Page 44 of Wicked (Wicked Billionaires #2)

RAVEN

As I’m marched between the two strong men, I have trouble yelling or screaming. I don’t understand, but I don’t want to wrestle or be dragged in the dress. The satin will tear, and in seconds, I’ll be naked.

The other thing is, they’re both well-dressed. They’re so gorgeous, there is no way they’ll do anything bad. Or will they?

They can’t get me off the property, and there must be some kind of confusion.

As they hold me close between them, we head past more statues and far from the band’s music.

I spin to look for Dante, Nicky or even Bianca, but now it’s just us and darkness.

Mistake one, going to the bathroom, again. Mistake two, waiting for Nicky. Mistake three, walking back alone.

“Where are we going?” I ask again. As they fail to answer, I eye the two men and yank my arms, harder. They walk me around a small marble courtyard, and now I see it.

A black chopper, with blades turning.

“You are going to taste real Italian,” the taller of them says.

“Get your hands off me!” I yell. “Now!” The two men’s eyes meet, and I yank harder. I have no idea if Dante is looking for me, but at this rate, it’ll be too late.

As one of the guys spins his fingers, the chopper’s blades start turning faster. I try to yank myself free, again, and the men hold me tighter. As I yell louder, my voice is drowned out by the chopper.

“Relax. You will get to like two men at once,” the one with tattoos on his hands says.

I want to spit on him, but I look from him to the other. It’s confusing. They’re committing a kidnapping, and they’re both so hot.

I’m Dante’s and I am no one else’s… Or am I even his?

As we round a large marble column and push for the chopper, I know it’s too late. That’s when a figure steps into our path, hidden in the shadows.

His hands are at his sides, and the two men pulling me pause.

The lone man steps forward, and it’s Dante, but a Dante I’ve not seen.

Behind him, a big man is on the ground, and Dante’s fists are bloodied. Dante raises two silver guns, and they glint in the light.

Each is levelled on the men’s foreheads, and Dante looks calm, as if in control.

My Italian’s not great, but I think I hear, “Do you know who we are?”

Dante steps forwards, and the mafia soldiers let me go. Dante flicks his head, and I run to his side. The one with the scars lifts his chin. “You don’t want to do this.”

“And just for her,” the other says.

Dante’s jaw clenches as in the distance, several suited men gather and run our way. Just before things get way out of hand, Nicky runs up, and his jaw drops.

He slows and pleads with Dante in Italian. Dante is firm and calm. “I don’t give a fuck what they want.”

As Nicky tries to calm things down and negotiate, I watch several of the new mafia guys walk up, unbutton jackets, and pull out guns.

It’s now Dante and me versus a dozen mafia soldiers. Dante talks low, and he commands Nicky to negotiate a peace deal.

As my heart pounds, my mouth dries. I then overhear the word ‘truce.’ Then ‘no war.’ I then make out ‘you have their word.’

Without saying anything, Dante hands me one of the silver-plated guns. It’s heavy, and his one free hand grabs mine. I do my best to copy Dante, and as we backstep, our guns stay levelled on the mafia soldiers.

I train mine on the one with tattoos. I hate it when he smiles, and I hate it when he eye fucks me. It’s wrong, and it’s confusing. So confusing.

As we drive along the coast in silence, I soon stop trembling. Dante slides the silver guns under the seat, and I catch him looking in the rearview mirror. I’m still having trouble breathing, and I cannot believe the crazy fucking night.

The idea of his sister still being there, and also his parents, blows my mind. I guess a truce is a truce, and they had no idea who Dante was.

And that I am his friend.

After pulling up to the castle, Dante turns the Ferrari around, and he kills the lights.

He tells me to wait in the car, and then on the side of the castle, he adjusts its security system. He uses two remotes, and I notice lights around the walls blink, then go into silent mode.

I never knew the old place had such good security, and just as well.

Dante walks back, and calmly, he opens my door. I take his hand, and we agree to a walk along the beach to at least calm us and bring us back to earth.

Half an hour later, we get down the cliff path, and we walk along the sand. The moon is out, and I reach for one of Dante’s hands. As I walk in bare feet, Dante places his jacket over his shoulder.

“Not often you get kidnapped at a wedding,” I say, trying to calm my frayed nerves.

Dante turns to me, and as always, he’s calm. “You did well.”

“Well?” I ask, amazed.

“Yes, Italy is spectacular, and it has one of the best cultures in the world. It is, however, like a perfect rose. It is beautiful, but it does have thorns. Thorns that can draw blood. Like anything in the world, it has two sides. The good and the bad. The yin the yang. The dark and the light. Italy has beauty. It also has danger.”

Our eyes meet, and I suddenly grab hold of him.

Dante holds me close, and I feel his calm, strong, protective presence. He pulls back, and he kisses both of my cheeks. “I won’t let anything happen to you. You need to know that.”

“Really?” I ask, on edge.

“You won’t get hurt around me.”

As he lifts my chin in his fingers, I seek clarification. “Unless I want to be… Right?”

Dante smirks, shakes his head, and I blush.

As we walk on, the heavy dangerous energy fades away, and soon it’s just us again. We talk about Italy, its history, and then everything and anything. We then start to talk about our pasts, and we start to really get to know each other.

We talk about life’s ups and downs, and what each of us really fears and desires. Weirdly, the danger has ignited our energy, and it’s as if we treat each other and what is developing between us as more alive. As more urgent. Like life is not forever.

As we walk on, and the sheet of stars cover us like a blanket of energy, Dante tells me about his past.

That he has enjoyed working and traveling the world, but he has avoided two marriage proposals. He tells me about the relationships, that women were not quite there or he didn’t think things would work out.

Just as well .

“And I’m not convinced I’m husband material.”

I’m unsure how to process that, but there is plenty of time… I hope.

As we walk to a small rock outcrop near the cliffs, we stop. I turn, and I find Dante disrobing. He places his shoes, socks, suit, shirt, and black boxers on the seaside of the rock where we stand unseen.

It’s darker now, and the moon is behind clouds.

Our eyes meet, and Dante’s eyes look dark. He takes my shoes, and I understand. I lift my hands, and naked Dante lifts the gold satin gown from my body. Before I know it, I’m naked and the expensive satin dress is draped carefully over his suit.

“What are we doing?” I ask, gulping.

“It’s time,” Dante says, “for class.”