Page 19 of Burning Beauty

He immediately released her, stepping back. Her body collapsed on itself and she would have fallen to the floor if he didn't grab her again, taking her arm in an iron grip. He hauled her to the bed and flung her on top. Before her terror could peak, her fear at his intentions overwhelming her, he strode to the door, jerking it open.

He turned to give her a piercing look. "Stay here for the remainder of the flight. I don't want to see you again."

The moment the door closed her tears started to fall. She blindly crawled her way up the bed and collapsed next to the pillows, releasing all the emotions that had been piling up for the last twenty-four hours. She hadn't thought Nic capable of hurting her, because he hadn't shown any inclination so far. But he'd just grabbed her and bruised her with such calm ease it changed the rules entirely. He could and he would hurt her if she stepped out of line.

Maria needed to learn how to be a good girl and she needed to learn fast because she was in very big trouble. Her specialty was pissing people off and she had no doubt, unless she learned some humility, she was going to piss off Niccolo DeLuca, and she was going to do it often.

* * *

It took a few moments for Nic to calm down after his encounter with the sexy Latina hellion. If she were to follow him out now, he would bend her over one of the chairs and fuck her in front of god and his staff. She pushed his every button, and he... liked it. He'd never encountered anyone, let alone a woman, who talked to him the way Maria Sanchez did. She was fiery, beautiful and full of life. The opposite of him. Nic was grim, set in his ways, too old and too successful to change.

Yet, there was something about Maria. She sucked him into her chaotic vortex. After only a small amount of time in her company he already knew he wanted more, he couldn't get enough of her. He wanted to know everything about her, from her time spent in Vegas, her loyalty to her brother, to her past in Mexico.

He paced the length of the plane, thinking and planning. Only this time, he wasn't planning his next takeover, or the future of his kingdom, he was plotting the conquest of his newest acquisition. A woman. Not something he'd ever gone to any lengths to acquire.

He'd spent years honing his talents, making moves to take over the Italian mafia scene. Once successful in Italy, he'd been encouraged by the other mafia families, as well as his own, to move to America. To ply his trade in a country more capable of handling his brutal efficiency. They hadn't been wrong. He'd quickly climbed the ladder to success and found a deep hunger for more. More money, more respect, more blood. All things that America provided in spades.

Now he owned a woman. Not just any woman, but one who could match his hunger and his drive.

Chapter Eleven

Maria was sound asleep when something woke her up. She lifted her head to blink sleepily at the flight attendant standing next to the bed, staring at the wall and smiling blandly. Maria assumed she must've been sent to wake her up and prepare for landing, but if the other woman had spoken she hadn't heard.

"Give me a minute," Maria mumbled, pushing herself up and shoving sleep-mussed hair off her face. "I'll be right out."

"I'll tell Mr. DeLuca," she said and turned to leave.

Maria wondered if that meant she could leave the cabin now without fear of being manhandled by him. She glanced blearily around and spotted a door. Hoping it led to a bathroom she slid off the bed and walked over to look. Sure enough she found a small space with a sink, toilet and shower. She used the facilities and tried her best to make herself look presentable. It couldn't be helped though, with her sleep wild hair and slightly puffy face from crying she looked like something the cat dragged in.

She found some mouthwash and gave her mouth a quick rinse, then tucked her hair behind her ears and headed into the main cabin area.

"If you'll please have a seat, Ms. Sanchez," the flight attendant said cheerily. "We're about to land."

She looked around, hoping for a seat away from Nic, but he caught her eye, shook his head and pointed at the seat opposite him.

With a sigh Maria dropped into the seat and buckled the belt around her waist. She ignored the man sitting across from her and pointedly stared out the window at the clouds as the plane dropped through them, making its way toward what she assumed was the Miami airport.

"You will have to learn to control your tongue in my home," Nic's voice was deep and low, with a hypnotic quality and an accent that she bet drove women wild. If they could get past the neon flashing sign on his forehead that shouted 'mafia murderer' to the world, Maria might be interested too.

"I doubt it," Maria replied without looking at him.

"This is not a request," he said so sharply that she finally looked at him. "If you disrespect me in front of my people, I will be forced to save face by retaliating. You will hold your tongue or suffer the consequences of my temper."

Maria thought about it, she really did. Could she play the part of a submissive mistress in the home of her captor? She didn't need to think about it for very long. No, she was definitely not going to keep her peace. "Look," she started warily. "I'm not trying to be difficult, I justamdifficult. I've been fighting for my place in this world from the moment I was born. My mama encouraged me to stand up for myself and speak my mind. She said it was the only way for a woman to get heard, otherwise she becomes some man's doormat. And if I didn't listen to anything else my mama said, I listened to that stellar piece of advice."

"And where has that gotten you?" he drawled.

Arrested. Branded a murderer. Running for her life. Landing in Delgado's hands. Sold to the Italian mobster.

The man had a point. Maybe mama was wrong. Still, it was too late now to change her ways. She shrugged. "Sorry, I was born this way and I'll die this way."

"Then you'll probably die sooner than you anticipated."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Was that a threat?"

He leaned forward in his seat, bracing his elbows on his knees. His gaze held hers captive and for a moment she forgot anyone else was on the airplane with them. "I don't need to threaten you, bellissima. You belong to me, which means I can do anything I please with you."

She wrinkled her nose and bit her lip to stop herself from telling him what she thought.

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