CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

I woke up to the feel of silk against my skin.

My brows furrowed as I sat up slowly, head pounding.

The room around me wasn’t familiar — not even close. It was too polished, too rich, like the kind of place you'd see in a magazine for people who had more money than sense. Dark wood, gold accents, a chandelier glittering overhead. Heavy curtains blocked out any view of the outside world.

"What the hell..." I muttered, swinging my legs off the massive bed. My boots were gone, but I was still fully clothed otherwise.

Before I could even get to my feet, the door clicked open.

A man stepped inside, shutting the door softly behind him.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in black slacks and a white shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms. His hair was dark, swept back neatly, and his jaw was sharp enough to cut glass. His eyes, though—those were the kind of eyes that didn't just look at you. They read you.

I stared at him, silent.

The man tilted his head, smiling faintly. "You're not even going to ask where you are?"

I leaned back on my hands casually, cocking an eyebrow. "Figured if you wanted to kill me, you would've done it already."

A soft laugh escaped him. "Interesting logic." He stepped closer, hands tucked into his pockets. "Are you not scared?"

I chuckled, the sound dry. "Should I be?"

"You’ve been captured," he said smoothly, like he was talking about the weather. "You’re going to be transported to Italy."

Italy.

That got my attention. But I didn’t let it show.

I just blinked at him lazily, as if he'd told me we were going to Disneyland.

No flinching. No questions. No panic.

Something flickered across his face. Maybe approval. Maybe amusement.

"Maybe you're smarter than I thought," he murmured, almost to himself.

Without another word, he turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

I exhaled slowly.

Okay. So. Kidnapped. Check. Going international. Check. Gorgeous possible-psycho captor. Also check.

I pushed to my feet and crossed the room in three strides, grabbing the doorknob.

Locked. Of course.

"Fucking hell," I muttered under my breath, rattling it just to be sure. It didn't budge.

My stomach growled loudly.

I banged my fist against the door. "Hey! I'm starving in here!" I shouted. "If you're planning to ship me across the world, I’d rather not do it on an empty stomach!"

For a second, there was only silence. Then the lock clicked, and the door opened to reveal a small woman in a black dress and white apron. She carried a silver tray stacked with covered dishes.

"Food, sir," she said quietly, not meeting my eyes.

I stepped aside, watching every movement as she set the tray down on a low table by the window. 

Whoever I was dealing with wasn’t just rich. He was dangerous enough that even his maids flinched.

"Thanks," I said casually, sitting cross-legged on the floor and lifting the covers from the dishes.

Steak. Potatoes. Steamed vegetables. A bottle of water.

I caught her sneaking glances at me, like she was trying to memorize my face. 

"What's your name?" I asked, flashing a smile.

She stiffened. "I...I cannot say, sir."

"Can't or won't?" I teased, popping a piece of steak into my mouth.

She bowed her head and backed out of the room without answering, shutting the door behind her.

I chewed slowly, eyes scanning everything.

The thick drapes. The massive wardrobe in the corner. The vents near the ceiling. No cameras that I could see, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any.

No visible weapons either. Just plush furniture and expensive decor. A very well-decorated cage.

After I finished eating, I lay back against the bed, staring at the ceiling.

My mind raced even as my body started to sag from exhaustion.

Italy.

Why the fuck Italy?

Who the hell had I pissed off badly enough for this?

 There was no point in panicking without more information. I needed to keep my head clear.

I let my eyes drift closed.

Voices.

I couldn't make out what they were saying.

I frowned, shifting slightly.

My body didn’t want to move.

Didn’t want to fight.

So I let it go, slipping into a deep, heavy sleep.