Page 14 of Burning Beauty

His words scared her as she was sure he intended them to, but she wasn't one to back down from a challenge. "So you're some kind of mafia guy then, you kill people? You definitely enjoy kidnapping women."

Maybe confronting him was stupid, but she didn't think there was very much good going on in her current situation. She may as well see how far his boundaries were before she planned her escape.

"I wouldn't say I enjoy kidnapping women, or you, in particular. So far your company leaves much to be desired."

"Hey!" she protested. "I'm usually really awesome to be around. But you... you're kind of gloomy and dark. Why should I put any effort into pleasing you?"

"Because I'm the man that holds your life in his hands?"

She shrugged. "So was Franco and I can assure you, I didn't bother playing nice with that little worm."

Nic let out a bark of laughter that had the driver tilting his head and glancing in the rearview mirror. From what she could tell the driver was huge, big muscular arms and shoulders, lots of visible tattoos, his blond hair was cut military short and his sharp blue eyes scanned the road for more than traffic. He must be in Nic's direct employ, because he looked like nothing else other than a hired thug.

Nic turned his full attention to her, eyeing her from the top of her head down to her shoes. She wanted to cringe against her door but didn't want to show any weakness either. Having the full extent of his gaze on her was a distinctly uncomfortable sensation. Especially because she couldn't tell if he was attracted to her or just wanted her dead. After all, she was part of a scheme that ended with the loss of an entire chunk of his empire. Speaking of which...

"Why did you give up your business stuff so easily to Franco?"

His gaze lifted to meet her eyes. His own eyes were so cold it chilled her to the bone. "Why do you say easily?"

She shrugged. "Well, you don't seem angry over the loss."

"I don't get angry." Nic's response was so matter-of-fact that she believed him. Even last night when he cornered her in his hotel room, he didn't seem overtly emotional about the whole thing. He was in control every moment.

"But... you just accepted Franco's proposition, though you knew he was going to blackmail you. Why did you put yourself in that position?" She didn't understand him or his motivation.

"Perhaps I wanted to know the players involved in a plot against me before I decided to make my move."

"Keep your enemies close," Maria said, an edge of sarcasm to her voice.

"Indeed," Nic drawled and straightened in his seat. He pulled his phone out and tapped on the keys, summarily dismissing Maria and her interrogation.

Maria’s stomach dropped at his words and was glad when he didn't seem to expect any kind of response from her. If what he said was true, then he was playing with all of them. She was a player in this game of blackmail too because she was his enemy.

By the time they arrived at the ramshackle motel where Maria and her brother had been staying, she was more than ready to exit the oppressive atmosphere in the car. She suspected the heavy air of menace followed Niccolo DeLuca around like a second shadow. She didn't know him well, but she was starting to realize that she was wildly out of her depth when it came to the dark Italian mobster.

"Luke will attend you," Nic said without looking up from his phone. There was a slight frown creating lines between his thick eyebrows.

Maria shrugged and slid from the vehicle, walking swiftly toward the building. She assumed the bodyguard, or whatever he was, would follow. She made her way up the outdoor steps to the second floor and down the corridor until she arrived at room 212. Just as she slid the keycard into the door, unlocking it, Luke, the giant blond, shifted her to the side without actually touching her and went into the room ahead of her.

Bemused, she followed him and watched as he looked around the room, checking in the closet, the bathroom and under each bed.

"I think he's in the car waiting for us," she said snarkily, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Pardon me?" Luke straightened and gave her the dead eye look she was starting to get used to. She wondered where it came from. Did they stop having emotions after they started killing people? Did it take a certain amount of deaths before they became dead inside?

"I'm assuming you're looking for a bad guy in here? The bogeyman?" She clarified. "He's in the car. Your boss."

Luke didn't so much as blink to indicate a sense of humour, or even acknowledge that she spoke words. "Pack your things."

Maria sighed and rubbed her head, trying to decide if this was the hill she should die on. There was a certain measure of comfort and a false sense of security being in her own room once more. Of course, that was an illusion, easily blasted apart by the hulking man in front of her. Still, she couldn't quite bring herself to comply with her own kidnapping.

"Where are we going?" she asked, lifting a hand to examine her professionally manicured and painted nails. "You know, so I know how to pack. Do I pack for the beach? Do I pack for a sightseeing tour to the Grand Canyon? I haven't been there yet, that could be fun."

Luke treated her to the full extent of his unamused stare before replying. "Pack everything,"

"Everything? Like everything, everything? Or just my stuff?" she asked, her heart suddenly leaping into her throat as she looked around at the things that belonged to Ruiz. His clothes, his books, his guitar. Her brother was still somewhere in Las Vegas, at a location never disclosed to her, and she had no idea how to help him. And she'd just landed herself from the frying pan directly into the fire. She wasn't in any kind of position to negotiate on his behalf.

"Just your stuff," Luke answered and then strode past her, stationing himself at the door. "You have five minutes."

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