Page 82 of Corrupted Temptation (Mafia Kings: Corrupted 2)

I lashed out without rhyme or rhythm, kicking at the man who had his hands around my throat while I tried to writhe out of the other man’s grip.

But all my fists and feet connected to were air. Every moment tugged painfully at my shoulder joints as the hands around my throat began to constrict my airway.

They had me and they knew it. The air around me had changed.

I didn’t need to see their faces to see their smug looks.

“Release her, Sergio,” the ringleader said to the man who was trying to strangle me to death.

The guy instantly let go and stepped back. While I could breathe a little easier, it came with no relief. The ringleader stepped forward while his lackeys dug their fingers into my arms, making sure they had a nice, snug grip.

“You really are a magnificent creature, aren’t you?” he mused.

I sunk my teeth into my lip, biting back every filthy word I could imagine. Vito had taught me to be smart. Provoking a bear was not a smart move no matter how bad things looked for me at the moment.

“Where are my manners?” He laughed. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Diego, and I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with me.”

“Over my dead body.”

I yanked against the hands holding me, ignoring the burning in my shoulder joints.

He shook his head. “I don’t think so,SignorinaLuca.”

Nobody but Greta, Vito, and Nico’s immediate family knew who I was.

“It’s too bad we’re in such a hurry.” He sighed, glancing over me in a way that made me want to vomit. “Now, we could do this the old-fashioned way, but it would be such a shame to mess up that pretty face, don’t you think?”

He produced a syringe from the inside pocket of his jacket.

An overwhelming wave crashed down on me, leaving me grasping for breath. My whole body shook uncontrollably.

It was unlike anything else I’d experienced before.

I’d never been knocked unconscious before.

I’d never been rendered dead to the world, unable to react, powerless and helpless.

I wouldn’t be able to fight them. I wouldn’t even know what they were doing to me because I’d be unconscious.

I struggled harder. I kicked out in every direction I could. I whipped my head around and tried to sink my teeth into anything I could reach. All futile efforts. I might as well have been a child throwing a tantrum.

He jabbed the needle into my neck, and I could feel the liquid cold spread out. My heart was pumping so fast, I had seconds left at best.

I glanced around frantically, looking for anything that could help me.

My gaze settled on my phone I tossed on the sofa earlier.

Something dropped inside me.

“It doesn’t matter what’s happening,” Vito said, “you hit that button, and I’ll find you, passerotta. I’ll tear apart every man in my path to get to you, but I will get to you. Always.”

Vito had programmed a panic button on my phone. Over the years, he drilled into my head to call him if I ever got into trouble.

It hadn’t even crossed my mind and I had just spoken to him.

My eyelids fluttered to a close. It was starting to feel heavy. Which made it even more strange, because my body felt weightless. I felt like nothing at all. My legs seemed to have vanished into thin air from under me. All feeling in any part of me was slowly whistling away. Maybe because I wasn’t the one holding myself up any longer.

I felt like I was watching a black-and-white film as meaty hands replaced gravity. Or maybe they let me go.

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