Chapter Two
Cora
My vision is fuzzy at first as I open my eyes. Still, I know I’m not in my hotel room. I blink several times, trying to get the fuzzies to dissipate. The bedroom isn’t modern, yet it is beautiful and rustic. As my sight clears, reality sets in that I’m in deep trouble.
It all comes back to me— the piazza.
I’d been enjoying my gelato when I felt someone’s eyes on me. I looked up to see the most handsome man in existence; his eyes held a devilish gleam that claimed me. Sin, lust, and the promise of passion captivated me. Like a fool, I stayed still like he had demanded with a silent wave of his hand, only to be grabbed from behind.
“Scream, and I’ll shoot you right here, Bella.” I followed along until we reached the rear of the van. My heart and mind ran wild with fear and ideas, knowing I only had seconds to escape. The self-defense classes my stepfather set up for me were pounding in my brain, and I regret that I dropped out after two visits because I thought it was a waste of time.
I tried to fight, but then I felt a prick in my neck. The last thing I remember is seeing the devil’s angry eyes.
“You’re awake.” My head whips to the sound that comes from my left. Standing in front of me is the devil. He’s blocking the only exit with his thick, muscular arms crossed.
“Get away from me.” I jump off the bed, stumbling and hitting the floor. Ouch, pain shoots through my hip and I’m sure I’m going to have a nice bruise on my ass. I scurry back and get to my feet.
He’s quick to move around the bed, facing me with his palms out like he’s trying to calm a wild animal. “Calm down, Cora. I will not hurt you.”
Bullshit. He already had me kidnapped after someone drugged me. “How do you know my name?” I ask, tilting my head as I mentally question his motives and still moving backwards until my back hits a stone wall. My hands press against the porous stone, growing more confused and anxious.
“The ID in your bag,” he answers, as if it’s no big deal.
My eyes narrow, attempting to assess him while hiding my obvious vulnerability. “What do you want? Is this a ransom thing?” My stepfather has a lot of money, but I’m broke and I’m not sure how much my stepfather is willing to shell out for my safety.
A smirk spreads across his face, revealing a small scar just above his upper lip. How does a blemish make him sexier? Why do I care? He kidnapped me. The big, hot, older jerk kidnapped me while I was trying to enjoy a peaceful vacation away from any kind of trouble.
“No. Little one, I wouldn’t let you go for any price,” he confesses, with no artifice. I gasp. Fear and want both hit my brain in a flash, soaking my panties, and I pray he can’t see it. Unable to figure a way past his massive frame, I twist my head and glance behind me toward the windows.
A deep rumble comes from him and I’m afraid to turn around. Not because I’m scared, but because I’m aroused. “Don’t do anything stupid, Cora. The doctor is twenty minutes away,” he warns me, his voice sounding much closer.
Turning my head to look back, I found him only a foot away. Confused, I ask, “The doctor?”
“Yes, he was here earlier to check on you after you were drugged.” My hand immediately grasps my neck, feeling the bandage on the spot where I’d been jabbed. It’s then that I noticed the bandage on the inside of my elbow.
“Where am I?” I ask, wanting to feel some control. Right now, I have absolutely zilch as I stand in my panties and top. At least I’m still wearing a bra, so he can’t quite see how hard my small nipples have become under his purview. Slyly, I cross my arms over my chest to hide them from his gaze.
Why can’t he stop staring at me with those rare dark gray eyes? “My home,” he answers.
I bite down on the edge of my bottom lip and then ask a question even though I’m terrified to know the answer. “Why am I here?”
“Because I want you here,” he answers plainly.
I look up into his beautifully tempting eyes, and confusion tumbles around in my gut. Still, I’m not that stupid and can’t think of just the lust between us. He said he wouldn’t hurt me, so I’ll take my chances.
“I need to go home,” I insist.
He swallows hard, and my gaze follows his thick Adam’s apple like I’m in a trance. “I can’t let that happen,” he grunts.
“Why?” I meant for it to come out with so much frustration, but it came out with a breathy moan. He leans in, his hand touching my shoulder, slowly rubbing it down to my elbow and back up.
“Because you’re—”
There’s a knock on the door, interrupting whatever he planned to say. “Yes, Mikhail.”
