Page 25 of Vanished in Vegas

“Ah. I see.” I took another bite. “So, what’s the game plan with me?”

His body tensed. The entire vibe of the room shifted from pleasant to all business. Or at least that was the feeling it was giving me.

“Your uncle has been informed of your location,” he replied coolie.

“He’ll come for you,” I sighed, looking up at him.

“He won’t,” he assured me.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because right now your uncle is jumping through hoops to ensure that your father doesn’t catch wind that you’ve been…” His words trailed off.

“Kidnapped,” I said, finishing his statement. He nodded.

“Yes. Kidnapped.”

“And, why wouldn’t my uncle just tell my father where I am so I can be rescued?”

“Because your uncle fucked up and now fears someone more than your father and his connections.”

My eyes searched Antonio’s for signs that I should fear him. Was he really a greater threat than my father and his associates? Nothing about Antonio made me want to run away. Even now, as his hostage, I didn’t have the urge to escape. In fact, it was the total opposite. For the first time in my life, I felt truly comfortable and safe.

“I find that hard to believe,” I admitted, picking up the glass of orange juice. “If you’re a greater threat than my father then that would mean I’m in danger.”

I took a long, slow sip of my orange juice. Antonio watched me like a hawk the entire time. I lowered my glass down to the tray.

“Am I in danger being around you?” I asked flatly.

“No,” he replied without hesitation.

“Thought so.”

“But that doesn’t mean the rest of the world isn’t when I’m around.”

His words would have scared most women. They would have trembled in fear; however, his words did the opposite for me. They ignited a fire deep in my core. A fire created from lust and raw desire. A fire that burned stronger with every second shared between Antonio and me.

Logically, I knew I should run. He was warning me of the type of man he was. However, to me, he was a man whose bad-boy charm, powerful aura, and wicked good looks had me wrapped around his finger without trying. He wasn’t dangerous because he could kill me. He was dangerous because he could destroy the one thing I never gave to anyone. My heart.

“Do you plan on letting me go?” I wondered, cocking my head slightly to the side.

“No,” he stated. “I told myself I was going to let you go, but I can’t.”

“Because of my uncle?”

He laughed and shook his head.

“No, because I’m a selfish asshole and want you all to myself.” His words caused me to suck in a sharp breath. My grip on the fork tightened and the room suddenly seemed too small. “However, if you told me to let you go, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

“But?” I had a feeling there would be more to just simply letting me go.

“Smart lady,” he chuckled. “I’d want to know where you were. If you were okay. Who you were with. So on and so forth.”

“Which would mean?” I prompted softly.

“I’d keep tabs on you and fight to make you mine.”

“I see,” I managed to say, fighting back the nerves that were rising up in me.

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