Page 13 of Little Rabbit

“But that’s where you’re wrong, Sienna,” she yells. “They will never stop. When one head of the snake is cut off, others grow to take its place. I see it all the time in my line of work. Even I’m wary of having anything to do with the mafia. I go after the lowlifes, grunts, and soldiers because I can handle them. Anyone above that, I leave to those who are stupid enough to want their heads on a spike. You want to know why? Usually, the one who takes over is loyal to the one you took down, which means that hatred transfers down, and you’ll be dealing with them and anyone who comes after them, forever. They don’t forget. Just because they may take your family down doesn’t mean whoever replaces them won’t come after you and take up where they failed. Or, fuck, that this Caruso family or your new brother-in-law won’t decide that they want to keep you close for their own nefarious purposes.”

“So, what? You want me to just give in and go with him?” I demand, my irritation rising. “Did you not hear that he wants to marry me? All because he didn’t get my sister.”

“I think you need to seriously consider what you want to do for the next five years of your life,” she tosses back. “If you want to run, you know I’m going to support you however I can. Even if I have to build a fucking bunker somewhere and hide your ass in it until the end of time. But I mean, why won’t he help you without marriage being a part of this?”

“Because he’s a mobster, and he’s insane?”

“To deal with your crazy ass? Yeah, obviously. But I mean, he hasn’t killed you, right? And he did warn you. Are you sure he’s all that bad?”

“Do you hear yourself? You want me to consider marrying into the damn mafia?” I hiss. “Out of everyone, I thought you’d have my back on this.”

“I’m thinking about you,” she hisses back. “I’m thinking I don’t want my best friend to end up dead because of this bullshit. So yeah, I’m going to consider everything.”

I stop at the end of the boardwalk and then step onto the beach, pulling off my shoes as I go and basking in the feel of the warm sand. I should feel peace staring out the beautiful blue of the Mediterranean Sea, but instead, my mind swirls with anxiety, irritation, and even fear at this entire situation. How is it that my life turned upside down so quickly? What have I done to deserve this? But there’s no point in wallowing in it because that won’t solve anything.

I sigh heavily and move further along the sand and down to the water’s edge. “Rori, I don’t know what the hell to do. I’m just trying to survive right now and figure out my next move. I mean, I’ve always known I was adopted, but I had no idea that my biological family would be this bad. Now I’m wrapped up in this whole fucking mess when all I want is to live my life and work at the company my father built.”

“I know, babe. Look, you just got there, and you have a place to stay, at least for a few days before you have to move on. You need to sit down and make a plan. I’ll help you with it as much as I can. Get another burner and call me, but stay away from your phone and your social media, and keep any Wi-Fi or internet off so that no one can track you. Use that fancy program your father paid all that money for so you can’t be traced as easily. Then we’ll figure this shit out. And if I have to, I’ll call in some favors to help keep people off your tail. We’ll figure this out, Sienna. But I want you to promise me that you’ll have a contingency plan of going to this Caruso guy, or even your long-lost sister and her new husband if you have to. I’d rather you end up with them than with your no-good family.”

“I will,” I promise, though we both know that will be the ultimate last resort. “I’ll be alright, Rori. I promise.”

“If anyone is, it’s you,” Rori replies, and I can hear the smile in her voice. “Look, get to your hidey hole, and call me later and let me know how you make out. You got access to your money?”

“I’m going to get money before I leave the city so that I won’t be here when the bank drafts register,” I reply. “And I’ll pay for everything in cash.”

“Alright. If you need money, let me know, and I’ll wire it to you. And, Sienna, if you get in trouble, you can call me or come to me, and we’ll do this together. Got it?”

“Got it. I’ll call you tonight,” I promise her. We say goodbye, and I hang up before I head further down the beach so I can walk up toward some tourists who are leaving and weave myself into their group. I subtly take the SIM card out of the phone and drop it in the garbage as I walk by. We all head back up the street and toward the restaurant district. I’m starving, but I don’t dare stop anywhere.

Thankfully, Stacey and her family keep their vacation homes stocked, so there will be plenty there when I finally arrive. The house is near the beach, and one of the few homes right on the water and close to the downtown core. It’s not the most luxurious of places, but you can’t beat the location. I stayed here once when Stacey and her family invited me, and I remember it being stunning. Now I have to hope that Alessio won’t find it before I can actually relax.

The train ride here was long, and I spent far too much time looking over my shoulder. I even got a cabin that didn’t have a window, and when I finally went to sleep, I put a chair under the door so no one could get in while I was sleeping. It was a restless night, so I need more sleep, enough to recharge before I figure out my next move.

It takes me another ten minutes to get to the right neighbourhood, but I don’t head there immediately. I walk around for a bit longer, taking my time to window shop and scope out the house as much as possible. I don’t put it past Alessio to try and surprise me again, and I’m not going to let that happen. The other thing I haven’t told anyone, and Stacey promised me to keep secret, is she purchased a condo in the building directly next to the house, for herself to hide away in when she wants time away from the kids and her husband. Her husband is a nice guy, but he’s a bit intense, and I can see why she would want a space for herself. The apartment is a penthouse suite, so it’s fantastic, but also not easily found. I don’t know how she managed to keep it a secret and off the books, but right now, I’m fucking grateful because that is exactly where I’m going.

