Page 5

5

CARLOTTA

F iver Minutes Earlier…

My head is spinning and it’s not because of the bubbly. I’m not exactly sure how to explain what happened almost a half an hour ago and I’m still a little in shock, and pulsing, from the complete stranger who gave me an orgasm.

What in the world is wrong with me? I’ve never done anything so reckless—or exciting—before. A little thrill shoots through me as I step out onto the back patio. The entire area is surrounded by trees, flowers and plants. In the center of it all is the fountain. Fairy lights hang everywhere and it feels like I just stepped into a magical fairyland.

I know I’m five minutes early, but I can’t help myself. I’ve never been so excited to see someone before and I am absolutely dying to unmask my skeleton man and find out his true identity. Earlier, I had a feeling something amazing was going to happen tonight and, so far, this evening has exceeded my expectations in every possible way.

Picturing the handsome stranger’s dark brown eyes, so expressive and mysterious, I walk over and stare at the flowing water falling into the pool. It fills the surrounding air with a soft gurgling sound. It’s soothing, almost mesmerizing, and I sigh softly as a breeze brushes across my face, lightly rustling my skirts.

No one is out here since the masquerade party is currently in full swing. Plus, it’s a little chilly out and I rub my arms, lost in thought. I still can’t believe how wanton I was, how I allowed a complete stranger to kiss and touch me so intimately. That was my first official orgasm given to me by a man and it was so damn good. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing out on all these years. It was way better than the ones I’ve given myself, that’s for damn sure.

Even though I dated Rendall for a few months, I never let him touch me like that. We made out, sure, but other than some kissing and light groping, I kept him at a distance. He never slid a hand down my panties or finger-fucked me into sweet oblivion like my masked man. He might’ve tried, but I never gave him the opportunity. I think in my heart, I knew he was bad news and that he’d cheat on me. So I was always wary, kept my guard up, and never allowed myself to fully trust him. So, of course, I also didn’t get overly intimate with him.

It’s a good thing, too. Although he hurt my feelings, I wasn’t devastated or destroyed by his infidelity. Sadly, I expected it. There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way and wouldn’t allow me to get too close.

My subconscious must’ve known he was a cheating dick before my conscious mind did.

Either way, I got over him easier than maybe I should have. But since it was such a bad experience, I pulled back from the dating scene and I haven’t allowed myself to get too involved with anyone else since.

After our steamy encounter in the conference room, I certainly want to get more involved with my masked man. Again, it’s so unlike me to do something like this. But maybe it’s a good thing, and exactly what I need in my life. Going out on a limb, taking a chance and meeting someone…I need to throw caution to the wind and jump into the deep end. No more holding back and no more fear.

Vowing to grab this opportunity, to seize it without any second-guessing, I shove any lingering doubts aside and decide to take the biggest chance of my life.

I’m going to open myself up to a man without regard to the possible repercussions. Hopefully, he reciprocates and this will be the beginning of something wonderful.

If not, well, it’ll mean another heartbreak for me.

Be positive , I tell myself, shaking off the perpetual doubts that always seem to plague me.

It’s almost time now and my belly flutters with excited nerves. Or, maybe that’s the lingering ripples from the incredible orgasm he gave me.

I’m so wrapped up in my thoughts, I don’t notice the two large shadows that appear from the rear edge of the garden. Not until they’re practically upon me. Without warning, two masked men appear on either side of me and scare the crap out of me. I tell myself to relax—this is a masquerade party, after all—and decide to move around to the other side of the fountain.

Before I can do that, though, firm hands grab each of my elbows and turn me toward the back section where a gate leads out to the alley. Shocked, I try to break free and attempt to scream, but my cries are smothered when a big, meaty hand slaps over my mouth.

“Keep quiet or I’ll hurt you,” the man in the jester mask threatens, his voice low and scary.

The other man wears a ghost mask and yanks me along, his grip punishing. I struggle, trying to twist away, doing anything to break their steel grips, but it’s useless.

Fear pummels through me as they whisk me through the courtyard, away from the hotel and the crowd of party goers, and straight to a waiting SUV with black-tinted windows. Heart in my throat, I struggle harder and try to cry out for help, but they’re too strong and fast.

As one of the men opens the rear door, I try to twist away and cry out, “No! Please!”

Before I realize it, they toss me into the backseat and the locks click. My eyes go wide as I sit up and do my best not to completely panic. Who are these men? What is going on? Why do they want me?

I have no idea what the hell is going on or why I’ve been abducted. And I have a feeling they aren’t going to answer any of my questions. Even so, I try to get some answers. I also take comfort in the fact that I have my cell phone tucked away in my wristlet. Slipping a hand into my small red and black purse, I wrap my fingers around my phone and slowly pull it out.

“Where are we going?” I ask. My attention drops to the screen and I pull up Miceli’s name.

I’m in a black SUV, I text him. Two men dragged me away from the party. No idea where they’re taking me…I’m scared.

My finger punches send and I discreetly slip the phone back into my wristlet. Even though I’m frightened, I’m also angry. These assholes just forced me to leave the party before I was able to meet with my mystery man who I can’t stop thinking about.

“Where?” I demand, untying my mask and hiding it in the folds of my voluminous skirt. Jester glances over his shoulder and glares at me.

“Shut up,” he snaps. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

I clamp my mouth shut and turn my attention out the window, watching the passing scenery, trying to get a fix on my location and, more importantly, my destination. Hopefully, I can get another text sent off to Miceli.

Speaking of which, my phone buzzes and Jester’s head snaps back around.

“What was that?”

Oh, shit. God, he must have supersonic hearing or something.

