Page 15 of Pregnant By the Mafia Boss

Glancing behind me, I see him running back into the motel, so I slow down. What can he do?

I’m not leaving the animals locked up. He can complain all he wants. I’m not as cruel and morally bankrupt as he is.

If he wants us to run away, it can happen tonight when Caroline’s looking after the animals.

A couple of minutes later, I spot a car coming up behind me, and I tense up at once.

It’s gotta be Salvatore.

It gets closer, so I floor it, racing ahead. My vehicle’s more powerful than whatever jalopy he’s driving.

He’s doing his best to catch up, but he’s struggling.

I keep moving, praying that I can get away from him.

I’ve no idea what he’ll do if he catches me. I know where he’s coming from—a lot of people died at his hands to get me out of there.

But that doesn’t mean the animals need to be locked up until six tonight.

They’re used to getting runs around the center, toilet visits in the enclosures, walks, feedings. None of that will happen if I don’t do it.

I glance back again, a smile forming on my lips. Smoke rises from the engine of the following car, and it’s slowing to a halt.

I relax again, letting out a sigh of relief.

I’m safe.

He’s stuck on the roadside.

I think back to last night. I really thought we’d connected, that his darkness was just a shield and inside was the man whose hands set me alight.

An intense but soulful man.

A damaged human, not an irredeemable monster.

I thought he could be different.

Nope. This is clearly who he is when he isn’t chasing sex. Used to giving commands and being blindly obeyed.

He picked the wrong girl for that kind of thing. I don’t like being told what to do, by anyone. Never have.

My own desire for him is just lust, nothing else. I still have the burner phone.

When I stop, I’ll call Zoey. She’ll tell Antonio, and he’ll call Salvatore, tell him I’m sorry, but I had to check on the animals.

He’ll understand. It had to be done. He’ll get it when he’s got his temper in check.

I hope.

6

Salvatore

Iroll into Birch Lake in the early afternoon.

It’s taken me far too long to get here, but what could I do?

I was ready to hijack a passing car, but not a single one went past the entire time I was stuck on the roadside.

---