Page 5 of His to Break

That makes me smile. “If circumstances were different, I’d marry you for the cannoli recipe alone.”

In reality, marriage between me and Benny would never work, not least because he isn’t attracted to women.

“Do you think they will kill us?”

His question catches me off guard. “What? No, of course not.”

They have no cause to kill us and a man like Antonio Volante doesn’t act without good reason. At least, I hope that’s the case. My father needs only the slightest provocation to order someone’s death. Though everything I’ve heard suggests Antonio is a very different breed of mobster, I realize now how naïve I’ve been in coming here. I’ve put myself in enemy hands and they have no obligation to help me. They don’t have to let me leave, and there’s no way I can fight my way out of this situation. These men can do whatever they want with me. They could use me against my father, my brother. Shit! What have I done?

When the door opens, I jump to my feet and spin around. Benny puts a comforting hand on my shoulder as Antonio re-enters the room alone. He doesn’t shut the door behind him.

“There are a few things we wish to check out.”

“Okay,” I say warily.

“You understand I can’t just let you walk out of here.”

Although I have no idea where I would go anyway, it’s scary to hear Antonio tell me I can’t leave. He must see the fear in my eyes because he offers me a semi-reassuring smile.

“You have my word no harm will come to you, Miss Bianchi. One of my men will escort you to my brother’s home, where you will remain until we’re satisfied you are who you claim to be.”

“And Beniamino?”

Antonio holds a hand up and waves two men into the room. Panic surges through me.

“No, please, you can’t.”

“Calm yourself. Nothing is going to happen to him. He will be taken to a secure location and treated well. However, if it turns out you lied about yourself or your relationship with him, I cannot guarantee he will remain in one piece.”

As the men move to either side of Benny, my friend looks stricken.

“Va bene. Vai con loro. Andrá tutto bene.” Though I’ve assured him everything will be okay, I’m not entirely sure that’s true. I watch the men lead Benny from the room and pray I haven’t led him into danger.

“You promise he’ll be okay?” Tears well in my eyes as I look at Antonio, hoping I can trust him.

“He’ll be fine. Now, go with Dante and prepare yourself. Unless something goes wrong, you will marry my brother in three days.”

It’s both a relief and an ominous thought that the Volantes are prepared to accept my proposition. Feeling numb, all I can do is nod as the man Antonio called Dante takes my arm and gently steers me out of the office. He leads me along a corridor toward an exit.

There’s a black Audi SUV waiting for us. A large, bald man sits at the wheel. I climb into the back and Dante shuts me in. There’s an ominous click as the locks engage. It’s like a prison door slamming shut. As Dante gets into the passenger seat and we move off, driving slowly through the parking lot, I realize I forgot to ask Antonio a vital question. Which of the brothers am I supposed to marry?

CHAPTER 3

Vinnie

Confinement is nothing new to me. Being locked in my bedroom was the most common punishment I received whenever I flouted one of my father’s strict rules. Of course, he was never there to personally banish me to my room since I was in England, a place he rarely deigned to visit. In his absence, he had Marcella overseeing discipline. She was strict, but probably not as much of a dragon to me as my father hoped she would be. She enforced all his rules, but never abused me.

Staring at the same four walls for days, weeks, months even, doesn’t bother me. If the Volantes think locking me in here for almost three days will make me more malleable, they have a shock coming. I may have come to them for help, but I won’t bow down to them.

As prison cells go, I have to admit, this is a comfortable one. Almost as big as my room back in London, it’s decorated in a pretty palette of blue and cream. There’s an enormous bed with a brushed chrome frame and a sofa against one wall that’s covered in a pale blue fabric. There’s a large walk-in closet, not that I have any clothes to hang on its empty rails, and an en-suite bathroom with a tub I could fit a half-dozen people in if I was so inclined.

What really sets this bout of captivity apart from all the others I’ve experienced is the room service. Honestly, it’s second to none. A white-haired gentleman named John comes by at least six times a day to bring me meals, snacks, drinks. He brought me a couple of paperback novels to read. They’re a bit bloodthirsty for my taste, but one had a decent storyline hidden amid the gore. He also provided me with two pairs of floral cotton pajamas to change into. I’m wearing the red paisley print ones now. They’re so comfy I might never put on day clothes again.

The only thing bothering me is not knowing what happens next. None of the Volantes has spoken to me since Antonio had his man escort me from the club. I still don’t know which of the brothers I’ll be expected to marry, only that I’m in his apartment. When I asked John whose place this was, he gave me the unhelpful response that it belongs to Mr. Volante.

I guess at the end of the day it doesn’t matter which brother I exchange vows with. I’ve always known I wouldn’t marry for conventional reasons. At least this way, I’ve had some say in what my fate will be. I can only hope I’ll also be able to secure Benny’s future. He’s a good man, and I should never have allowed him to accompany me to Aphrodite’s. Though Antonio assured me he’d be okay, I don’t know if I can believe him.

While I’m contemplating that, a key scrapes in the lock and the bedroom door opens. John always knocks, so I know it isn’t him. I jump up from the bed and smooth down my pajama bottoms as if that will make me presentable. My hair’s tied back in a messy ponytail, and I haven’t got a scrap of makeup on.

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