14. Evelyn
Hot water rained down on my bare skin, washing the dried blood from my side.
Massimo’s blood. He’d risked his life to save mine.
I pumped out an excessive amount of body wash from the fixture on the wall and worked it into a lather. The soap slicked over my ribs and the curve of my waist, white bubbles turning to pink foam.
My stomach lurched, and I braced my hands against the tiled wall to steady myself. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes to focus on quelling my nausea.
I still felt weak and wrung-out from my panic attack, and I didn’t have the energy for another one. Exhaustion dragged at my limbs, but my fear-soaked senses were on high alert.
There was a criminal in the next room, separated from me only by a flimsy lock on the bathroom door. I wasn’t foolish enough to think that would keep him out. I’d seen his intimidating physique when he’d taken off his shirt for the doctor to clean his wound. Massimo could easily break down the door to get to me.
Despite the heat of the shower, a shiver raced over my skin.
I was trapped in a drug lord’s urban fortress, and I’d foolishly thought it was a safe house.
I will always protect you, Evelyn, Massimo had vowed. He’d proven himself three times already.
My gut twisted.
He’d proven it when he’d killed for me.
No matter what he said about keeping me safe, I knew the truth with crystal clarity: I was his captive.
On the night I’d been kidnapped by the cartel, they’d planned to use me as bait to get to George. Was that Massimo’s intention too? He’d said that he was hunting my fiancé as a favor to Stefano Duarte.
I want my money. His angry words rang through my mind. If I’d tried to save her, they would’ve killed me too.
He’d always said that his work with the DEA meant everything to him. His desire to be a federal agent had been one of the things I admired most about him. It’d been his career aspiration ever since I’d first met him in our freshman year of college. He was supposed to be one of the good guys.
Even if George was corrupt, Massimo had to know that targeting a DEA agent was dangerous. From a criminal’s perspective, there was nothing riskier than going after American law enforcement.
Maybe I could convince my captor that it wasn’t worth the risk to target George. Then, he wouldn’t need me as bait, either. He wouldn’t dare hold me hostage if it wasn’t advantageous for him. Not if that meant the DEA coming after him in full force.
I shivered again. Massimo had promised me that no one could get past Duarte’s defenses. George had warned me about the manpower and weapons commanded by the cartels, and I didn’t doubt that lives would be lost if agents tried to storm this building to get to me.
No one even knew I was here. How could the DEA find me when I’d so stupidly gotten on that motorcycle with Massimo, running straight into this trap?
I took another deep breath, struggling to slow my whirring thoughts. If I was going to escape without risking others’ lives, I would have to reason with Massimo.
Is she innocent? he’d asked in that basement. Right before he’d killed the men who’d kidnapped me.
No matter what kind of criminal he was, it seemed my dark savior had an undeniable code of honor. I could use that to my advantage. I might be able to talk my way out of this, and no one would have to get hurt.
Hardening my resolve, I opened my eyes and noted that all the blood had been washed from my skin. No signs of the violence that’d exploded in the alley marked my body.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d lingered in the shower, sorting through my tangled thoughts. Trepidation nipped at me. Was Massimo a patient man? If he decided I’d been in here too long, he might decide to break that lock and come in here while I was still naked.
My fingers shook slightly as I quickly turned off the shower and stepped out into the opulent ensuite. A plush bathmat cushioned my feet, the heat from the tiles beneath ensuring that a chill didn’t touch my toes. I grabbed a fluffy white towel and wrapped it around me, covering myself in case Massimo came bursting in.
Still, I felt far too exposed and vulnerable. I looked at the pile of discarded clothes that I’d stripped off before I’d gotten in the shower. Dirt from where I’d fallen on the pavement smudged my silky pink pajama shorts, and putting on the blood-stained camisole was out of the question.
That left me with one option: Massimo’s huge shirt. It was big enough to cover me almost down to my knees, and the loose garment would conceal the shape of my body.
