Page 9 of SINS & Lies

To me, this is life or death.

To him, it’s all one sick, twisted game.

I squeeze my eyes shut, gritting my teeth against the pain, and press onward. Another slip sends me tumbling. Gazing up to the heavens, I ask Dad, What do I do, Da?

“Ya fight, darlin’.” Dad’s voice echoes in my head like a mantra. “Fight!”

Fight my father whispers from beyond the grave, and I nod. Because either I’m listening to him, for once, and somehow surviving this dumpster fire of a night, or I’m joining him.

With a strength I wasn’t sure I possessed, I take a cautious step forward, then another, until I stumble against the rough bark of a tree.

Rocco’s voice slices through the darkness, a sharp and cruel taunt. “Here, kitty, kitty,” he jeers.

I clamp my hand over my mouth, desperate to silence the ragged breaths that betray my hiding place.

His voice fades, teasingly distant. Then, in the next breath, his footsteps shatter the silence, crunching all around, dangerously close.

Fumbling in the darkness, my hand lands on a sturdy fallen branch. Perhaps a swift strike to the head—mirroring the blow to Clive—will buy me the precious seconds needed for escape.

But where to? The soles of my feet scream in protest, raw and shredded from the jagged terrain. And even if I manage to outrun him, it’s only a matter of time before he catches up.

Or the dogs do.

When a twig snaps to my left, instinct kicks in.

I swing, hard. Poised for defense, I struggle, when a powerful hand catches the branch mid-air.

Before I can let out a sound—a scream—I’m trapped against the tree, my mouth is covered, my body wedged between solid timber and an unyielding presence.

The rush of panic ebbs away, replaced by an unsettling calm.

The air is thick with the scent of cigars mingling with the faint hint of cologne. The glimmer of golden eyes stare down, illuminated by stray beams of moonlight.

Enzo?

“Shh,” he whispers low in my ear. My body settles, motionless beneath his hold. I remain still, pressed against him, every muscle tense and motionless.

Another snap of twigs cuts through the silence, followed by the thud of heavy footsteps drawing near. My heart races, threatening to burst from my chest.

Then they pick up their pace, and slowly fade away into the distance.

It’s only then that Enzo releases me. Even in the dim forest light, his stare is piercing. Without a word, he seizes my hand and pulls me along with so much urgency that I’m left breathless.

The next sharp stone slices into my foot, the pain driving me to my knees. I clench my teeth, fighting back a gut-wrenching cry that threatens to escape.

More noises stir in the distance, prompting Enzo to act. He gathers me up in his arms, cradling me against his chest, as he forges ahead through the shadows.

Overwhelmed by exhaustion and crashing through too many emotions to count, my head sinks into his shoulder.

I want to warn him about the rugged terrain and slick boulders, but he maneuvers through them so effortlessly it’s clear he’s using The Force.

In this moment, an odd sense of reassurance floods me. With this mafia king turned mountain man leading us to safety, it’s as if nothing in the world can hurt me.

Not even him.

Then, just as my body melts into his hold, Prince Charming has to open his mouth. “Where are your shoes?” he mutters, annoyed.

My eyes snap wide. Oh, my God, he can’t be serious. “Um, at Dante’s Inferno. Where they were left when I was abandoned by you...and freaking kidnapped.”

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