EricaHe was an arsehole.There was no other word I’d rather use from the whole dictionary to describe the man sitting on my left, eating his breakfast like he wasn’t playing with me. It suited him just fine, describing his personality to the T.I sat between the two men, one of them was having no problem eating his breakfast that was thankfully already served in our respective plates when we came out on the terrace. And there was no sign of Mario and Elijah who always stood sentry near the French doors to the balcony which made it crystal clear that the arsehole had planned this all.Unlike Antonio, Ephraim wasn’t eating his breakfast like he should and neither was I, not because I wasn’t hungry but because the bastard wasn’t letting me. Never, and I mean never since I came here he had used his phone during breakfast but today his phone was beside his plate and occasionally he tapped on it. Like now.And I sucked in a breath, my fingers tightening on the edge of the table as the litt

EricaI spent most of my morning holed up in the bedroom in one of his long shirts, reading through the book I had taken a few days ago and enjoying my solitude. Not obsessing over what happened in the morning. How he taunted me, played with me and made me half crazy with his touch.“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”After taking in enough points that clamored around my mind like half dozen coins in a tin box, I closed the book and dropped back on my back on the bed. I thought that it was enough knowledge to strategize and plan my way out of this horrible castle and one unbearable Italian arsehole, only to fall asleep. And when I woke up it was a few hours later in the noon so I decided to venture out because as much as I wanted to I couldn't hide in here all day, sooner or later I would've to face Ephraim.

AntonioI managed to sit through two meetings that were as boring as pulling out teeth from a traitor’s mouth but I sat there ignoring this stupid urge to call Ephraim to check on my captive or to cut short the meetings so I could go and see for myself how my little devil was fairing. But even though I was distracted, the meetings were important to attend, the Russians were becoming a pain in the arse that couldn’t be ignored anymore. Last summer when I hadn’t accepted the offer made by the returned heir of the Sokolov family, he had taken it as an insult. And after that he had started a series of actions to become a thorn at my side. In the beginning I had let it go, because to be honest that man looked like he needed a purpose after what happened to him, but now he had crossed a line after intercepting my cargo of three hundred million dollars. The fucker was asking to be gunned down. But even as I had to plot my next action against the Russians my mind was on the little devil who’d

Erica“Anything but that.”Antonio narrowed his eyes on me and then I watched as he tugged on his tie and unfurled it from around his neck. He motioned for me to lean toward him and when I did, he covered my eyes with his black silk tie, using it as a blindfold as he tied it behind my head. As everything turned dark, I became aware of the cold night and the warmth of his body just a few inches from mine. My skin prickled with awareness as it became hypersensitive and my ears perked up at the smallest of sounds.He nudged my legs apart and I didn’t resist, considering I just told him to do anything. His rough palms slid up my legs to the inside of my soft thighs. I shuddered as I felt his hands draw closer to the apex of my thighs, as he slipped my dress high up and up. And then I was bare, could feel his eyes on my core as I wasn’t wearing any undergarments. I should care about the men who stood guard, but for some reason they didn't matter. Nothing mattered when he was so close to me

AntonioI stepped into the elevator with her in my arms. Her small arm was draped around my shoulder and after her initial stiffness, she pressed her cheek to my chest and I heard her let out a long sigh as she relaxed in my hold.Elijah stepped after us and I said, “Let Ephraim know we’re staying at the hotel.”“Certo, Capo.” As he made the phone call, I pressed the button for the private penthouse where I usually stay when I was in the city. If Ephraim had questions he would ask me in the morning or perhaps he’d come back because he never leaves my side. Until now it was always because he took his job of protecting me pretty seriously, but now after seeing him with Erica, it makes me wonder if he’d come back for her or me.As the elevator descended, I could feel her eyes on me but I didn’t look down at her. I just didn’t want to. The look on her face, of fear and utter panic got to me. It was the same look that I used to find on Caterina’s face when she’d hide in the attic or under