“Dinner is ready.” Suddenly, my stomach understands English and rumbles like a classic race car, so I can’t put up the denial I had planned.
A devilish smirk covers his face again. “We will be down shortly.” He addresses me this time even though his eyes never left me, to begin with. “Your shorts are over there. Get dressed.” The moment is gone, lust and foolishness wiped from my brain.
Stepping back, I'm annoyed at myself and him for the impact our chemistry has had on my common sense. This lust is what got me nabbed and into his meaty clutches in the first place. I hadn’t been paying attention to my surroundings because I’d been staring at him, looking for him to appear outside of the hotel entrance, only to be surprised by my attackers. Bastard.
“Where are the rest of my things?” I challenged, crossing my arms, which didn’t help my situation because it left my panties in view of his eyes. Strangely, he kept his gaze focused on my face.
“Safely put away. Now, behave.”
“You kidnapped me, and you expect me to behave?” My eyes turn to slits as I glare at my captor. This time I close the distance between us, getting in his face about it.
He scoffs. “Kidnapped? Krasotka, I saved you from some sick fucks who will pay with their lives.” He shrugs and tilts his head. “Well, one already has—because he touched what belongs to me.” He runs his hand over my neck where I’d been jabbed. “Don’t take too long. I don’t want your food to get cold, and you’ll need to replenish your strength after what happened today.”
“Who are you?” I asked, mostly in fascination rather than concern.
“A man who has finally found what he’s been looking for, but you may call me Dmitri.” His mouth brushes my lips, and I stand still, unable to react as he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Is he lying? My neck has been bandaged, and although I’m in my underwear and shirt, he hasn’t violated me, which is good, but I’d be a fool to believe him. Maybe he’s going to send my stepfather a ransom note, demanding money for my return unharmed.
Sliding on my shorts and then my socks and shoes, I move to the window and open it to check the distance to the ground. It’s too far to jump unless I have something to repel down. I spin around the room and look for something to use only I see my captor staring at me from the doorway.
“Are you going somewhere?” Dmitri asks with his muscled arms firmly splayed across his broad chest. God, he’s in a nice dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up, and yet, you’d never believe he had sat at a desk before. His tattooed arms and hands only add to his sensual appeal, making my resolve weaken.
“No. I was just getting some air,” I lie, giving myself away with a stammer.
“You’re a terrible liar, Cora.” He wags his finger in a “tsk, tsk,” motion.
“I’m not.”
“Listen, I will not hurt you, malyshka.” His deep Russian accent sends a bolt of excitement through me. He steps closer until there’s no space left between us. His hand slides down to my ass, and he daringly cups my ass cheek. “Unless you need a good punishing. If your ass had jumped out that window, you would need a thorough punishment after medical treatment.” I shiver at the prospect of his thick, powerful hands roaming over me.
“So, you want to fuck me then?” I asked, daring him to lie and deny the burning lust in his eyes.
“Without a doubt. However, when I do, you’ll be begging for my cock inside you, little one. Trust me.” He takes my hand and walks me out of the bedroom and downstairs. I’m trying to not show my desire, so I make sure he knows I’m not letting him inside me, no matter how hot he is.
“You can keep dreaming, because I don’t sleep with men like you,” I utter as we reach the bottom step. Dmitri just smiles, as if he doesn’t believe me. He leads me into a beautifully rustic dining room that has a large patio door, as if on perfect days it’s open to enjoy eating with a summer breeze.
“Where are my things?” I demand again, trying to fight for my freedom, even though a part of me is falling in love with the warmth of this place.
“As I told you before, in a safe place, malyshka.” He pulls out a chair for me, but I just stand there. “Now sit and eat. You must be hungry after your ordeal.”
“How do I know it’s not poisoned?” I grumbled, taking the seat.
“I wouldn’t have driven all the way out of Naples when I had important business there. I could have left you to those traffickers. Your father is a fool to have let you go across the world alone.”
“How do you know about my stepfather?” I asked, wondering how much he knows and if that’s the reason I was taken. Could he want money or a deal?
His brows knit together in confusion, but he flattens his expression and answers, “Your phone. Don’t look so outraged, my sweet. I had to make sure there were no other lovers to get in the way.” I gasp and sip my wine, trying to hide the blush.