Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Bruno
“King, we’ve got a problem.” I look down at the ‘gift’ left at my front door and frown at the message I’ve been left.
I grab the blanket off the back of my couch and quickly wrap the naked woman in the old patchwork I got at the secondhand store and kick the door closed.
I arm the alarm and activate ARIA for the first time since I’ve been hiding up here in this old cabin. My godson’s voice is gravelly from sleep, and I groan when I realize the time.
“Uncle Bruno?” I sigh as I pull the gag off the woman.
Bad enough she’s going to wake up in a strange place with a stranger, I don’t need her panicking more than necessary.
“They found me,” I say as I work the knot of the ropes holding her bound.
“What the fuck? How?” I shrug as I drop the gag and ropes to the floor, then wonder if I should try to clean off the blood on her torso.
But that just brings my eyes back to her pert, hard nipples, and I curse at the way my dick flexes.
“I don’t know, but the message is fairly clear. Our plan must not have been enough for them.” By them, I mean the Italian Mafia, which I walked away from over a year ago.
I thought I was out for good.
Guess we didn’t cover my tracks as well as we thought. I run my hand through my hair and pace. I’m not sure if she’s been drugged or knocked out, but I can’t see bruises, so I’m leaning towards drugged. Not knowing where they came from leaves me guessing how long I have before she wakes up.
“Bruno, this doesn’t make any sense.” A small, crazed laugh escapes my lips.
“Yeah, and the way they dumped her on my porch naked in the snow doesn’t either.” My voice grows louder as I realize how stupid I was to slack off.
“Alright, calm down. Let me make some calls.” I shake my head.
“Nah, you’ve done enough. I’m going to take care of this once and for all.” King curses but doesn’t argue.
“You sure? I know the thought of complying with them is worse than a death sentence for you.” If he only knew.
“Lucas, it’s not just me now. If I don’t do this, if I don’t submit, they’ll kill her too. God, she barely looks legal.” The line goes quiet, and then he sighs.
“Any idea who she is?” Fuck if I know, but I need to move her and stop this bleeding.
“None but we need to go. We aren’t safe here.” I tuck the blanket around her so she doesn’t get cold and walk into my bedroom.
I reach under the bed and grab my go bag. Next, I go to the safe in the closet and punch in the code. I retrieved the bag of cash, guns, ammo, and essential paperwork.
“Where?” I stop for one second, knowing I really only have one place to turn.
If they could find me here, then the MorningStar MC is compromised.
“I’ll be dark until it’s over. I’m calling in a favor.” He groans but says goodbye before I hang up and power down the phone.
I’ll need to grab a burner on my way to the airfield.
The storm rolling in is going to make this escape tricky, but it might work for us in the long run. Not a lot of pilots are comfortable taking off in blizzard-like conditions, which will at least give us a head start.
I snag a portable bug scanner and return to the living room, where my guest is starting to wake up. I gotta move fast. I scan her body, and the fucking thing beeps around her upper arm.
“What?” She says groggily.
“My name is Bruno Romano. Do you know who I am?” She rubs her temples and can barely open her eyes.
“No, that’s not possible. He’s dead.” Not yet, baby girl, but you’re gonna wish I was.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m alive and kicking. Someone dropped you off on my porch. Any idea who that could have been?” I’m hoping she has some answers for me, but she’s looking around, confused, and hasn’t even noticed she’s naked, covered in blood, yet.
“I was with my grandfather. We were having dinner like every Sunday…” she trails off, finally noticing her state of dress.
“Oh my God. OH MY GOD!” She screams and tries to use the blanket to wipe off the blood, but it’s dried onto her skin like a sick, temporary tattoo.
“Sunday? But it’s early Wednesday.” I frown when I do the math.
“Where were you?” She doesn’t hear me, though.
“WHERE AM I? WHY AM I NAKED? WHOSE BLOOD IS THIS!” I go into the kitchen and fill a glass with water.
I offer it to her, and to my surprise, instead of drinking it, she splashes it on her exposed chest and then finally wipes away the message that I’ve mesmerized.
MARRY, brEED HER. YOU HAVE ONE YEAR.
“I don’t know, but we’re going to find out.” She looks up at me with tears in her eyes, begging me for answers I wish I had.