Page 16 of Unrelenting (Ruthless Temptations #1)

FOURTEEN

Lucia

By eleven o’clock, the last of our customers has left. It’s unusual to get finished this early, but I’m not complaining. Service was hectic, and although there were few problems, I’m glad we’re closed for the next couple of days.

Daniele is waiting at the bar for me, as usual. I tried to send him away, but he insisted that until Lorenzo relieves him of this duty, he’ll be here at closing time each night. I don’t know why he hasn’t been assigned to some other task.

Perhaps he’s spying on me for Lorenzo, looking for something he can use to put further pressure on me to sell. If he is, he’s wasting his time. I will never give in to bullying tactics.

When Daniele arrived, I let everyone go while I finished cleaning the kitchen. I felt like being alone for a while. There’s something therapeutic about wiping down the surfaces and emptying the dishwasher.

I’m just about done when the door from the dining room flies open and Lorenzo storms into the room. Unusually, he’s wearing black dress pants and a black shirt that’s a little loose around his shoulders. With a fierce scowl on his face, he looks like the angel of death, come to claim his victim.

Startled as he steps toward me, I grab something to protect myself with. The nearest object just happens to be a knife. God knows what I intend to do with it.

Lorenzo snorts derisively, motioning toward the knife. “What are you planning to do with that, gattina ?”

Something about him calling me kitten enrages me. “What I’d like to do with it is stab you through the eye.”

Lorenzo flashes me his arrogant smirk. “I’d like to see you try.”

He takes another step in my direction, and I drop the knife onto the table next to me. I could never wield it against a person.

“Pity,” Lorenzo says. “I’d have enjoyed wrestling that off you.”

Oh, I’ll bet he would have. “What do you want, Lorenzo? I’m tired and in no mood for games.”

“I’m here to set the record straight. Whatever you think I did, you’re wrong. I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“So you didn’t send a lawyer to threaten me.”

Anger flares in Lorenzo’s eyes. “He threatened you?”

“Not overtly, but yes.”

Lorenzo shakes his head. “And you think I sent someone to do that?”

I believe it less than I did before. Lorenzo’s outrage seems genuine.

“Who else would it be?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I’m going to find out.”

As I stare at Lorenzo, I can’t find any hint that he’s playing with me. I feel bad for rushing to judgement. I’m about to apologize when I notice the line of stitches on his forehead.

“What happened to you?”

He raises his hand to his head. “This?”

I nod.

“I was shot.”

My jaw drops. “You were shot in the head?”

“Yes, well, grazed really. It happened at my cousin’s wedding.”

My knees threaten to buckle under me. I grab at the edge of the table to steady myself. When I heard the rumors of a shooting at a wedding, it crossed my mind that Lorenzo might be involved, but seeing the evidence of it shocks me to the core.

“So it’s true what everyone’s saying? The wedding was attacked? People were killed?”

“A few.” His response is so nonchalant I want to scream.

“A few? Lorenzo, do you hear yourself?”

He shrugs. “What do you want me to say, Lucia? Men attacked my cousin’s wedding. We defended ourselves.”

“So you’re an entirely innocent party?”

Lorenzo screws his nose up. “Not entirely innocent.”

Unable to deal with this, I shake my head in despair. I knew what Lorenzo is, the things he’s capable of, but I chose to ignore it.

This, however, is impossible to overlook. Mafia men never have clean hands, but somehow hearing him talk about people dying in such an offhand manner is just too much.

“I can’t do this, Lorenzo.” Panic swells inside me. Though I desperately want to be with him, there are things I can’t turn a blind eye to. “I can’t be with a man like you.”

“A man like me?” He stalks toward me. “You mean a criminal, a killer?”

“Yes.” I try not to let my fear show as he comes closer, invading my space, filling my senses with his masculine scent. “I can’t be around you, Lorenzo. This is over.”

He tilts his head to one side, studying me. All he’s doing is looking, but an icy slither of dread slips through my veins, making me shudder.

“Oh, Lucia, don’t you realize yet you’re mine? This isn’t over until I say it is.”

Before I can refute that, he lunges at me. I don’t have a chance to get out of his way. He moves faster than I’d have thought possible, sweeping me up over his shoulder.

As he carries me into the dining room, I kick my feet and hammer on his back with my fists, making absolutely no impact.

“Settle down!” Lorenzo slaps my ass hard. “Daniele, get the door.”

Heat flares in my cheeks as I remember his lackey is here to witness my humiliation.

“Lock up before you leave,” Lorenzo tells him.

Hearing the bleep of a car door unlocking, I lift my head and see he’s driving a sleek black Mercedes tonight. The minute he sets me on the passenger seat, I am going to bolt.

He must sense that because the asshole doesn’t put me in the car. He drops me none too gently into the trunk and slams it shut before I can react.

Though I should probably kick and scream, I choose to conserve my energy for when he lets me out of here. I curl onto my side, trying to make myself comfortable by using my arm as a pillow. It doesn’t help. There is no way to make this experience any better.

We drive for what feels like an eternity. I try to pass the time by thinking about recipes, but nothing distracts me from the fact that I’m being abducted. I can’t believe Lorenzo would do this to me.