He turns all the way around, zeroing in on the wristlet tucked beneath my dress. “Bitch has a phone,” he snarls then reaches over the seat and rips my wristlet away. Horror fills me when he rolls down the window and throws it out onto the street.

My heart sinks. Shit, shit, shit. I’m wondering what Miceli texted and now I’m starting to panic. I’m not used to danger or any kind of excitement. My brothers and their significant others are the ones who experience love and adventure, not me. My life is boring, predictable and definitely not romantic in any sort of way.

But, there’s no denying I’m in serious trouble right now. The more I think about it, the more scared I get. I have no idea what’s happening and no one who could potentially save me has any idea where these thugs are taking me—myself included.

So how is anyone going to come to my rescue? I wonder a little desperately.

They’re not, a little voice states.

I pull in a deep breath and force myself to calm down, face the situation head-on and think logically. Okay, so one thing becomes clear fast—I’m going to have to rescue myself. One way or another, I’m going to have to dig deep and be smart. There’s no time to play the damsel in distress.

Channeling my inner badass, I pay close attention to my surroundings and realize we’re heading into a bad part of town. There aren’t many people on the streets and the ones I see look like drug addicts and vagrants. I have a feeling they have their own problems and I can’t rely on them to step up and help me fight off my kidnappers. They’re probably too high to help me, anyway.

Just as well, Lottie, I tell myself. I can handle this. Somehow.

Even though I try to remain calm, my pulse is beating so hard and fast, and I’m sweating bullets. How could things have taken such a drastic turn in such a short amount of time? One second I’m kissing my hot masked man and now I’m being spirited away by a couple of thugs to God-knows-where.

Maybe the worst part is that I’ll never figure out who he was or see him again. Because these idiots dragged me away, I’ll never find my mysterious stranger and he’s going to think I stood him up when I’m not at the fountain for our rendezvous. That hurts way more than it probably should.

Focus, I chastise myself.

Now isn’t the time to think about what could’ve been. Now is the time to step up and escape. I can have a pity party later.

Eventually, the SUV pulls up in front of a rundown house. After parking at the curb, Jester and Ghost get out, walk over and open my door.

“Out,” Jester snaps, and I glare at him as I slide out of the car.

He grabs my upper arm, turns me toward the rundown house and begins tugging me up the uneven walkway. It’s made up of broken concrete with weeds sprouting up through the cracks, a total tripping hazard. Halfway to the house, I nonchalantly drop my mask still hidden in my voluminous skirts and send up a silent prayer.

If my brothers can somehow figure out where I am then maybe they’ll see my mask laying on the sidewalk. It’s probably a longshot, but there’s always the possibility. And right now, I need some luck on my side and to remain positive.

The house is dark and dirty-looking with several boarded-up windows. It’s clearly abandoned, maybe even a drug house, and I squint against the gloominess, my eyes slowly adjusting. We walk inside and a musty smell hangs in the air and I wrinkle my nose. I also catch the unpleasant scent of something that’s been decaying for a while. Probably a mouse or rat lost in the walls or under the slanted floorboards.

The thugs cart me into a side room on the first floor and Ghost shoves me down into a wooden chair. Jester binds my hands to the chair’s arms with zip ties and I try not to let panic consume me. Forcing myself to remain cool and in control, ready to seize any opportunity to escape that might prevent itself, I focus on calming and slowing my breathing.

“I’ll let Gallo know we’re here,” Ghostface says and walks out.

My heart falls. I should’ve known Carmine Gallo was behind this, but I didn’t connect the dots. Miceli and my brothers had warned us all about Gallo, and after Angelo and Blake’s dealings with the man and his mansion burning down, I should’ve been more alert. More careful.

But, no, I was too consumed by lust for a man whose name I don’t even know and will never see again.

So stupid, Lottie, I scold myself, pulling against the zip ties. I was so eager to fall in love that I wasn’t paying enough attention to my surroundings. To be fair, though, I hardly expected to be abducted from the hotel when there were so many people around.

Not outside, though, I remind myself. For the briefest moment, I wonder if the masked stranger was a part of my abduction. Did he purposely lure me outside and away from the rest of the guests? I suppose it’s a possibility, bt=ut one that I don’t want to think about too hard. Because I briefly allowed myself to trust a man again—and if he is the reason for my current situation, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to trust anyone ever again.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Carlotta Rossi,” Gallo says, walking into the room. He looks so damn smug that I want to punch him.

“Are you crazy? You can’t just kidnap me!” I exclaim.

“Really? Because I think I just did,” he states arrogantly.

He comes right up to me, grabs my chin and snaps it up, forcing me to look into his fleshy face, twisted in anger. Gritting my teeth, I return his stare with all of the defiance I can muster, but cold fear trickles through my veins. He has a crazed, wide-eyed look that makes me shiver.

“You better shake, Carlotta, because I have plans for you. Plans you will not like, but things that must be done to teach your family a lesson.”

“My family didn’t do anything to you,” I tell him.

“So naive. You have no idea what you’re talking about. They’re the reason I haven’t been invited to join the other mafia families, they’re the reason I was put on the Kill List and hunted down by crazed bounty hunters and they’re the reason my mansion burned to the ground. I will have my revenge,” he seethes.

I squirm in the chair and he snaps my face to the side.

“I’m going to destroy your family…starting with you.”

Oh, God. I do my best not to show fear, but it’s getting harder and harder. Miceli knows I’m in trouble, but how will he find me? That asshole tossed my phone out the car window.

Gallo is deranged. I need to escape fast and I know time is of the essence.

But how?

You’re on your own, Lottie. Time to figure it out.