Chapter 11
Isabella
My head throbs as consciousness returns. Amateur move, hitting me from behind. A professional would have used drugs - harder to fight through, easier to control the dosage. My arms are behind me, tied to what feels like a wooden chair. Not zip ties - rope. Another mistake.
I keep my breathing steady, my body limp, listening. Four distinct breathing patterns. One pacing - nervous energy, heavy footsteps. Two by what sounds like a door - quieter, probably armed. And one closer to me - the leader, from how the others defer to his movements.
Rookie mistake - they should have checked me for weapons before tying me to this chair. I can still feel my knife strapped to my thigh, hidden by my dress. The ropes around my wrists are amateur work too. Already loosening.
Time to get a look at these idiots.
The room comes into focus as I open my eyes - second floor of a warehouse, broken windows, one door. Moonlight and distant street lamps cast enough light to see clearly. Two men by the door with Uzis, two more in the room. The nervous pacer has an Uzi too, held wrong. The leader just has a handgun - Glock, well-maintained at least.
I catalog escape routes. Door. Windows - risky but doable if necessary. Air duct in the corner, probably too small. The floor seems solid, but there might be weak spots.
"Look who's awake," says the leader. Dark hair, expensive watch, face I remember from the coffee shop last week. He was reading a newspaper, watching me over the top of it. Sloppy surveillance. "Sorry about the head, princess. Had to make sure you stayed quiet for the ride."
I roll my neck, assessing. No serious damage. Just pissed off. And ready to make them regret every decision that led them here.
"I saw you the other day," I say, keeping my voice bored but letting a slight tremor show. Scared little girl, in over her head. "Coffee shop guy. Though you looked better from a distance. Those eyebrows are tragic up close."
His jaw tightens. Perfect. Men like him hate being mocked, especially by women they think are beneath them.
"Careful, princess. Your brother and your boyfriend aren't here to protect you now."
I raise an eyebrow, testing the ropes behind my back. Almost loose enough. "Boyfriend?"
"Rivera." He spits the name. So they've been watching. Studying patterns, relationships, weaknesses. Almost professional.
Almost.
"Tony Rivera?" I laugh, making it sharp and mocking. "Please. He's just my brother's ally. Though I'm flattered you think I could land a man like that." The words taste bitter. Another memory - Tony pulling away after our kiss, choosing duty over what we both wanted. Well, he can stew in that regret a while longer.
The second coffee shop guy - shorter, nervous energy - shifts his grip on his Uzi. "Boss, maybe we should—"
"Shut up." Tall guy moves closer. Wrong move. Getting in striking distance of a prisoner? Basic mistake. "Your brother's going to pay big to get you back. Rivera too, from how he sounded on the phone. Men like that, they get stupid when someone touches their women."
I smile, letting some of my real amusement show. "You called Tony?"
"Few minutes ago. He didn't sound happy."
"I bet he didn't." I glance at the nervous one. "How long did you train with that weapon? Your grip's all wrong. You'll shatter your wrist if you fire on full auto. Here, look—" I demonstrate with my shoulders, making them focus on my upper body while my hands work the last of the ropes free.
He blinks, adjusts his hold. The other two by the door exchange glances. Good. Keep them off balance, questioning themselves.
"Enough," Tall Guy snaps. "You think you're clever, princess? Think you can play mind games?"
"I think you're in over your head." I meet his eyes. "I think you didn't do your homework. And I think you really should have checked me for weapons."
He grabs my throat, exactly like I knew he would. Men like him, they hate being challenged by a woman. "Listen you little—"
The hand I've worked free grabs my knife. But I don't need it yet. Instead, I drive my forehead into his nose.
The crunch is satisfying. So is his howl of pain.
He staggers back as I burst from the chair, ropes falling away. The nervous one raises his Uzi but he's too slow - always too slow. I'm already moving, the knife a distraction in my right hand while my left takes him down with a strike to the throat.
Tony taught me that move. Said I was a natural. His hands on my shoulders, adjusting my stance, his breath warm on my neck...
Focus.
The two by the door finally react, bringing their weapons up. But they're too close together, getting in each other's way. Sloppy. You never bunch up like that in a firefight. Basic stuff.
