Five

Dante's POV

"Hope you didn't scare her with your serial killer tendencies?" Ivan joked as he walked into the bar located in the mafia house where I sat, spotting a glass of liquor.

"I really don't care, she should be thanking me for saving her ass," I snapped, pouring another shot for myself.

"Was drugging her necessary?" he asked, the same question he had asked me when she was brought in unconscious.

"She kept acting up, and you know I don't deal with that very well. It was the best thing to do," I answered dryly.

"Well, she needs food and enough sleep. She looks horrible," he said, grabbing a glass of his own.

"And you are telling me because?" I raised an eyebrow.

"She will be staying with you, so obviously she is your responsibility," he answered like he was stating facts.

"You didn't mention this earlier. This wasn't part of the deal," I shot up.

"You never asked," he clicked, chuckling lowly to himself as he gulped down his alcohol before walking off.

"Motherfucker," I muttered under my breath angrily.

"One of our men was found murdered in his home," Ivan informed me over the phone. 1:20 a.m. Forty-eight hours without any shut-eye. My brain felt like static, but exhaustion was safer than closing my eyes because that's when I saw them.

"Sullivan?" I asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

"He is really pissed off we meddled," he sighed.

"First, he sent some putties who could barely use a gun after me, and now he thinks attacking our men in their houses is a smart idea? Can he get any more stupid than this?"

"Trust me, he can," Ivan said with hidden humor in his voice, but he didn't let it slip.

"Meet me in my office in ten. We have some work to do," he requested, his voice drifting off as he spoke, the sound of glasses clinking together in the background.

"Okay," I murmured, ending the call. I guess sleep isn't going to be happening tonight. This is the second night now. Not like I can ever get a good night's rest anyway, at least not after the incident. That's what you get for being the Italian Mafia's deadliest assassin.

I headed toward Ivan's office, grateful I didn't head back home. It would have been crazy driving down here this late. As I passed by her room, something made me stop, my gaze fixed on the shut door.

I should walk past. I should let her rest. She deserves that after all she has been through today. But my feet didn't listen; they never do when it comes to things I should leave alone.

All my thoughts flew out the window as I found myself knocking on the door.

"Go away," her rugged little voice came from the other side. If only I were the type to listen.

"Blondie," I called out plainly as I pushed the door open.

She shrieked, shooting up from the bed, the blanket on her body dropping to her waist, revealing her exposed body.

Red lace. Beautiful skin.

She was wearing nothing but a red bra that left very little to the imagination, her nipples poking through them, itching to be free.

My body reacted before my mind could. My dick hardened in my pants, and immediately I knew things had just become even worse for me.

I hated blondes, always have. They have never been my type. The mere sight of them is a big turn-off for me, but in this moment, I couldn't think of anything but ways to destroy the innocent look in her eyes yet preserve them only for myself.

"In my defense, I knocked," I forced out, breaking the tension that was building.

She glared at me, hard, like her eyes could hurt me.

"Didn't you hear 'go away'?" she shot, scrambling around the bed till she found her top and quickly put it on, her cheeks totally flushed.

"And didn't you hear the knock?" I shot back, keeping my voice plain, doing my best to hide the desire that was building up inside me. If things are going to be this way for me only by seeing her in a bra, then this arrangement is going to be even more fucked up than I thought.

"First, you kidnap me from my dorm without letting me pack anything or even call the people who care about me to let them know I would be away for a while, and now you are barging into the room you kept me in like some prisoner who doesn't deserve her privacy," she shot.

My lips lifted in a smirk. "You really have a horrible memory for someone I was told is such a nerd," I chuckled, turning to leave.

"Of course, you would ignore all I said," she jabbed, obviously getting frustrated.

"I didn't ignore anything, Blondie. I just rather let you think whatever you want as long as it lets you sleep at night. Although I want to correct just one thing," I said as I stopped at the door, feeling her hard stare on my back. I'm pretty sure she would shoot me if given the opportunity.

"Which is?"

"You are not a prisoner here, Audrey. This is for your own good, and I am sure the little drama that went down on our way here explained that to you. You can always leave if you want to," I said in a serious tone, but I believe both of us knew the last part was a total lie. She can't go anywhere, at least not until we know what she knows.

                                            ****