Page 6 of The Mafia Princess

When she could get herself under control, she stood and looked at herself in the mirror.

Besides a red face, mostly because of her crying, she didn’t see any bruises yet, but it still stung, so she was unsure. She raised the shirt she wore and saw how much damage the kick had done. It was tender to the touch, and she knew it would bruise because it was already starting to darken, but it wouldn’t keep her from doing her job.

She wet a washcloth with cold water and pressed it against her face until the redness was mostly gone.

It took a few minutes to get the courage to open her bathroom door. When she saw she was alone, she hurriedly shut and locked her bedroom door again and then moved the chair and nightstand in front of it.

Aryanna looked around for any kind of weapon and couldn’t find one. She kept looking because she knew she wouldn’t rest until she could protect herself.

She grabbed a blanket, pushed her back against a corner of the room, and wrapped it around her. The pain was receding a bit, but she guessed she’d feel the attack for a few days.

Now she had to decide what to tell Remington. Should she tell him what the man said? Tell him that it was because of her somehow and for some reason. She felt sick that he wouldn’t believe her since they had just flown in and hadn’t been in the city for long, or worse, send her back to her father.

What could she have done that caused the man to make an enemy of Remington? Was it just her, Remington, or both that angered the man?

She decided to wait and see if anything else had happened.

A sound in the other room made her stiffen. She heard a few voices and then relaxed when she recognized one of them as Remington. She lay on her side on the floor and closed her eyes, ignoring the tears that she couldn’t quite stem. A knock on her door the next morning woke her.

She groaned when she scrambled to her feet and pressed a hand against her side.

“Yes?”

“We’re leaving in thirty minutes, Lass. I need you to pack my things while I make a few calls.”

“Of course, sir.”

She waited until his footsteps receded before she hurriedly got dressed in the ugly clothes. Her hair was messy but still mostly braided since she hadn’t washed it the night before, so she left it alone and stuffed it into the back of her shirt. The bandana went on next, and then the glasses.

Aryanna hurriedly put the few things she’d unpacked back into her bag and then moved the furniture into place. She looked around one more time before she opened the door.

Remington was sitting on one of the sofas with a TV on, talking on the phone and eating a huge breakfast. She felt her stomach cramp and promised herself she’d grab food wherever she had to and keep it in her bag for when she got hungry.

In his room, the sight of the unmade bed made her pause, and a feeling she couldn’t describe filled her. She pushed it aside and got busy. She dragged the bag out, set it by the door, and stood waiting.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good, let’s go.”

A few of the guards took the bags and followed her as she walked behind Remington.

She had no idea what felt worse—her hunger pains, the damage done by the kick, or her lack of energy. All she knew was she had to keep it together because the thought of the man her father would choose for her if she failed made her sick to her stomach.

She’d rather be dead.

Chapter Four

Remington sat in the back of the limo that was taking them to the airport. They would fly to Arkansas, where his family was. He was anxious to see them again. It had been years since they’d been together.

He and Alastair were the closest since they were more alike and the same age as the others. They were all great, and he enjoyed being with them.

His gaze went to his maid, Anna. She was a timid little thing and reminded him of a field mouse because of her plain looks and temperament. However, something about her bothered him, and he couldn’t put his finger on it. Every chance he got, he studied her trying to figure it out. He didn’t like unanswered questions.

When they pulled up to the plane, the sun shone in on her side, giving him a glance at her pale skin.

The side door opened, and he got out and stopped her with a hand on her shoulder when she stood beside him.

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