I did my best to ignore the scent of leather and amber as I tugged the soft cotton over my head. Something had been rewired in my brain when he’d held me through my panic attack, and a tempting sense of comfort teased at my senses.
Before I could sort through the confusing emotions, a gentle knock on the bathroom door jolted through my body like a thunderclap. I yelped and tugged the shirt tightly around me, as though it would be enough to shield me from impending danger.
“Are you decent?” Massimo’s deep voice was easily discernible through the closed door.
My reply stuck in my constricted throat, too tight from the surge of fear when he’d knocked.
“Answer me, Evelyn.”
Was that anger that sharpened his tone? Or concern?
“Yes,” I squeaked in reply, forcing out an answer before he chose to break down the door. I’d witnessed too much violence tonight, and I didn’t think I could handle another outburst.
“Unlock the door.” A firm order. “Now,” he added when I hesitated.
I unstuck my feet from the warm tiled floor, moving to obey him. He would come in here, one way or another. I might as well take the smallest bit of control over my situation and unlock the door with my own hands.
As soon as the lock turned, he came in without waiting for an invitation. He stepped directly into my personal space, joining me in the bathroom. He was still shirtless, his muscular torso filling my vision with him so close to my body. My eyes caught on the small white bandage at his right side.
Massimo hadn’t been seriously hurt. Some tension I’d been holding since he’d saved me released from my chest, and I huffed out a relieved breath. The sight of his blood and the knowledge that he’d bled for me had caused me more anxiety than I’d realized.
He’s a criminal, I reminded myself. He’s holding you here against your will.
Even so, I would’ve been tormented by guilt if he’d truly suffered for saving my life. No matter what else he might be, Massimo was a brave man. He’d jumped straight into the line of fire to protect me.
“It’s my turn to get cleaned up,” he announced.
My eyes lifted to his. How long had I been staring at his body, transfixed by the sight of his intimidating muscles? He could do anything he wanted to me, and I wouldn’t be capable of resisting him.
His silver eyes shone with suspicion. “If I let you out of my sight, you’re going to try to run.”
It wasn’t a question. My trepidation must be written all over my face—if I couldn’t fight him off, flight was my only other option.
I struggled to smooth my expression to something meek and bewildered. “I won’t.”
His lips pinched, as though he’d bitten into something sour. “Don’t lie to me, Evelyn.”
Another lie teased at the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it down. There was no hiding from his keen gaze.
“Let me leave,” I pleaded instead. “I won’t tell anyone about what happened tonight. You saved my life, and I owe you for that. I won’t betray you to the cops, I swear.”
He cocked his head at me. “You really mean that.”
Again, it wasn’t a question. Massimo was clearly astute at reading people. Or maybe I was just too raw from my trauma to hide my emotions.
I nodded. “Let me go, and I won’t say a word to anyone. Don’t keep me as bait for George. Please, I?—”
“Don’t say his name,” Massimo growled, eyes turning stormy. “I’m not keeping you as bait. You’re here for your own protection. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
All of my muscles tensed, my body instinctively going on high alert. But before I could even think about evading him, his strong arms closed around me. Once again, I found myself cradled against his hard chest. I tried not to notice the warmth of his bare skin and the way his dark, masculine hair tickled my cheek.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly. Despite my worry over the unknown, true fear didn’t grip my psyche. His compelling scent suffused my senses like a calming drug, and his hold on my body was achingly gentle, despite his strength.
He carried me into the bedroom and set me down on the enormous four-poster bed. My heart fluttered, unease stirring at the back of my mind. I was naked beneath Massimo’s huge shirt, and we were alone in his bedroom. His big hands touched my body as though he had every right, handling me with ease.
“I’m going to make sure you don’t try anything foolish,” he told me, tone firm. “I don’t want to have to deal with Duarte’s men if they catch you making an attempt to leave the building.”
I swallowed hard. “I won’t…” The protest died in my throat when his silver eyes flashed in warning.
I didn’t dare lie and say I wouldn’t try to escape the moment his back was turned. Staying here willingly wasn’t an option, and I would do whatever I could to get out of this drug lord’s fortress, away from the small army of criminals who defended it.
