Page 14 of Bianchi

Crossing the room, I move to step past him, but he grabs hold of my arm, slamming me against the wall. My head knocks against the brick and I flinch at the contact, my nostrils flaring, before Romeo crowds me, forcing my chin up. There’s so much anger and… lust in his gaze that I’m surprised I don’t combust on the spot.

Don’t show him any weakness. It’s what he wants.

“Don’t test me, Aurora. You might put on a brave ‘I don’t give fuck’ front, but that’s all it is. A front. I can see right through you, and I know that when the time comes, you’ll be a whimpering mess, begging for your life. Hell, you might offer me your body.”

His thumb swipes over my bottom lip, and my breath hitches as he pulls it down, leaving a trail of wetness on my chin before he pushes his thumb into my open mouth. I fight against the desire to close my eyes and swirl my tongue around it. His voice is thick and dark when he continues, “Believe me, bellissima, you won’t be that good. Nobody ever is. You’d do well to remember that even when you think you have it, the control will always sit firmly with me.”

He steps away, seemingly unfazed by our interaction, holding out his arm for me to exit the room. My heart races, and a heat rushes through my body. Twice, in less than an hour, he’s elicited that kind of reaction in me. I need to get my body under control, because giving into this man is completely reprehensible.

I break eye contact with Romeo, turning away as I head for the door. All the while praying that my internal reaction remains just that—internal.

There’s laughter in his voice when he says, “Daniele will take you upstairs. There are people coming to do your hair and makeup. They won’t care for any tales you might tell, Aurora. And even if they did, it would be you with their blood on your hands.”

His words are worse than the cold shower and I swallow thickly. I get the impression that Romeo would have no issues with making that threat a reality. Keeping my attention on the path ahead, I move down the dark corridor. Daniele, the guy from earlier, is waiting at the bottom of a set of steps. When I reach him, his hand wraps around my arm and I flinch at his harsh grip.

Romeo’s tone is biting when he calls, “Ease up, Daniele. I don’t want my date covered in bruises.”

His date? My brows pull together as I process his words. What the hell does Romeo Bianchi have planned for me?

Whatever it is, I’m certain that it will only end one way.

And it won’t be in my favor.

Chapter 9

Aurora

Daniele doesn’t release my arm until we reach the living room. He swings open the heavy door and pushes me across the threshold, closing it before I’ve had a chance to turn around. The sound of his footsteps getting further and further away fuels an idea in my mind.

Maybe now’s my chance.

My eyes dart around the room, searching for an escape, or a weapon, anything that might help get me out of here. Two cream couches, big enough to fit at least twenty people, take up most of the space, and a large flat screen TV hangs on the wall that they’re pointed at. This is not what I would have said the decor would be like, given the whole mafia thing. If I wasn’t being held hostage, I could definitely curl up on one of the couches and watch a movie.

I’ve barely taken five steps when the door opens again. My hand flies up to cover my racing heart. I bite the inside of my cheek when I turn to face the tall, good-looking guy who’s just walked in. The collar of his shirt is open and the dark ink of his tattoos peeks through, wrapping around his neck.

An air of danger surrounds him, as if he could snap my neck with one hand and be unfazed by the action. A chill races down my spine and I fight against my natural instinct to run. I don’t know who he is and I don’t want to.

Neither of us speaks. Instead, he regards me with a cocktail of curiosity and annoyance swirling in his dark brown eyes. His hair is messy and makes him look almost unhinged. I can’t help but compare it to Romeo’s and how his is always so neat and styled.

His tone is calm and dismissive when he says, “I expected more.”

Tilting my head, I wrap my arms around my waist before dropping them and standing taller. The last thing I want is to show him any sign of weakness. Keeping my tone as indifferent as his, I reply, “I don’t follow.”

He pushes away from the doorjamb and walks toward me. There’s a casualness to his body language and the way his hands are tucked away in his pockets, but it doesn’t match his harsh and biting words. “I expected you to be more. Clearly, Romeo sees something in you. I’m just not sure what or why.” He pauses when he comes to a stop in front of me. “A bit of friendly advice, Aurora. Don’t think you can stop what’s going to happen to you. I know my cousin well enough to know that when this is all over, he’ll have no issues putting a bullet between those pretty little sea-green eyes.”

His words drip in malice, but I can’t help but laugh at his threat. “That’s funny.”

He frowns, swiping his thumb over his bottom lip as he takes another step forward. I take two back, needing to put a little space between us. “You think I’m lying? Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with?”

“Oh, I know. I just don’t care. It’s funny that you think I want any of this. That I want to live or even care about whatever happens to me.”

We stare at each other in silence until a knock on the door breaks through the quiet. Unwilling to break eye contact first, I hold his stare. He might have been intimidating before he opened his mouth, but this guy is a dick.

A throat clears. “Sorry to interrupt, Massimo. The girls are here.”

So that’s his name.

Massimo’s eyes flit down my body, from head to toe, but unlike when Romeo’s eyes are on me, there’s no hedonistic reaction. I don’t crave more of him from something as simple as his focus on my body. In fact, Massimo’s attention only makes me wish I didn’t exist.

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