Page 9

CHAPTER

NINE

ADALYN

“ J ust to confirm, Miss Mannino. Are you happy with the vehicle’s specifications before I process the order?”

“Yes, I am. As long as it will have the wide body kit and red calipers we talked about, then I’m happy.” I smiled brightly.

It was the following afternoon, and the second day of my disastrous plan to rile my captor. Was it a wise plan? No, it wasn’t. But was I going to stop behaving like an ass and leave it alone? Also, no.

I was currently in the middle of purchasing an exact replica of my Dodge Hellcat from back in Las Vegas. Only this time, I opted for every single optional extra and of course bought it from new. The idea had come to me in the shower that morning, and while it was a potentially dangerous idea, I was excited to have something I could call my own… W ell, kind of.

I quickly signed the papers and handed them back before making the payment. I was almost certain it would be declined, figuring that the odds of the Don giving me an account with $90,000 sitting in it were slim to none. But it was at least worth a shot.

To my complete and utter surprise, the payment went through instantly.

Once we were back in the familiar SUV and hurtling down the street, I directed Alonso to take us to the nearest fast-food franchise and pulled out my phone to call Jesse.

“Yo. Guess what?” I squealed as soon as he picked up.

“Oh god. What now?”

“I bought a car!”

“You did what ?” I could hear his shock.

“I bought a car! And not just any car, Jesse. MY car!”

“Dear God…” I heard him mutter. “What kind of car is it?”

“Why a Dodge Challenger Hellcat of course,” I teased, and he groaned.

“When do you get it?”

“Two weeks. Do you think Marco will be mad?” I asked somewhat hopefully.

He just laughed into the receiver. “Doubt it. He won’t even get a notification unless a transaction goes over 150k.”

My jaw dropped.

“So, you’re telling me I have more than $150,000 on this card?” I asked cautiously.

What. The. Fuck.

“I would guess you have a lot more than that on there. I told you—it’s practically bottomless.” He chuckled.

“Fuck.”

“Yup.”

“Alright. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way back.”

We ended the call, and fifteen minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant that clearly served anything but the fast food I had asked for. I shot the guys my best despairing look but otherwise didn’t protest as they escorted me inside.

I was seated at a private booth by myself, while the men sat in another behind me.

I internally sighed and got up to sit next to them.

They both looked somewhat perplexed at my sudden appearance at their table, but didn’t protest as I took a seat. I suppose it wasn’t every day that their ward chose to have lunch with them.

I turned to scowl at Alonso. “Didn’t I say a fast-food place?”

“Sorry, Ma’am. Boss ordered no fast-food.” Came his gruff response.

Who the hell does that asshole think he is!

I fought the sudden urge to text Marco that he was an ass for trying to control my new life and flipped open my menu instead.

“Well then, fill your boots boys. The bills on Marco.”

The garage was a car enthusiast’s dream.

Limited editions and top spec vehicles lined the expansive forecourt culminating in only the most iconic supercars on full display in the showroom. The whole place reeked of money.

It was perfect. My plan, just a hint of an idea at the restaurant, now coming into flourishing fruition.

An enthusiastic man greeted us as we entered and quickly directed us to a private desk area, despite having no appointment. Apparently having two gigantic bodyguards in-toe didn’t seem to faze the older man as he quickly got to discussing the reason for my visit and showing me their catalogue on an iPad not half an hour later.

“What did I miss?”

The sudden sound of Jesse’s voice startled me, and I swiveled in my chair to find him strolling into the office.

“What are you doing here?” I questioned as he collapsed into the other chair.

“Helping you car shop.” He offered good naturedly, making no attempt to stop me in my quest.

He took the tablet out of my hands and began flicking through the listings, questioning the salesman on some of the vehicles while making grunts of disgust at others.

We then took a tour of the lot, opening the various cars that piqued my interest. There was a lovely white Porsche 911 GT3 with a custom interior which was kind of cute, but ultimately didn’t scream ‘badass’ enough so I kept looking. There were a couple of Bentleys I had a look around, but decided I didn’t like and a steel grey McLaren that was stunning. I jokingly pouted at Jesse as I walked up to the purple mirrored Lamborghini Aventador, but was met with a resounding ‘no’ so I didn’t linger long.

Ultimately, I decided on one I had seen in the catalogue earlier—a Brabus C63 AMG Coupe. Otherwise known as the car of dreams.

If it were a man, I’d have married it on the spot and climbed it like a tree.

It was gorgeous with an obsidian black exterior, privacy windows and plush rich leather interior. The car pushed over 800 brake-horsepower. My mouth was practically watering. It made my Hellcat look like a kitten.

The salesperson printed off all the paperwork and went through it with me while Jesse observed patiently. Once all the documents had been organized and it was time for payment I suddenly became very nervous. Fully expecting Jesse to laugh at me as my card was declined.

You shouldn’t be doing this…This isn’t even your money! A voice in my head scolded as I pulled out the card.