“Stay,” he commanded, giving my waist a light squeeze to impress his order upon me. Warmth pulsed from his hands through my belly, gathering between my legs.
Before I could process my reaction, he stepped away, quickly crossing to the chest of drawers on the other side of the room.
My stomach dropped when I saw the rope coiled around his fist, and I scrambled back, nearly falling off the mattress in my haste to put distance between myself and the predator prowling toward me.
He was on me before I could get to my feet, his sure hands clasping my ankles and dragging me back to the center of the bed.
“This won’t hurt,” he said, completely calm and unaffected by my struggles. “Don’t fight me.”
His long fingers ensnared my wrists, pulling my arms behind my back. Rough hemp rope lashed around my forearms, binding them so that my wrists pressed together, my fingertips brushing my opposite elbows. The position wasn’t uncomfortable; it didn’t put any strain on my shoulders. But being immobilized and made helpless caused my panic to resurface.
He pressed his warm palm against the center of my chest, just like he’d done when he’d calmed my panic attack. His chest braced my back, his big arms enfolding me in a perverse hug from behind.
He wasn’t done restraining me. I wriggled in his firm hold, but the rope wrapped around my chest, binding my arms close to my torso. It wasn’t tight enough to cause me any discomfort, but an intense sense of vulnerability settled over me. I’d never been capable of fighting him, but now I’d lost any illusion of control.
He finished off the tie at my back, but he didn’t release me. His arms caged me in, that reassuring hand still settled over my racing heart, preventing it from beating right out of my chest.
“Breathe, dolcezza,” he urged, the low command rumbling over my neck. “You’re not hurt. You’re safe.”
A slightly mad laugh bubbled from my chest, and I jerked against the restraints. The rope shifted around me, holding me firm without biting into my flesh.
“So, is this what you do to your enemies?” I accused. Massimo had pretended to be a white knight, but he was a criminal, a killer. He’d bound me with ruthless efficiency, even if he had been careful not to hurt me.
His lips ghosted over the shell of my ear as he murmured, “Believe me, farfallina. This isn’t something I do with my enemies.”
Heat flashed beneath the surface of my skin, and my cheeks warmed at the implication. The way he was holding me was tender. Intimate.
Before I could process my body’s reaction to his nearness, he pulled away with a sigh.
“You have nothing to fear from me,” he promised. “This is for your own good.”
My maddened laugh was more giddy than bitter. I couldn’t process what was happening to me. I should’ve been terrified that a strange man was tying me up on a bed with him while I wore nothing but his shirt.
But I’d been through too much tonight, and my emotions were scrambled. Massimo had proven that he only wanted to protect me. Or maybe the prospect that my dark savior might violate me was simply too horrific for me to contemplate.
Within less than a minute, he’d bound my ankles together with a second length of rope, rendering me truly helpless. I’d be incapable of running now.
I couldn’t do anything but wriggle in protest as he lifted me up again, carrying me back into the bathroom with him. He carefully laid me down in the tub, so that the curve of the jacuzzi cradled my body. It was an odd position with my arms pinned to my back, but it wasn’t too uncomfortable.
“I’m going to take a shower,” he informed me. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”
“This isn’t necessary,” I tugged halfheartedly against the rope, but I was so tired that I couldn’t muster up much of a fight.
“I told you, I’m not letting you out of my sight. That means you’re staying right where I want you. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t have tried to run away as soon as I gave you an opportunity.”
I pressed my lips together, refusing to lie. It would be pointless, and it would only give him reason to rebuke me when he read the truth on my face: I would do anything to get away from him.
Still, terror didn’t grip my mind, not like it should. The knowledge that I had to escape from this criminal’s fortress was more rational than instinctive. I was too exhausted for my instincts to rule me, and the rope that bound me made struggling useless, anyway.
His big hand cupped my cheek, and my breath caught. He traced the line of my lower lip with his thumb, and my sensitive skin tingled at the tender contact.
