47. Stranded
CHAPTER 47
STRANDED
M arco
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I grumble as I struggle against the ropes binding my wrists to the back of a metal chair. I scan my surroundings, my mind hazy and thoughts murderous. Darkness surrounds me, except for a sliver of light peeking in through the cracks in the doorway. The last thing I remember is walking into that damned warehouse, so out of my mind with worry for Jia, I let some asshole get the drop on me.
Jia. Fuck, where is she? Did they get her too?
“Jia!” I shout for no other reason than I’m pissed off as all hell. “Jia, where are you?” I yell for a few more minutes until my throat is raw. Then I sit back in the hard chair and mutter a curse.
I attempt to rub the back of my head, forgetting about the current predicament my hands are in, but the thick twine cuts into my wrists, instantly reminding me. I’m certain there’s a golf ball size knot where someone hit me with the butt of a gun. My skull is pounding, and my mouth feels like I gargled cotton balls.
How long have I been out for and where the hell am I?
Squeezing my eyes closed and drawing in a deep breath to slow my thundering pulse, I attempt to focus. A faint breeze stirs the air beyond the four dark walls, accompanied by a rhythmic whooshing. The sound is so familiar… Once I’ve steadied my breaths enough that they no longer muffle the noise, a groan builds low in my throat. I shuffle my bound feet against the floor, and the scrape of sand against the soles incites a swirl of unease in my gut.
No, it can’t be.
The rush of water is undeniable, the hiss and crash of waves along a shoreline.
Relax, coglione . Maybe I’m just in Long Island… It’s much more plausible than—another breeze whizzes by and branches swoosh against the outside of my enclosure.
That sounds suspiciously like palm trees.
I sniff the air and a briny sea breeze fills my nostrils. Fuck. I’m in Puerto Rico. There’s no doubt in my mind. Either Esmeralda or Blanca or one of their La Sombra henchman knocked me out and brought me here.
I must have been drugged.
That would explain the taste in my mouth and the jackhammer taking permanent residence in my skull. I’m going to kill whoever is behind this, even if it is a woman. I squirm in my seat, trying to wriggle free of the restraints. Fuck being a gentleman, this is a total outrage.
“Esmeralda, show your face! Or is it you, Blanca? If that’s even your real name. Come face me, cazzo !” I shout some more, even though my throat feels like sandpaper, until I notice the light creeping into my prison is growing brighter.
Worn wooden planks surround me and a thatched roof sits overhead. I’m in a hut… Some sort of tiki bar along the beach? Where’s the damned whiskey?
With the sunlight seeping in through the cracks in the wood, my guess is it must be nearing dawn. Did my captor leave me alone out here or is there a guard stationed just outside the rickety door ignoring my shouts?
I guess we’re about to find out.
Propelling my bound feet forward, I manage to scoot forward a few inches. Then again and again. Painstakingly slowly I manage to creep up to the door. At least my feet are only tied to each other and not the chair. Rookie mistake.
Drawing my knees into my chest, I kick the old door, pushing all my rage into the quick thrust. The hinges squeal and one of the boards cracks. Warm, golden light streams into the small hut, and I squint from the sudden influx. Two more good kicks and the door crumbles.
Take that, mother fucker.
I scoot the chair outside, the brilliant sun beaming down on me. Crystalline, turquoise water surrounds me, that rush of waves louder now. Swiveling my head from side to side, that pool of dread blossoms.
No. No. No.
An island? A tiny stretch of land, no bigger than my penthouse, encircles me.
That puttana left me on a mother fucking deserted island?
A growl squeezes through my clenched teeth as I shout a few curses up into the clear blue. How is this happening to me?
I’m being punished, right? I throw my head back and stare up into the sky. “I’m sorry, okay? Dio , I’m sorry for all the terrible things I’ve done in my past. If you want to punish me, fine, but please let Jia survive this. She’s been through enough, and she doesn’t deserve to be tortured.”
Jia…
The idea of never seeing her again, of never touching her… My heart quickens and my ribs contract, squeezing the air from my lungs. No. I have to survive this for her. I refuse to be the next in the long list of men who have disappointed her.
Squinting, I can barely make out land beyond the brilliant blue. Okay, so I’m stuck on an island, but there’s land somewhat nearby. I can do this… I search the sandy beach, scanning the white powder for a shell, a rock, anything I can use to get these damned ropes off. Sweat pours off my brow, my shirt already damp from the exertion of fighting my way out of that damned hut.
A sparkle, buried in the sand, catches my eye. I slowly scoot toward it, moving through the dense surface much harder than from my original prison. When I finally reach the spot, a whisper of hope kindles in my core. Sea glass.