But the reason I was here was because of Marco. He was the reason my family had turned their backs on me, and I was alone. He had taken me from my family, my friends, my home and held me ransom. Only now with the ransom left unpaid I was in limbo…and facing the very real possibility of being married off to someone that hated my guts because I was a Mannino. If he could get someone to even agree to marry me in the first place…

Fuck him and fuck his money. I swiped the card.

One second. Two…

“That has all gone through, Miss Mannino. Here is your receipt and delivery is confirmed for one month’s ti—” My phone started ringing, cutting him off.

I pulled it out and smiled when I saw the caller ID.

Right on time.

“Hello?”

“What the fuck are you doing?” Marco’s voice was unmistakably furious.

“You are going to have to be more specific.” I toyed.

I could practically hear his jaw muscle clenching and unclenching, “What the fuck did you just spend $240,000 on?” Oh yeah, he’s definitely pissed.

“Oh, that !” I said airily. “Well…you were saying about how I should build myself a life here… so I bought myself a car.” I drawled.

He didn’t say anything for a few moments, and I pulled the phone away to check the connection.

“I thought you’d be happy!” I prompted when he still didn’t speak.

I heard him exhale heavily, “What kind of car is it?” His voice was still annoyed, but I thought I could detect a trace of humor to it.

Which was something I was not expecting.

“A Brabus C63 AMG Coupe. It is the new love of my life.”

Another sigh bled through the receiver, then a dry chuckle. “Good choice. Fine, you can keep the car.”

“YAY!” I all but screamed into the phone.

“I’ll see you for dinner.” He started to finish, going to cut the call.

“No wait!”

“What, Ada?” I could definitely hear humor in his voice now.

“I need to show you something.”

I pressed a few buttons on the phone, requesting a video call as I exited the office. The moment his face popped up on screen I could see he was sitting in his study back at the mansion.

Even on a six-inch screen he was intimidating.

I walked over to the Lamborghini Aventador I had seen earlier, carefully showing it to the camera before staring at him pointedly.

“What?” He asked cautiously.

“Pleeasseeeee.” I whined, putting on my best adorable face.

“No.” He scowled, and I could see his temper begin to flare.

I wasn’t expecting him to say yes. I just wanted to see how many more buttons I could push, knowing I was already dangerously close to the edge. Part of me was curious to see what would happen if I did finally push him over it… I didn’t think it was death that awaited me on the other side.

“Oh, come on! I’ll be a good little housemate and do whatever you want…” I hinted and added in a suggestive wink for good measure.

For a split second a strange expression crossed his face, but it slipped behind his familiar mask of indifference before I could make it out. “No.”

I scowled at him.

“You are forgetting that I did just buy you a car , Ada.” He was clearly running out of patience, judging by the frown etching itself into his skin.

“Actually, you bought me two.” I smiled sweetly.

I heard an audible sigh and watched as he shut his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

“Pass me to Jesse.” He demanded.

I headed back to the office and shot Jesse a pleased smile as I handed the phone to him. The salesperson had notably made himself absent. Clearly the man knew how to handle himself around mobsters.

Marco and Jesse continued their conversation in Italian, exchanging sentences I didn’t understand, but from the Don’s tone sounded like orders being fired at Jesse.

Once they had ended the call, Jesse turned and handed me the phone with a smirk.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

I grinned, but unease quickly started to swirl in my stomach despite it, “Something like that.”

A half hour later and we were on the way back home. This time I rode with Jesse while Alonso and Tom followed behind us in their SUV.

The journey back passed a lot quicker than I was hoping for and by the time we had pulled to a stop outside the front of the mansion all my earlier bravado had worn off.

I was freaking out.

“Boss wants you in his study.” Jesse notified me as we walked into the foyer.

My stomach flip-flopped nervously.

“Of course he does.” I muttered, resigned to my fate.

I walked as slowly as I dared, trying to regain my composure before our little showdown. Another guard—Wyatt—greeted me as I approached and immediately held the door open for me as I entered.

Marco was seated behind his desk as stoic as ever, a glass of amber liquor in hand. His dark eyes settled on me the same moment I entered, and I did my best to avoid his glare. I forced myself to stare at his chest instead…which also turned out to be a mistake. Hard muscle stretched beneath the fabric and nervous flutters combined with something else erupted in my stomach.

I quickly looked away, staring at literally anything else in the room.

“Do you realize how much money you have spent in the last two days?” He demanded, condescendingly. “You’ve spent almost $400,000.”

I fought the urge to gulp. There was not a chance I was getting out of this unscathed.

Well, I’m truly up shit creek now, might as well enjoy it.

So, I laughed.

“You think this is funny?” He asked, his knuckles turning white around the crystal in his hand.

“Oh, give me a break. You really don’t have $400,000 lying around?”

