Chapter 4

Nikolai

"W here are we going?" Arianna demands, glaring up at me as if she has any control over the situation.

"To my house," I reply.

She rolls her eyes, "And where is your house?"

"Which house? I have several," I reply dryly, enjoying the expression of frustration on her face.

"The one you're taking me to!" she says exasperatedly.

"You'll find out soon enough. For now, you're on a need-to-know basis, and you don't need to know."

I'm not sure yet if I can trust her, or what her angle is. This whole kidnapping idea could be a deliberate ploy on her father's or Lucchese's part. Have her infiltrate my sanctum, get close to me, and report back. For now, I need to keep her close and find out if the Kuzmin Bratva is under attack or if she truly wants out. I can see why a beautiful young woman like Arianna wouldn't want to marry a lecherous old pervert like Lucchese—not to mention the fact that his wives one through three met untimely and suspicious ends after they failed to bear children—but most Mafia princesses are raised to do as they're told. They are well prepared to do their duty and marry a powerful man to strengthen the Family. Most don't care who they marry as long as they're kept in fine clothes, jewels, and the lifestyle to which they're accustomed. What I need to be sure of is what Arianna wants from me.

"Okay, so what do I need to know?" she asks sarcastically.

"Nothing. Just that I did as you asked," I grunt.

Her face flickers and her defiant expression softens, "I didn't ask you to kill people," she says in a small voice.

"Honestly, for a Mafia princess, you seem awfully against killing. You should know it comes with the territory. Like I said, how else did you think I'd get you out? Don't play games with me, you knew full well what you were asking for and you got it. If you don't like it, you should be more careful who you ask favors of."

She sighs, falling silent for long enough that I think the conversation is over, before speaking up again. "So, what happens now?"

"Now, you fulfil your part of the bargain. You tell me the information you promised about your father, in exchange for my kidnapping you. Then I decide how useful that information is to me and whether or not you get to live," I state calmly.

"You were supposed to pretend to kidnap me to help me escape, to be free, not to imprison me yourself," she grumbles.

"And I will keep up my end of the bargain if you keep up yours. If you've tricked me with promises of useful information that turns out to be worthless, well then, all deals are off," I reply, my tone making it clear exactly what happens to those who cross me.

I've known men to become quivering messes over less in my presence, but she doesn't even flinch. Perhaps this little doll is made of stronger stuff than I thought.

"Trust me. You want to know this information. But I'm not going to tell you it before you make me some guarantees about my safety and future."

She stares at me defiantly. With her hair disheveled and still spattered in blood, she looks like an avenging angel. No one tells me no and holds me to ransom. But fuck, the way she does it is sexy as hell.

"Is that right kukolka? What if I make you tell me? I can be very… persuasive," I purr, inching closer to her and grasping her face in my hand, her lips a fraction from mine.

The smell of her and her proximity is intoxicating, her breath hitches and I feel her tremble. With fear or desire? The way her lips part and she leans fractionally closer to me makes me sure it's the latter. My cock strains against my pants just thinking of all the ways I could punish her for denying me, how I could persuade her. The basement is usually reserved for forcing information out of people in less than pleasurable ways, but I'm sure the way I'd make her tell me would be far more fun. By the time I was done with her, she would be begging for more. She would submit to me willingly, of that I was certain.

A soft sigh escapes her lips and I swear I might explode. I'm seconds from ripping her clothes off and fucking her right there in the backseat of the car, but then her expression shifts, as though she's coming out of a trance, the desire in her eyes is replaced by fury.

"I am not afraid of you," she hisses, yanking my hand away and pulling back until she's pressed against the door of the car, creating as much space as possible between us.

"You should be, kukolka, " I warn.

She turns away from me, staring out of the window. The silent treatment. Good. No more questions, and I don't have to look at her beautiful, distracting face anymore. I ease back into my seat but remain nearer to her than before. I try to tell myself it's so I'm close enough to stop her from trying to do anything stupid.

From the front, Endo chuckles. I bet he's loving this. I'm sure I'll hear no end of jokes about this later. He may be my second, but he's also the closest thing I have to a brother, and he teases me like one. Anyone else would lose their tongue, but Endo gets away with it. He has the fighting skills to make up for it. He's a blackbelt in just about every form of martial arts and one of the few people who could give me a run for my money in a fight.

***

After several hours of driving, Arianna finally succumbed to sleep. If I thought the incessant questioning followed by stony silence and sexual tension was difficult, then this is torture. She's slumped over, after tossing and turning in her sleep she eventually ended up with her head resting on my shoulder and a small, delicate hand placed on my chest. The fear and revulsion in her expression have melted away to leave her untroubled in slumber, giving me time to study her delicate features. The pouty rosebud lips, sweetheart face with high cheekbones, and the long dark eyelashes that frame her soulful eyes. At least in sleep, those eyes can't bewitch me. I should move her off me, but somehow, I can't bring myself to.

"Looking cozy there, Boss," Endo chips in, flashing me a cheeky grin in the rearview mirror. "I can see what the fuss is all about, she's a real looker and a right little spitfire."

"Keep your eyes on the road," I growl.

And off my woman.

Endo understands perfectly well the hidden command there. He chuckles to himself but doesn't push it any further. I'm not sure where this sudden need to protect her has come from. She's no one to me. Just another means to an end, a way to get back at De Luca and Lucchese. I have to remember that. She's not my woman.

Endo is wrong though, she's more than just a looker. She's stunning. When I walked into her room and saw her in that wedding dress, for a moment I lost all of my senses. The corseted bodice hugged her curves showing off her perfectly full, round breasts and slim waist. The flowing skirt skimmed over her hips, and I couldn't help but notice when she moved that the slit in it revealed a peek of her pale, creamy thigh. It's a first for me, getting hard while on the job. But just the sight of her had me straining against my pants.

Luckily, I shot the henchman before I looked at her, or else the fucker might have gotten off a shot first. She's a distraction. I can't afford distractions in my life.

Her reaction to my arrival wasn't what I anticipated. Arianna De Luca is an open book. She's clearly not mastered the art of hiding her emotions, they're written all over her face. The way she looked up at me adoringly like I was her savior awakened something in me that I lost long ago. She looked like she trusted me. Wholly and completely. It felt as if she was the one who had come for me.

But then, in a flash, it was gone. Replaced by fear, shock, and revulsion at what I had done. Good, she should realize I'm not the hero type. I'm the villain. Though if I'd expected her to react like the shy, obedient Mafia princess normally would, I was wrong. This little doll has spirit. She might have been afraid, but like hell was she going to show it. She didn't scream or cry. She argued and fought like a little wildcat until I reminded her that she asked for this.

I'm going to make her beg for more. For me. I want her to plead for me to fuck her and own her and make her scream. To be mine.

Even as I'm telling myself that's all I want, to fuck her and scratch this itch, part of me wants to protect her. To have those big, trusting emerald eyes look at me as though I'm the only one who can save her. To keep her safe. Without thinking, I reach out and tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, stroking the smooth skin of her cheek as I do. It's the most tender thing I've done in a long time. Thank fuck she's not awake to know it.