Chapter 25

Rafaels chest burned like someone had poured acid over it. He woke, thrashing his arms and legs to try and fight off invisible enemies. His head pounded, and his mouth felt full of cotton. He recognized the feeling. It had been exactly the same when hed been kidnapped by the Costas in his twenties.

For fucks sake, not again, he groaned. Bellona was going to kill him.

Rafael tried to think back to what had happened. He remembered going downstairs to get groceries that morning, and the bastard had used a taser. That was why his chest hurt. He had tried to fight them, but something had stung his neck as they had dragged him into a van.

Rafael opened his watering eyes and tried to get his bearings. The room he was being held in had 180-degree views of the dark ocean. It was night again. Fuck.

Bellona is coming. He didnt have to reassure himself because he knew it in his very soul. Bellona and Set already had all of Ritas properties listed to raid that night with Romuluss men. He would be found sooner or later.

Rafael tried to take some steadying breaths and looked about. He was zip-tied to a chair, and someone had dressed him in an expensive suit. His skin crawled at the thought of people touching him when he was unconscious. The table had been laid out with flowers, candles, crystal glasses, and expensive tableware. What in the fuck was this?

Ah, you are awake. Excellent, a silken voice said from the other side of the room. Rafael turned his head and ground his teeth together.

Rita Costa glided into the room in a beautiful silk gown the color of blood. Objectively, she was a stunning woman, but with a soul as rotten as they came. Rafael yanked at his bonds, trying to snap them.

Let me go, Rita, he said, keeping his voice steady.

Rita laughed and poured out two glasses of prosecco. When I finally have you right where I want you? I think not, darling.

I am not your darling and never will be. You arent going to force me to marry you, Rita, no matter how much you torture me, Rafael said.

Rita raised a perfect eyebrow. I dont need your consent to marry you or to fuck you for that matter. It would just make things more pleasant if you were compliant.

Rafael stared. You really are crazy, you know that? Youre talking about imprisonment, slavery, and rape, Rita.

Its not rape if you enjoy it, Rafael. Her red lips lifted into a smirk. And I can guarantee that you will.

Rita clapped her hands, and a man dressed in a white chefs uniform wheeled in a cart with covered dishes on it. Rita took her seat beside Rafael and crossed her long legs.

Thank you. That smells wonderful, she purred to the man.

I hope you enjoy it, signorina Costa, he replied with a bow before leaving.

Lets have something to eat before getting down to business, shall we? Rita said. She picked up a sharp knife and cut one of Rafaels hands free. Im sorry about only giving you one hand, but I dont trust you not to do anything stupid.

Im not a killer like you, Rafael replied. And the more helpless she thought he was, the better it would be. If he could play her game long enough to get her to free him, he would have a chance to knock her out somehow, get to a phone, and send a message to Bellona.

A killer like me. Is that how you think of me? Rita sipped her drink, her vicious eyes looking him over like he was some kind of trinket she was evaluating the worth of. You dont know what I am, Rafael, because, in your arrogance, you have never bothered to find out.

Rafael picked up this fork but didnt try the steaming ravioli in front of him.

I know that you traffic in the poor and desperate. I know you make money off their pain and suffering. That you bankrupted Tirone and killed Cinos son-in-law. Rafael couldnt hide the disgust from his voice. I know exactly what you are.

Hmm, and listing to all of that is supposed to hurt my feelings, is it? The strong devour the weak. It is the way of nature and the world, Rita said and ate a mouthful of her pasta. What I really am is someone who will stop at nothing to get what I want. I want you. We would do great things together, Rafael. Stop thinking so small for once and look at the reality of the situation. Im the most powerful woman in Rome and Sicily. I will take the rest of Italy with you by my side. We could rule it all together.

Rafael laughed softly. Trust me, Rita. You are not the most powerful woman in Rome. I would know because I love her.

You mean that blonde mercenary? Please. She has been lucky to survive so long, and Ive hardly sent my best against her, Rita said, dabbing her lips with a napkin. Shell be dead by dawn, so you might as well accept your new reality and position by my side.

She isnt a normal mercenary. She is the goddess Bellona. The goddess of war, Rita. Do you understand? She will not be dead by dawn, but I can assure you that you will be.

Rita shook her head with a tinkling laugh. A goddess? Oh, please. The Greeks might be dumb enough to believe Hades is who he styles himself to be. Im not so stupid.

Rita got up and pushed Rafaels chair back from the table. I dont care who she is or if you love her. I will have you. Rita straddled him, and Rafael grabbed her around the throat to stop her from kissing him. Thats fine with me, Rafael. Im into choking.

Rafael squeezed. Dont fucking push me, Rita.

I know you wont kill an unarmed woman, Rafael. You dont have it in you, Rita hissed, grinding herself against him. Your body will give you away, or I will give you something to make you hard. I will fuck you over and over until you love me. Until you crave me as much as I crave you.

Rafael tried to shove her off, but Rita suddenly had a knife at his throat. Stop fighting me, or I will cut your throat.

Rafael released his hand from her neck. His whole body was shaking in fury and disgust. Dont do this, Rita. You can rape and torture me, but you wont win this fight. Your only hope is to run away while you still have a chance.

Why, because your goddess is coming? she snarled in his face.

Golden light flickered outside of the windows, just in the corner of his eye. Rafaels heart began to race, and he smiled. No, because shes already here.

Rafael turned his head away and shut his eyes just as a body smashed through the windows, showering the room in glass. There was another flash of gold, and Bellona stood in the shattered hole. Her armor glowed like the sun, her blonde hair loose and wild and streaked with blood. Rafaels heart burned with so much love and desire, he thought it would break him.

Rita was scrambling for the door on the opposite side of the room and shouted for her guards. Bellonas eyes glowed with divine fury and crossed the room in a flash. She cut Rafael free and kissed him once.

Im sorry Im late, my love. Are you okay? she asked, checking the small cut on his neck.

I am now that you are here, he replied and kissed her again.

Her shield appeared, and Bellona passed it to him along with a holster with two handguns. You know the drill—watch my back, and dont get killed.

Im sorry youve had to rescue me again, Rafael replied, pulling off the suit jacket and sliding on the holster.

Ill take it out on your ass later, Bellona said with a wicked grin that shot straight to his dick. Now, lets get these fucks once and for all.

Rafael grinned. Im looking forward to it, mia bella dea.