After a while, I realize we’re heading out of time. The roads are winding, and I don’t hear traffic anymore. It’s stuffy and unpleasant in here, but one thing I’m grateful for is that I’m not being thrown around too much.

Lorenzo seems to be driving cautiously, trying not to make sudden sharp turns or brake too harshly. I won’t be giving him points for being a considerate kidnapper, though.

The car tilts, presumably as we go uphill, and I slide toward the rear of the trunk. Gravel crunches beneath the tires, and we draw to a stop.

A moment later, Lorenzo opens the trunk and drags me out. He sets me on my feet before him. Though it’s dark out, the moon is shining brightly enough that I can see the smirk twisting his lips.

“You fucking psychopath!” I yell. “How dare you do that to me?”

Lorenzo unapologetically sucks a breath in over his teeth. “You know, you could have got out of there if you really wanted. You just had to kick out the taillight and signal for help.”

“I know that.” I’ve watched dozens of self-defense and escape from danger videos, not that any of that occurred to me in the heat of the moment.

Lorenzo curves his hand around my cheek. “So why didn’t you? Could it be you didn’t want to escape me?”

“Of course I did.” My words don’t ring true. Despite my revulsion at his casual attitude toward killing people and my fury at the way he transported me here like a piece of luggage, I want to be with this man. I’m not sure what that says about me.

A sinister smile twists Lorenzo’s lips. “Go on, then. Run.”

“What?” My voice comes out in a high-pitched squeak.

“You heard me. Run. Who knows, you might escape me?”

I scan our surroundings. It seems Lorenzo brought me to his vineyard.

We’re on a hill. There’s a large house behind and beyond that, an enormous building. In front of us is the access road leading down to the main road. To the right, there’s nothing but open fields, and on the other side there are rows of vines. Several buildings are dotted about the property.

“There’s nowhere to run,” I point out.

Lorenzo tsks and gives me a sympathetic look I don’t buy for a second. “Then I guess you’re screwed. You’re just going to have to submit and accept your punishment.”

My eyes narrow. “Punishment for what?”

“For thinking I would send some lawyer to intimidate you.” He tilts his head to the side. “If I wanted to scare you, I’d do it myself.”

My heartbeat accelerates. Does he want me afraid? I’m not sure. What I do know, however, is that running from him is futile. I’m fit, but he’s taller, more muscular.

As pointless as running may be, there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to simply submit to him.

I glance past Lorenzo toward the vineyard below. His eyes light with excitement. He wants to chase me.

“Go on.” It’s a dare. “I’ll give you a head start.”

I don’t hesitate a moment longer. Grateful I wear sneakers when I’m working, I take off running. My feet slide on the grass as I make my way downhill. Luckily, I don’t fall. It would be embarrassing to get caught after five seconds.

Lorenzo probably expects me to head for the rows of vines where I might be able to dodge him. Instead, I make my way toward the warehouse on the edge of the vineyard.

Outrunning Lorenzo is impossible, but if I can get into that building, there might be somewhere to hide. If Lorenzo wants my submission, I’m going to make him work for it.

As I reach the front of the building, my pulse racing and excitement flowing through me, I see the doors are padlocked. I run around to the side, hoping to find another way in. I glance back over my shoulder but don’t see Lorenzo. Surely, he can’t be that far behind me?

I turn the corner, and suddenly he’s there in front of me. I slide to a stop, then start to back away as he strolls casually toward me. How dare he look so composed when I’m a sweaty mess?

Spinning around, I start to run, but he’s on me before I take my fourth step. He wraps his arms around my chest. “Gotcha.”

He drops to his knees, bringing me down with him. I struggle to break free, but he holds on too tight. I try to headbutt him but he dodges me.

When he suddenly throws me forward, I land on my hands and knees. He pushes my head down, then violently yanks my trousers and panties down.

“Who do you belong to?” he asks, the rasp of his zipper letting me know he’s about to take me.

“Nobody.”

“Wrong answer.”

I cry out as he impales me on his cock with a single brutal thrust. My eyes water and my mouth falls open as he fucks me so hard I struggle to catch my breath.

“This is not for you.” He digs his fingers painfully into my hips to hold me in place. “Bad girls don’t get to come. Not until they’ve atoned.”

He fucks me with savage intent, driving me close to a peak but not giving me what I need to get there. His grunts and moans intensify as he chases his own climax. I shriek in surprise when he suddenly pulls out of me and flips me over onto my back.

“Open your mouth!” he commands.

Pressing my lips together, I shake my head. If I don’t get an orgasm, he doesn’t get this. My refusal is met with a dark chuckle. Lorenzo grabs my cheeks and squeezes until I’m forced to open my mouth.

Positioning himself over me, he strokes his cock with his free hand. He roars triumphantly as his cum spatters across my lips, my cheeks.

Using his fingertips, he gathers up his seed, then shoves his fingers into my mouth, going so deep I choke. He doesn’t pull back, just watches me fighting the urge to gag until I’m finally relaxed enough to lick his fingers clean.

Releasing his hold on my cheeks, he gets to his feet and zips himself back into his pants. Then he pulls me to my feet.

“Come on, gattina .” He grips my arm tightly and drags me toward the house. “We’re just getting started.”