I drop and sweep, taking out both their legs. One Uzi skitters away. The other fires into the ceiling as I disarm its owner with a wrist lock that would make my combat instructor proud.
Tall Guy comes at me from behind - I hear his footsteps, heavy and uncontrolled. I drive an elbow into his already broken nose, spin, and drop him with a knee to the groin. He goes down hard, cursing in what sounds like Romanian. Interesting.
Four men. Four groaning heaps on the floor. And my dress isn't even torn.
Amateur hour.
I retrieve my knife, checking the blade. Clean - didn't even need to use it. Just like in training, when Tony bet me I couldn't take him down without drawing the practice blade. The look on his face when I proved him wrong...
Distant shouts and a loud bang echo through the building. Smoke starts seeping under the door. Right on cue.
I smooth my dress, adjust my hair, and check my reflection in a broken window. Split lip, slightly messed up makeup. Not bad considering. The dress still looks amazing - I wore it to dinner last week, caught Tony staring more than once. Good to know it works for both seduction and ass-kicking.
The door bursts open. Tony and Dom charge in, guns raised, smoke swirling around them like something out of an action movie. They freeze at the sight of me standing over my would-be kidnappers.
"Bella." Tony's voice is rough. His eyes rake over me, checking for injuries. The concern there makes my heart skip, damn him.
I smile sweetly. "You're late."
Dom looks from me to the men on the floor, then back. "You couldn't have waited for us?"
"Sorry, brother dear. You know how impatient I get." I step over Tall Guy, who's still clutching his groin and moaning. "Though Tony's timing is consistent. Always showing up after I've handled things myself."
Tony holsters his weapon, closes the distance between us in two strides. His hands come up to frame my face, eyes intense. The touch sends electricity through me, but I keep my expression neutral. He hasn't earned anything else yet.
"You're okay?"
"Better than them." I nod at my former captors. "Though one of them said something interesting. Called you my boyfriend."
Color stains his cheeks. Behind him, Dom sighs heavily.
"Isabella..."
"We should talk about that," I say. "After you buy me breakfast. I worked up quite an appetite kicking their asses."
A smile tugs at Tony's lips. "I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"
"Not a chance." I pat his cheek. "That's what you get for being a coward."
More men pour into the room, securing the groaning kidnappers. Dom barks orders about clean-up and interrogation. I catch something about Vitale connections - might explain a few things.
But Tony just keeps looking at me like I'm some kind of miracle. Like he's finally seeing what I've known all along.
"I love you," he says softly.
I grin. "I know. Took you long enough to admit it." I straighten his collar, letting my fingers linger. "Now take me to breakfast. And Tony?"
"Yeah?"
"Next time someone threatens me? Remember I can handle myself."
His laugh is shaky but real. "Trust me, princess. That's one lesson I'm never going to forget."
Dom approaches, phone in hand. "Mom's worried sick. You should call her."
"After breakfast," I say firmly. "I need coffee and pancakes before I deal with her panic."
"Isabella—"
"Dom." I turn to my brother. "I just took down four armed men by myself. I think I've earned pancakes."
He looks at Tony, who shrugs. "She's got a point."
"Fine." Dom pinches the bridge of his nose. "But we're talking about this. All of it. Including whatever's going on between you two."
I loop my arm through Tony's, feeling him tense then relax. "Of course we are. Over breakfast. You're buying, big brother."
As we head for the door, stepping over my would-be kidnappers, I catch Tony's wondering smile.
"What?" I ask.
"Just thinking about how many hours I wasted trying not to fall in love with you."
"Wasted is right." I lean into him slightly. "But you can make it up to me."
"Yeah? How?"
"Well, first you're going to tell me exactly what you said on that phone call. Then you're going to explain why you thought pushing me away was a good idea. And then..." I smile up at him. "Then we'll see."
Behind us, Dom groans. "I'm already regretting this."
But he's not, not really. Because his sister is safe, his friend is finally being honest, and the men who tried to hurt me are going to wish they'd never heard the name Esposito.
As for me? I got to kick ass in a designer dress, finally got Tony to admit his feelings, and I'm getting pancakes.
Not a bad night's work.