CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter 4

Mel

In flesh and blood, Mr. Hottie held me in his arms and even though I was agitated, I could feel the warmth of his hands on my body.

"It's you" I say with shock.

“Yes, darling it's me. Just relax. You are safe.” He said reassuringly. I stared at him in utter shock but I did feel safe.

“She ran out.” One of the men chasing me said. I suddenly remembered what was going on and started panicking In Hottie’s arms.

"Help me. Please, they kidnapped me.” I held unto him tightly.

"Kidnapped?" He looked at the men.

"She was resisting sir, so we did what we thought necessary.” The bald man said still holding his hands where the cut was.

" So, you drugged her?" Hottie asked them again.

 " To avoid drawing attention to ourselves boss." Bald man responded.

 Did my captors just refer to Hottie as Boss and Sir, I thought to myself, what is going on?

 "She even sliced me boss." Baldie complained.

" What is going on?" I asked confused.

" You’ve got balls, my pretty.”  Hottie raised his eyebrows and smiled at me. Why was I attracted to him even now that I was scared for life. " Come, let's go in."

"In? I am not going back in there. They kidnapped me and tried to attack me. We should be getting away from here and calling the freaking cops.”  I struggle to get away from his hold on my body.

Was it possible that this man could be insane, because I couldn’t understand why he was so calm about my ordeal.

“Do you trust me, Mel?” He said and once again I’m lost in his blue eyes.

Every voice in my head was screaming at me to say no and get the hell out of there, I mean, I should know better by now than to trust him after last night.

“Yes.” The words are out of my mouth before I even realize.

“Leave us.” He said to the men and then leads me to a door that opens to a large room.

It was made to reflect a man cave. There were only two dark sofas, a wine bar and a lion head on the wall facing the entrance as the only form of décor.

What am I doing? I thought as I watched him walk towards the bar, take out a bottle of scotch and two glasses. “Care for a drink?” He said while pouring the drink.

“What’s your name?”  I blurted out.

“Where are my manners?” He said playfully. “I guess I was too busy to introduce myself last night.” He came closer, hands me the glass and our fingers touch. There is that shivering feeling again. I hate the way my body reacts to him. I back away and he smiles.

“My name is Rio Rafe”. He sounded very proud. “And you my darling, are here upon my request. Well, you weren’t supposed to drugged, just accompanied as assured” He added with a frown.

The glass in my hand falls to the ground and shatters. No, no, I think to myself. How could I have been so clueless? Of course he acted strange, he was in the freaking Mafia. The Rafe Family controlled all the underground business here in Florence while holding a legit front as the biggest shipping company in Tuscany.

I freaked out. “This must be mistake. I can’t be here. You have the wrong person. I have not done anything.”

That was a fact. I try to avoid any dealings with the mafia around the area by all means, after seeing what they had turned Jack into, by sponsoring his gambling addictions and sinking him in endless debts to them. They were a bunch of ruthless bastards and I had almost slept with the son of the Don of the Rafe Familia.

“Oh, I have the right person all right.” He took a seat, crossed his legs, looking so calm. It only made me angry.

“Is this some sort of joke.” I yell at him. “Play with the little waitress and then kidnap her for fun, right?”

He chuckled “Hmm, that does sound interesting. You know it could be a form of sexual roleplay. I’m kidding.” He added when I gasped in shock. “In as much as I’m enjoying seeing you so fiery, its attractive.” He winked at me. “You need to sit down and listen.”

“You said I was to be accompanied here, if you wanted to see me, then why reject me yesterday?”

“I got ahead of myself yesterday, so I apologize.” Was he saying sorry for humiliating me? “And to why you are here.” His eyes darkened. ‘You see your dear brother owes me fifty thousand dollars, so he made a deal with me.”

I was scared to hear the rest.

“He offered you to me for the next thirty days to do with as I pleased and in return, I will clear his debt and pay him the sum of 50 thousand at the end of deal. He also assured me that you were in full consent, that’s why my men went to accompany you here.” He took a sip of his drink. “I can see now that part was a lie.”

My legs weakened. I mean, Jack has done of a lot of crazy things but this... This was the height of greed and selfishness.

Rio stood and walked to me. He stroked my arms in comfort. My body reacted as usual but now I was disgusted. “Don’t touch me.” I shift away from him.

He stood, staring at me.

“So, you decided to come in and taste your merchandise before you purchase it?” I yell at him, doing my best to push back the tears building up in me.

“Now don’t insult me. I have watched and ached for you for months.” He said slowly. “When Jack gave you to me so freely and assured me that you agreed to his little offer, I was angry. I couldn’t believe that you will do so, I had to see you by myself one last time before he brought you to me. Talking to you last night, I couldn’t resist any longer.”

“But you did resist.” I murmured. My head felt like it was spinning.

“Sit down, Mel.”

I sat down with my head in hands. I wanted to feel sad for myself but there was this growing rage in me.  How dare Jack trade me to clear his debt?

Rio cleared his throat. ‘You don’t have to agree to the deal and can walk out of here unharmed at any time, but I could make you a better offer that will allow you to get back at Jack and still make a lot of money for yourself.”

That took my interest.

“What offer?” I raise my head up to look at him.

“I will pay you 500 thousand dollars after six months and help you to get away from here, leaving Jack in debt of 100 thousand dollars, for the fifty thousand he owed before and the fifty thousand he tried to rip off me.” He sat down on the sofa opposite me. “But on one condition.”

I must be insane, because I was actually considering it. The chance to finally deal with Jack after all he has put me through and still make five hundred thousand which is more money than I could ever imagine, was too good to pass on.

“What is the condition?”

“Marry me.”