The edges have been dulled by the crashing waves, but maybe, just maybe, it’ll be enough to cut my way free. If only I can grab it somehow. Positioning myself right in front of it, I attempt to kick it up with the tip of my shoe. I only succeed in burying the glass farther beneath the sand.
After multiple failed attempts, I want to scream.
“Okay, think, damn it, Marco.” My toes. They’ll have better traction.
Squirming out of my dress shoes with the laces still tied is no easy feat, but minutes later, I’ve done it. Only to have to repeat the painstaking procedure with my socks. The tight dress socks prove much more difficult to remove and twenty minutes later my shirt is soaked through with sweat, and I’m cursing like a madman. But my socks are finally off.
I don’t even want to consider what I’ll do if I actually manage to get the ropes off. Swim to shore? From the looks of it, I’m miles away from the nearest landmass. Something to deal with later. Just get the damned glass, coglione. My annoying inner voice sounds a lot like my twin, which now has me questioning my sanity.
Do I have heat stroke ?
Am I too dehydrated?
I have no idea how long I’ve been on this damn deserted island.
None of that matters. Just free yourself from the ropes .
“I’m trying,” I shout at my non-existent brother.
Stretching my big toe, I trap the sea glass and lift it toward me. Somehow, after multiple attempts, I manage to drop the makeshift weapon in my lap. Now what? My hands are still bound behind me, and I have to figure out how to get the glass within reach of my fingers.
The rumble of a motor jerks my attention to the horizon. A glistening white speedboat races toward the island, and that dangerous hope blossoms once again. The glass is still between my thighs as I turn my chair so I’m facing my approaching captor.
Dark, wavy hair billows on the breeze as a familiar form begins to take shape.
The fucking housekeeper. Unbelievable.
Blanca Alvarez appears atop the boat in nothing but a bikini and sarong along with two burly men. I size up all three of them before they set foot on shore. I can take two of them easily, the third person would be the problem, and given that the third person is a woman, doubly so.
Not a gentleman, I remind myself.
You’re a husband, and your duty is to get home to your wife.
“Where’s Jia?” I bark the moment Blanca’s bare foot hits the sand.
“Relax, Mr. Rossi, your bride is just fine.” She saunters closer, guards flanking her sides. Each has a gun holstered at his waist, but neither of them is holding it. They don’t think I’m a threat. Or they hadn’t expected me to be awake and moving around, more likely.
“Prove it,” I growl.
“You’re not really in any position to make demands. ”
“On the contrary, I’m fairly certain I hold all the power. Why else would you go through such lengths to capture me?” I shoot her a cocky smirk, the one I’ve perfected over the years.
Her lips twitch, and I already know I’ve got her. “I hope you’re enjoying our lovely tropical weather.” She stops a few feet in front of me and cocks a dark brow.
“I’d enjoy it a hell of a lot more if I wasn’t tied to this damned chair.”
“I’m sure you would. But I rather enjoy breathing, and I’m afraid you wouldn’t allow that if I set you free.”
“Try me. I’ve become an incredibly patient and understanding man since becoming a husband.”
A sharp cackle parts her ruby-red lips. “I bet you have.”
“What do you want, Blanca? Why am I here?”
“I want many things, Mr. Rossi, and I think you can help me attain them.”
“As I said before, I’d probably be more willing to hear you out if I wasn’t so damned uncomfortable.” I struggle with the binds, wincing for added effect. “And I still haven’t seen proof that my wife is alive and well at home in Manhattan. Without that, you don’t get merda .”
Blanca ticks her head at one of the big guys at her side. “ Llama la .”
Luckily, I can pick up a lot of Spanish with Italian being my mother tongue. The guard takes his phone out and starts dialing. Then he flashes the screen in front of my face and presses the speaker button.
“Hello? Who is this?” Jia’s voice rings out across the line, and I can suddenly breathe again.
“Spitfire—”
He presses the hang up button, cutting me off from the woman that has become everything to me. Pivoting my gaze, I glare up at the traitorous housekeeper. “What the fuck do you want?” I snarl .
“I want my own empire. I want to rule La Sombra Boricua and raise it to new levels of notoriety.”
“That sounds like a you problem. What the hell do you want from me?”
“Growing up in Colombia, I’m no stranger to this world you thrive in. The Alvarez cartel was once one of the greatest in our nation.”
“I’m not familiar.” Lie . I simply refuse to give the woman what she wants.
“After years of struggling to become someone in my own family, that of five siblings with me being the youngest daughter, I decided to make my own move elsewhere. I’ve studied the crime families of Manhattan for a while now. I understand the inner runnings and what is required to attain the wealth and power I desire. While I hate to admit it, in order to achieve that, I need you. Or more specifically, the Geminis and Valentinos on my side. And just to sweeten the deal, you also hold the power to sway the Four Seas and the entire Chinese Triad in my favor.”