Page 73 of Tempt Me
"Back home. This mess has been cleaned up. But you have some fucking explaining to do."
"Meaning?"
"The cams. Luca found them when he was destroying all the evidence last night. Good thing he did as well."
"Figured," I mutter, this being the only time I will ever acknowledge their existence, and also making a mental note to kick Luca's ass the next time I see him. Throwing me under the bus with Vik has not done him any favors. Asshole.
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
He huffs. "Get your ass back here with Rue intact, or I will peel your skin off inch by fucking inch. Are we on the same page?"
"Always."
He hangs up before I can ask him who Marco is. "Keep him alive. Your dad has recalled us back to the villa."
"Thank fuck," she mutters, standing up and opening the door.
"Rue!" I bellow, launching myself forward and grabbing her, shoving her to the side and crushing her against the inside wall with my body. "What are you doing?" I snap.
"What areyoudoing?" she asks, placing her hands on my chest and shoving me back. "I stepped to the side. I know the drill, but we can't hole up in here indefinitely. Especially if my dad wants us back."
Gritting my teeth, I step back and bend down to haul the captive to his feet. "Marco?" I growl in a temper now. The last twenty-four hours have been hell, and I'm getting sick of being given the runaround.
"Antonio's son," the man spits out. "He wants his father's wife as his own bride to take what is rightfully his."
"Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me?" Rue thunders. "I'm killing you just for that, you fucking asshole!" She launches at him, knife brandished, but I pull him out of the way.
"Enough. Get in the car. This fucker is coming back to Coe Bay with us. Your dad will want to hack him into tiny pieces to return him to sender. No?"
Her gleeful grin sets my blood alight. "Fuck, yes."
Chapter40
Rue
As Isaac pulls up to the villa overlooking the bay. The beat-up sedan's engine sputters and whines like an exhausted animal. The car has seen better days, with its rusted exterior and cracked windshield. The sun is setting, casting a warm orange glow on the distant horizon. In the trunk, our captive from the cabin remains tightly bound and gagged; we've made sure he won't be causing any trouble any time soon.
"Damn, what a sight," Isaac mutters, taking in the view of the bay as he steps out of the car. "I almost forget about all the shit we're in when I look at this."
"Almost," I agree, my tone bitter as I join him. We walk toward the villa together, my eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. This place was once a haven, but now it feels tainted somehow, a sanctuary turned battleground by those assholes last night.
As we approach the entrance, my parents emerge from inside, their faces tight with worry and exhaustion. They both wear identical expressions of relief as they see us, but it quickly turns to concern when they notice the car we arrive in.
"Rue, Isaac, are you okay?" Mom asks, her voice strong and steady.
"More or less," I reply, trying to sound reassuring despite my own doubts. "We've got another situation, though."
Dad's eyes narrow. "What happened now?"
Isaac recounts the events of what happened up at the cabin, describing the arrival of the asshole in the car and how he overpowered him and tied him up. My parents are trying their best to remain stoic, but I can see the worry in their eyes – the fear that this is only the beginning of something far worse.
"So," I say, my voice low and serious. "He's in the trunk, and we need to figure...stuff out. Let's go inside first." Looking over my shoulder, I feel we are being watched, and I don't like it.
"Yes," Dad agrees, his face hard with determination. "Let's get inside."
As we head into the villa, I feel a heavy tension in the air, as if an invisible weight is pressing down on all of us. The once beautiful home now feels like a fortress under siege, its walls echoing with the whispers of secrets and betrayal.