“You’re safe with me, Evelyn. I’ll protect you. Let me.”
“Let me go,” I managed to whisper, but there was no fire behind my demand. He was resolute in his determination to keep me here, and there was currently nothing I could do to resist him.
His jaw ticked, and he slowly withdrew his touch from my face, long fingers lingering on my cheek as he pulled away. My skin sparked at the contact, the same sensation that’d pinged through me when I’d first touched him at the bar, holding him back from attacking the man who’d tried to roofie me.
I was too exhausted to contemplate the way my skin pebbled and the warmth that flashed through me. My brain blanked, too tired to continue worrying about my situation.
If Massimo wanted to hurt me, he would’ve done it already. He’d had every opportunity to beat me into submission or violate me while I was bound and helpless.
Instead, he handled me with tenderness as he tugged the hem of his shirt down my thighs, ensuring I was covered to my knees. His fingertips barely brushed my sensitive skin as he did so, and more sparks danced beneath his heated touch.
When he’d ensured my modesty, he finally pulled away and got to his feet, all six and a half feet of him towering over me. I felt small and achingly vulnerable, but I still didn’t experience a flicker of fear. The world had become surreal, my thoughts going quiet. There was nothing for me to do but lay where he’d positioned me and wait for him to get cleaned up.
His silver eyes burned into me, pinning me with his full focus as his hands went to his belt. He unbuckled it and freed the button on his jeans before my slow mind processed the fact that he was stripping right in front of me.
I sucked in a soft gasp and closed my eyes, my cheeks burning. I could still feel his gaze on me, like a physical caress on my pebbled skin.
“You’re welcome to look, farfallina.”
I pressed my lips together and swallowed a reply. The unformed words caught in my throat, and I released a sound like a soft whimper.
My cheeks flamed hotter, and I squirmed in his ropes. The jacuzzi was cool against my flushed skin, making me acutely aware of the warmth that’d bloomed in my belly.
A low sound like a hungry growl rumbled through the bathroom, but he didn’t say anything more. The sound of spraying water told me that he’d gotten in the shower.
My eyes opened a fraction, and I peeked at him through lowered lashes. The glass shower stall had already begun to steam up with the heat of the water, but I could still make out the imposing shape of his powerful body.
I sucked in a breath and squeezed my eyes shut again, reasoning to myself that I’d only been studying my surroundings to assess my situation. But there was nothing more I could do to try to escape now, and staring at Massimo’s naked body wouldn’t help me figure out how to get away from him. If anything, the reminder of his physical strength and how easily he could overpower me should make my stomach sink with despair.
But the warmth low in my belly didn’t feel like despair.
I didn’t dare contemplate it.
As I relaxed into the cool jacuzzi, the ropes cradled my body. My limbs were so heavy, and it was almost a relief to have the excuse that I couldn’t try to run. I’d been through so much in the last few hours—multiple adrenaline dumps had left me weak and exhausted.
When the shower turned off, warm steam rolled over me. My eyelids were too heavy to lift, my body too tired to rouse any anxiety over what he might do next.
“Let’s get you to bed, dolcezza.” His low, sure tone blanketed me with comfort as his scent enfolded me.
Those corded arms cradled me once again, and I didn’t bother fully waking to see where he was carrying me. I drifted somewhere on the edge of consciousness as he set me down on the soft mattress. His calloused hands brushed over my skin as he deftly freed the knots that bound me and slowly unwound the rope from my body. As he did so, his fingertips trailed along the slight indentations that the rope had left on my skin, and my nerve endings crackled with awareness.
I released a shuddering sigh, not quite waking at the strangely decadent sensation.
He laid my body down, and a plush pillow cushioned my head. A thick duvet settled over me just before his warm body shaped around mine, his hard chest pressing against my back. His fingers played through my hair, further lulling me into relaxation.
“You can sleep, Evelyn. No one will hurt you. I’ve got you.”
With that promise, I drifted down into deep, dreamless sleep.