

“For one, you failed to tell me that you found her.”

“I was going to. I was going to head back to New York with her.”

Valdere walked closer and ran fingers along her inner thigh. “Just like you told me about the deal with Porter and the two million?”

Gia looked at Antonio. She knew he was sweating bullets. He was afraid of Valdere. He had been for years.

“Boss, the cops are on the way. There’s a helicopter outside.” Pedro entered the room. She looked at him, and he eyed her body over then turned to leave.

Two shots rang out and Gia jerked as she turned to the right. Antonio fell against the bed. A bullet to his forehead and one to his chest.

Valdere stuck the gun in the waist of his designer pants.

“Let’s get you untied, Gia. We have a lot to discuss.”

Gia cried hysterically. She was completely freaking out now despite her mind’s attempt to make her fight back. How could she? He had a gun, he’d killed Antonio, and Antonio had killed Jeffrey in front of her.

The ties came loose and Valdere grabbed her by her waist and hoisted her up against him. Her tattered dress fell from her body. Only her bra and panties remained. He licked his lips.