“Let me be clear, $400,000 is nothing to me. Nothing ,” he emphasized. “What I’m pissed off about is that you’ve abused all the luxuries I’ve given you.” He downed the remainder of his glass before getting up and replenishing it. His bicep flexed unmistakably as he reached for the decanter and a burn that wasn’t entirely unpleasant leaked into my stomach.

Damn. I didn’t have a response to that.

He’s right … I shoved aside the voice in my head that told me to shut up and apologize, but I was too far down the rabbit hole to turn around now.

“For your information, you gave me the card, so excuse me if you cannot handle two days of shopping!” His brow tensed in anger.

I don’t know why I did it. A death wish? A lack of self-control? I didn’t know…but once again, I found myself prodding at the tiger I knew lived beneath his cool exterior, if only to prove to him that I wasn’t the weak and simpering girl in his office only a few days ago.

“I didn’t realize you were so strapped for cash, Marco. Guess you are not used to the same lifestyle as the Ma?—"

That did it.

His right arm moved so violently I didn’t see the glass as he launched it into the wall. It shattered and splintered into thousands of sparkling pieces on impact. The speed he moved temporarily shocking me into silence.

I quickly recovered though, shoving aside the fear that had my heart racing.

“Don’t you dare mention that fucking name in my house!” He yelled, making me fight a flinch.

Before I could even blink, my back was pushed firmly into the study’s wall, and I had no recollection of how I’d got there, the motion too fast for me to process. A strong hand clenched around my waist while another caged me in. Marco’s black eyes were now only an inch above mine. A shiver of heat raced up my spine as his familiar spicy sent hit my nose.

“If you don’t want to hear that name then maybe you shouldn’t be living with one,” I breathed.

Another second ticked by before Marco released his grip on my waist, only to plant both hands on the wall either side of my head instead.

“Do you really think I want a Mannino living in my house?” He wore a look of contempt on his face but leaned closer, until only a sliver of air remained between us. “That I keep you here and take responsibility for you because I have nothing better to do?”

His words cut like a razor and extinguished the intoxicating heat that had started to bubble and swell.

“Then marry me off already!” I shoved against his chest as hard as I could, but it did nothing to create space between us.

He let me continue struggling until he finally grasped my forearms and pinned them to the wall either side of my head.

“That’s your plan, isn’t it? You think that you can provoke me into marrying you off quickly.”

Shit.

Clearly, I had not been as cunning as I had thought. I looked away guiltily.

He shook his head, letting out a quiet chuckle.

“You’re going to have to come up with something better than that.” An amused smile played on his lips as he straightened up finally, leaning away from me and freeing my arms.

Now I’m pissed.

I followed him, closing the distance between us once more. Close enough now that I was standing between his legs. I stood on my tiptoes and moved as close to him as I dared.

I tried to ignore how his warm breath brushed against my skin as our faces neared.

“Fuck. You.” I said venomously. “Fuck you for taking me. Fuck you for keeping me here, and fuck you for ruining my life.”

I turned to walk away, but once again found myself shoved firmly against the wall. His forearm pressed along the front of my chest and the contact between our skin temporarily dampened my anger.

“I will have respect.” His voice took on a brutal edge as his eyes commanded mine.

“Then you’re really talking to the wrong person.”

For fucks sake, shut up Adalyn!

His freehand immediately slammed against the wall beside my head, the thud so loud it made my earache.

“You’re playing with fire.”

His words were dark, but his eyes were alight with something else I couldn’t place, and I panicked, thinking I had pushed him too far…until his gaze dropped to my lips.

My unease was contorted into something else entirely when I felt his hand slide down the wall behind me. His warm skin coming to rest on the small of my back. The heat of it radiated to other, more sinful parts of my body and I tried to ignore the confusing feelings he was eliciting.

It was no use. His fingertip began tracing against the exposed sliver of skin above my pants, and I surprisingly didn’t flinch away from his touch like I normally would have. Like I always did when a man touched my naked skin. This time instead of trying to get away from his touch, I found myself leaning into it.

The heat rising in my stomach immediately ached and pooled. My body urging me to close the distance between us and I sunk my teeth into my lip trying to thwart the sudden desire that rose within me. His eyes snagged on the motion, and his jaw twitched in response, as if he too were trying to restrain himself.

But just as my body started to give in to the irresistible pull between us and his finger dipped beneath the material at my hip, the study door swung open, and Benny waltzed into the room.

He paused mid-step when he noticed our precarious position against the wall.

“Excuse me, Boss. It’s urgent.” The older man said gruffly, diverting his gaze.

Marco didn’t move, as if contemplating whether there was an option that didn’t involve dealing with Benny’s interruption.

One second. Two… Eventually he released me, turning back toward his desk. I shook my head slightly and took the opportunity to leave, promptly heading in the direction of the study door while Marco’s back remained turned toward me.

I didn’t dare look at Benny as I passed him, and I didn’t dare stop until I was halfway down the hall, hidden behind a section of wall.

My heartbeat thundered in my ears.

Well that definitely wasn’t part of the plan.