Page 7 of Taking Adalisa (Montgomery Syndicate #2)

ADALISA

“ Y ou… what… I… huh?” I look at him, confused.

He isn’t a serial killer, but he has killed people. But wouldn’t that make him a serial killer then?

“I am not a serial killer. To be categorized as a serial killer, you need to commit several murders and have a pattern of sorts with the victims. I kill people, but I have very good reasons for doing it. I do not kill innocent people,” he explains.

“And while I get a thrill from it, I don’t just go out and kill anyone.

There are legit reasons for my killings. ”

I stare at him, not knowing what to do or say. What am I to say? He’s just confessed to killing people in front of me.

I should go to the police. I should tell someone that I’ve found a murderer, but I have no proof. He hasn’t given me any details.

“So, don’t group me with serial killers. It would be bad for my reputation.” He actually smirks at that statement.

“Reputation?” My eyebrows furrow. “What reputation?”

He leans in, and I wait for him to tell me the secret about him.

“You’ll soon see,” he whispers before pulling back and getting out of the car.

I relax in my seat, taking a deep breath as he walks around the car. I need to get away from him. I need to come up with a plan to leave so he can’t find me.

Matthias opens the door, holding his hand for me.

I take his hand with one of mine and hold my dress down with the other as we walk into the small restaurant that is a essentially hole in the wall.

How have I never heard of this place? I’ve lived in New York City my whole life, yet this little place has escaped me.

“Sit,” he says as we walk up to a table in the corner.

I slide into the booth, getting close to the wall as he sits beside me. I should have sat on the other side, but he pointed to this one, and my brain, without even thinking, did what he said.

“Oh, Matthias! You’ve finally come in,” An older lady stands at the end of the booth, a bright smile across her face. “And who is this lovely lady?”

“Ma, this is Adalisa, my girl,” Matthias replies. “Adalisa, this is my ma.”

I blink several times as I take in the older woman. Does she know what her son does? Does she know what he is doing to me right now?

“Adalisa,” he growls low.

“Sorry,” I whisper. “Nice to meet you, Ma’am.”

I give her a confused look as she smiles at Matthias before looking at me. She is looking at him like he is her most prized possession.

She must not know what he does, then. She’s looking at him like he’s done nothing wrong in this world.

“It’s so nice to finally meet ya.” Her smile grows even more as she holds out her hand.

Matthias doesn’t look at me, but his leg bumps into mine. I plaster a fake smile on and shake her hand. What would Matthias do to me if I didn’t shake his mother’s hand?

“How long have you known my boy for?” a

she asks, sitting across from us.

“A couple of days,” I reply.

“Several months,” Matthias says at the same time.

I suck in a breath and glare at him. She was looking at me when she asked the questions, and I assumed I was supposed to answer truthfully.

And I did.

I’ve only known Matthias for a couple of days. Before that, he was different people and someone I didn’t know.

“Matthias!” his mother scolds. “Do not tell me this is the same young woman you were seeing several months ago.”

“I was seeing her. Almost every single day,” he replies like nothing is wrong. “I saw her from afar as she worked or when she got home.”

His mother stares at him like he’s grown two heads. Maybe this is my chance.

“He’s apparently been stalking me for several months, dressing up as different people to come into my work and talk to me.

He knows things about me that I haven’t told anyone,” I rush out, looking at her with pleading eyes.

“I didn’t know him until a couple of days ago when he showed up at an event I was going to and pretended I was his girlfriend. ”

She should be able to help me get away from her son. Maybe she knows someone who can apprehend him while I escape.

“He did what?” his mother gasps. “Matthias, you did not!”

I look at Matthias, a smug smile dancing across my face. But he doesn’t look at me.

“I did, and I don’t regret anything. She is mine and will always be mine,” Matthias tells his mother. “Just like dad knew you were his.”

Wait .

I look at his mom to see her smiling at him.

“You are worse than your father,” she chuckles.

