3

SAVIO RUSSO

“What the fuck?” I snarled almost in rage, pacing back and forth the massive room I was led to by Thomas while he went to fetch some poor victim I could have fun with.

“What the actual fuck!” I repeated again, more anger choked my throat as I kept listening to the fuckload of voice messages left by Lorenzo and Dimitri about an hour ago.

Things were fucked up. Salvatore Russo was back. And he had Lorenzo's wife, Tiffany, and my younger brother, Dario.

I fought the urge to yell while I kept listening. According to everything Lorenzo explained, our father was working with Tymon Mazur and he was somewhere on this property. No doubt one of the mansions. If that was the case, there was a high chance my cover was blown.

Fuck.

As soon as I was done, I pulled a call to Lorenzo but it went straight to voicemail. I tried Dimitri's and thank fuck he answered.

“What the fuck is going on? Tell me Lorenzo didn't meet that fucking old man alone,”

“He did,” Dimitri's cold voice sounded. “Luca and Ronan have eyes on the property and I have eyes on Lorenzo. You need to get out of there, they probably know who you are?”

“And Tiff?”

“Lorenzo will take care of her,”

“Dario?”

“We haven't been able to sight him yet,” 

“Fuck,” I groaned because this was the last thing I needed. I was fucking unarmed. Tymon's men had taken it away right before we entered through the gates. “I'll get Chloe and we'll find a way out of here,”

“Have you spoken to her yet?” 

“No, we haven't been left alone for a single moment,”

“Savio—”

“Hell if I'm leaving her alone. I'll get her and find Dario as well. Let's just hope Lorenzo can buy some time before Salvatore tries to kill him because if there's anything that man wants is to have every one of us dead,”

“Okay, which mansion are you? Tell me what you see so Luca can join you. It won't be easy getting out, the place is packed women,”

After sending him my location, I hung up and hurried to the window. It was locked and I couldn't open it without the necessary keys.

My anger seared to the surface when suddenly, the door pushed open, and the one person I was dying to meet again stepped in.

******

SKYLAR DUVAL

I stood straighter with the tray of drinks and glasses, my eyes meeting his deep green eyes. There was no apprehension. He was entirely mellow at least on the surface.

I closed the door behind me, reminding myself he was just another monster hiding his true colors behind a handsome face who couldn't give a shit about the women he had bought at Frizz’s place.

His attention followed my every movement as I dropped the tray on the table and met his eyes again. Those penetrating eyes narrowed on me, his shoulders tense.

“Where's Thomas?” He glanced at the door, the act almost cautious. He was wary of me.

“He's tending to Frizz,” I kept my hands busy by pouring some drink.

“Okay, and why are you here?”

“Tymon promised you a good time, and he keeps his promise. He sent me to you as s gift,” 

I could see the rage in his eyes at my words, and he successfully managed to confuse me. 

“He wants me to sleep with you?” He asked.

There was no excitement in his tone. I was surprised he was not salivating at the opportunity to violate me. He wasn't showing any ounce of enthusiasm that his perverted fantasies were about to be fulfilled.

“Yes,” I stepped closer, ignoring his calculative stare. My spine tingled as his scent engulfed me. Fear climbed to my chest and I couldn't stop thinking about the consequences of a possible failure. Not only from Tymon but from this man. A lethal assassin. A made man.

“I’m not going to touch you, but we have to talk,”

“We're not here to talk; I'm a gift; remember to please and serve,” I closed every distance between us. Praying to the heavens he believed me. 

His jaw clenched in fury. “You’re not a fucking slave,” He bit out a curse.

His kindness was unsettling. 

“Of course. I'm yours to command,” I gripped the softness of his T-shirt and pulled my hand beneath it to place my hand on his bare stomach.

His muscles tensed under my touch, and his eyes narrowed before shaking his head and pulling out of my grasp. 

“I'm not going to touch you, Skylar. We need to talk,” His eyes softened. “I know who you are,” He whispered. “I know where you're from,”

The hairs on my skin prickled and I stiffened at the memories that assailed me. Memories I tried to forget. One of my childhood home. My parents. My sisters. The love and warmth I’d grown up with.

I clenched my jaw, the syringe burning into my scalp where I'd hidden it as I stared into those intense eyes trying to read my anxious thoughts.

“I know who you are, Chloe Skylar Duval. I know about your family,” He flicked a cautious stare at the door, moving closer. “I can help you,”

“I'm sorry, you're confused—”

“Skylar,” I suddenly hated my name on his lips, but that didn't stop him from continuing. “I'm here to help you. I can —”

“Stop!” I growled. “I said you're confused. You have the wrong girl,” 

His lips pressed tight, pure frustration ebbed from him. But the look in his eyes told me he was far from done.

“Tymon has already given me to you for the night, so stop the pretense and do exactly what you've been fantasizing about the second you saw me. I'm well aware you're a different kind of monster. One with different intricacies and fetishes. Take me and do whatever kinky stuff you're into,”

His jaw ticked. “No,”

“No?” I quirked a brow.

He held my gaze, his eyes softening into the deceptive look of concern. “I want to help you. I know your sister. Elena Duval. She's a friend of mine,” 

I swallowed the lump in my throat. This man was getting to me. He was breaking down the defenses I'd built for years just at the mention of a life I'd lived in another time. I couldn't fall for his deceptions. I refused to succumb to the false sense of hope. I'd done it before and had been shattered by the consequences.

There was no hope for me. No saving. He may have somehow found out who I was, but he was just like the other monsters. For all I knew, all of this could be a test by Tymon.