Page 8 of Beautiful Revenge

And scream. I scream bloody murder. I scream until my throat feels like it’s going to cave in. I scream until my legs feel like they’re going to burst.

The man gets into the car and starts to drive away from the scene of the crime. “Shut up,” he snaps.

I only scream harder.

“Shut up before I hit you,” he growls.

I keep screaming. Let him hit me. I can take it. I’m a strong woman. I’m a Mafia princess. I will not go down without a fight.

After about five minutes of driving, he pulls to a stop and turns around to look at me. “I will but a bullet in your head if you do not stop.”

I don’t listen to him. I will keep screaming until I can’t anymore.

He takes a gun out and points it right at my head. “I will shoot.”

“Then shoot,” I snap, my voice raspy. “If you wanted me dead, you would have just killed me. But you’re kidnapping me which means you want me for a reason. You don’t want me dead. So lower the gun and keep driving and take me to where you’re going to take me and let’s just get this over with.”

His eyes narrow. If he weren’t trying to kidnap me right now, I could admit that he’s a strikingly handsome man. Black hair, piercing eyes, a naughty smirk. He’s something a lot of women have wet dreams about. I should know – I’ve had my fair share of wet dreams before.

“You’re not what I expected,” he admits, lowering his gun. “You have a lot more fire in you. I thought you’d be a screaming, crying mess, begging me to let you go.”

“I was kidnapped before. When I was a child. I can’t fight you. So, I’m just going to wait until I get a moment to escape. I have to play this smart. And I refuse to back down to you. I refuse to show you fear.”

“But you are afraid, aren’t you?” He runs his finger down my face. I don’t even flinch.

He will never know that my heart is pounding so fast, it’s making it hard for me to even think. It’s painful.

“Just take me to where you’re going to take me,” I snap. “The longer you sit here, the longer someone will find you. My dad will find you.”

“You think I’m scared of Elio Romano? That man looks like he can barely lift a ten pound dumbbell, let alone take me on.”

I startle. “You know who my dad is?” It’s then that I remember: he knows my name. Which means he knows who I am. “Who are you? And don’t say my worst nightmare. That’s just fucking cheesy.”

His grin deepens. “I think I might like you. You’re an annoying little thing. Easier for me to punish.” He doesn’t answer my question as he restarts the car and keeps on driving. It’s a way to keep power over me. The less I know, the more in charge he is.

But I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of being quiet.

“You know my dad and you know who I am which means you know about the Mafia, I’m assuming. You know we’re a part of it. No one would just kidnap me for no reason. So you have a reason. You’re part of the Mafia, I’m guessing.”

When our eyes meet in the rearview window, his narrow.

“So… not the Mafia?” I ask. “If you’re going after me, then that means you’re not friends with Dante Moretti. You can’t be. Because if you were friends with him, then you would never hurt me.”

“Bingo.”

His one word sends a chill down my spine. “You’re an enemy of Dante’s.” It’s not a question. It’s a realization.

“Dante has pissed me off. So I’m getting my revenge.”

“Who exactly are you?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Of course I’d like to know.” I glance out my window and see that we’re leaving the city. He’s going to take me far away so no one will be able to find me. That much is obvious.

“Just enjoy the ride, Aria.”

I roll my eyes. Already, he’s annoying the fuck out of me. “You’re an enemy of Dante’s,” I muse. “But why? What did he do to you? Killed your wife? Fucked your wife?”

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