“Wait,” I whisper, looking between them.

Matthias looks at me, a smirk across his face. “Did you think Ma would agree and help you?”

I nod and look back at her. Something dances in her eyes, and that’s when I realize I’m on my own.

“My dad did the same thing to Ma when they first met,” Matthias explains. “Though she embraced it and lived with him. Gave him hell every chance she could, but Ma fell in love with him right away.”

“No,” I say in disbelief.

“It’s true. But your father kidnapped me when he first saw me.

What he didn’t know is that I knew who he was and I had a massive crush on him.

When we first met, I pretended I didn’t know him, which infuriated him.

I knew he was going to be at the event, and I made sure I looked the best so I would capture his attention but also that it didn’t look like I was trying too hard.

I didn’t want to scare him off,” she says, looking off into the distance as if she remembers that night.

“But once he got home and claimed that I was his, I turned the freak on and told him things he didn’t want anyone to know.

The look of shock on his face was priceless. ”

My mouth hangs open as I look at her. She was okay with being kidnapped? She wanted him to kidnap her so she could be with him?

“What is wrong with all of you?” I ask, looking at them in horror.

“A word of advice?” His mom looks at me.

“These men aren’t like other men. When they see what they want, they take it, no matter what.

I wouldn’t try to fight them to allow you to go, especially Matthias.

He is a possessive bastard and won’t let you go now that he has you.

But you can give him hell for it. Make him work for everything. ”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “No, you don’t just give up.”

“You aren’t giving up. What will your life be like when you are with him? Will you be happy?” she asks.

“No!” I raise my voice, not caring who hears me and definitely not caring that I’m making a scene.

Everyone here probably knows what he has done and his father has done and won’t say anything. They are all accomplices.

“No, you won’t be happier? No, you aren’t giving up? Or no you won’t be happy?” his mother cocks her head to the side. “That’s three different answers.”

“No to all of it. I am giving up if I just let him take me without fighting back. No to me being happy with him, and no to my life being better with him!” I shout.

I groan in frustration as I try to stand, realizing I’m blocked in by Matthias. He did this on purpose. He wanted me to sit here so when I met his mom and found out how she met his father, I wouldn’t be able to get out.

“You are cruel,” I growl at him. “So fucking cruel. I hate you.”

“You don’t hate me,” he replies. “You are just uncertain about everything. Don’t worry, everything is going to make sense soon enough. Before you know it, you’ll realize you love this life. I’m going to take good care of you. You will want for nothing.”

“There will be some danger involved. What they do isn’t safe, but they will keep you safe,” his mother chimes in.

“They?” My eyes go wide.

No fucking way there are two of them. I cannot handle that.

“It’s just Matthias for you. I was generalizing. My husband is in the same business as Matthias,” she explains.

“No, I can’t do this.” I shake my head. “I’m not going to do this. Move.”

I push Matthias’ shoulder, but he doesn’t budge.

“You need to let me go now. I need to get out. I need to get away from you,” I demand loudly. “Let me out!”

“Matthias, let her out. She’ll come around,” his mother says.

“No,” is all Matthias replies.

“I will crawl under the table,” I threaten.

“You will not crawl on the floor unless I demand it.” His face is inches from mine. “You are mine, and no matter what happens, you will always be mine. Do you understand?”

“No,” I grit out through clenched teeth. “No, I do not understand, and no I will not accept it.”

Silence fills the air around us as we stare at each other. Both of us are glaring at one another as we breathe heavily.

“Matthias, dear, let her go for now. You know where she lives and works. Give her some time to cool off and wrap her brain around it all. Not everyone is like me,” his mother gently says.

“And Adalisa? If you need anything, you are more than welcome to come here and ask anything. I know this is strange, but we are here for you. It’s going to be okay. ”

Matthias stands and holds his hand out, but I don’t take it as I leave the booth.

“Thanks for not feeding me breakfast.” I roll my eyes as I walk away from them and out of the restaurant.