I make my way to the front door of the building and walk in, blowing out a soft breath of relief at the chill of the air-conditioning. Entering the elevator, I put in the code Stacey gave me. The elevator opens directly into the suite, and I step out with a grin on my face as I take it in, though I quickly turn around and lock the elevator so that no one can come up into the suite and surprise me. Another perk to this place.

The condo is modern, white, and wall-to-wall windows that overlook the sea. The sun is high in the sky this time of day, turning the calm waters a deep sapphire blue, and I wish I could go out and sun on the deck, but I can’t risk someone seeing me. Instead, I turn away and take in the sleek kitchen and open living room before I search for the bedroom and bathroom. I am in desperate need of a shower and a nap. Alessio will eventually sniff me out, but I doubt he’ll find me in this place, so I’ll let myself relax a little bit.

But only a little bit. The man tracked me to Scotland and our family cabin, so I know he’ll find me here. It’s only a matter of time.

When I wake up from my much-needed nap, the sun is setting, and my stomach is hurting from being so hungry. I stumble out of bed to the bathroom, and once I’m finished, I head to the kitchen to figure out what the hell I’m going to eat. It’s tempting to order something in, but I know that would be incredibly stupid, so I pull together the makings for a stir-fry. Once it’s done, I take my dinner outside to the balcony, sitting in the chair just behind the high stone wall at the edge. I’m not visible, and I’d be surprised if someone could make me out all the way up here.

I listen to the waves crash as I think of my next move. What am I going to do? Rori is right. I don’t want to keep running for the rest of my life, never being able to see my friends or family for worry I’ll put them in danger or that someone will catch me by anticipating where I’ll be going. Not to mention, I only have so many contacts and friends to ask for help, and the more I ask, the more chances that they could be dragged into this. I was stupid asking Stacey for help with this place, but I clearly wasn’t thinking straight when I got ahold of her. But what’s done is done. It’s time to look ahead.

I can’t stay in Europe for long. I can probably move around easily enough for the next little bit to stay near my family, but I need to avoid Italy completely. Maybe I can take this as a chance to finally start seeing some of the world, something I’ve always wanted to do. And with my job, I can do a lot of work from my laptop. Calling clients will be harder, but I’m sure I can work something out. I’m not going to let all of this affect the career I’ve been building for so long.

Which, of course, brings me right back to Alessio. I know he’s going to be pissed at me, and he’s going to want to kill me the next time he catches up to me. Though, maybe not, considering what he threatened the last time. What is wrong with me that his threats make me excited? I can only imagine how well-practiced the man is in and out of bed. Hell, all he would have to do is walk down the street and whip it out, and he’d have women on their knees instantly begging to suck him off. Not me, of course. His cock has probably had more pussy than a cat rescue shelter.

Despite all that, Alessio is not a man I can ever let have the upper hand, because if he ever gets it, he’s going to run right over me to get what he wants. Namely, me becoming a dutiful little mafia wife that waits for him at home while he butchers all those who dare to cross him and his family. Alessio is judge, jury, and executioner for the Carusos’, and on this side of the world, he’s well-known for dispatching his enemies swiftly and brutally. I have no desire to see that day in and day out, and be left to wonder when he will change things up with me and show me the side of him everyone else fears.

I set my plate down on the side table beside the chair, draw my knees up, and stare out at the crashing waves. I hate that in the span of just a few days, my life has turned upside down. Why did Alessio have to find me? Or the De Lucas? Why couldn’t they have left me alone and let me live my life? Or warned me and then gone on with their ridiculous war or whatever it is between them. All this chaos because my sister was promised to a bunch of different men, auctioned to the highest bidder like some prize horse, and she chose to marry the man that she loves instead. Or, well, at least I assume she loves him, but what the hell do I know? Maybe she chose the lesser of all the evils and called it good. Which, if that’s the case, good for her, but that’s not what I want.

I’ve never really cared about getting married, but I do know being forced into a marriage is not something I’ll ever accept. Return to sender, not happening. So I have to figure out a way to still secure Alessio’s help if all this goes to shit, without marriage as a condition. It just can’t happen. There has to be something else I can give him.

A soft snort escapes me at the thought. I highly doubt Alessio needs graphic design work done for him – it's not like he needs a fresh logo for the mobster calling card that he leaves with the bodies that fall around him in the wake of his mafia stuff. Though that would be pretty funny. No, the only things a man like Alessio values are favors and money. While I have money, it’s nowhere near what he would demand, and I wouldn’t ask my parents to risk their future retirement on something like this. So that leaves favors, and two guesses on what kind they would be.

Which brings us right back to what Alessio said back at our cottage. “I’m never sleeping with him,” I mutter to myself. “The man might be attractive, but he’s nothing but trouble.”

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