by Julia Sykes
I barely watched where I was walking as I carried her out of the house and to my waiting car; I couldn’t take my eyes off her angelic face. She appeared relaxed and peaceful in my arms. The hunger I’d always felt for her sharpened, becoming so keen it was almost painful.
Yes, I craved more of this: more of her beauty and light in my ugly, dark world.
I shifted my hold on her, so I could open the passenger door on my bright yellow Ferrari. Usually, I paid more reverence to my flashy vehicles, my hands lingering over the elegant lines of my expensive possessions. Working for Adrián meant I was able afford all the fast toys I could possibly want, and I wasn’t ashamed of my ostentatious choices. I treated my cars with care, but the Ferrari was far less treasurable than the woman in my arms.
I arranged her body on the black leather seat and buckled her in. When I was certain she was secure, I paused to stare down at her.
Her tight curls were in disarray. They’d always appeared to have a life of their own, falling around her face in voluminous waves. Now, they’d been broken by my fingers and were far more unruly than I’d ever seen them. I decided that I liked the wildness of it. Sofia was always perfectly polished and poised, but this was her more natural state. I felt like a voyeur seeing her like this, which only added another layer to her sexual appeal.
I traced her lush lips with my thumb, imagining them swollen from my kiss and her hair mussed after sex.
That erotic image was enough to make me clench my hand into a fist and withdraw from her on a frustrated growl. I couldn’t use her like that anytime soon. Coaxing out her willing, eager submission would take patience.
I wasn’t a patient man, but I would try. For her, I’d temper my impulse for instant gratification. She might be mine, but I still wanted her to choose to give herself to me. Anything else would be twisted and hollow.
On a deeper level, I knew that violating her while I held her as my captive would blacken what was left of my soul. I might be a monster, but I’d never forgive myself if I were the one to snuff out Sofia’s innocence.
I intended to keep her for myself, just as she was now: vibrant and giving, quick to share her smile.
I would settle for nothing less. From now on, no one would be more determined to protect sweet Sofia than me.
I got into the driver’s seat and started my Ferrari, the car’s snarl echoing my own savage feelings. I took a breath and inhaled her intoxicating, rosy scent. My dick stiffened, and I ground my teeth.
Controlling my impulses when it came to Sofia was going to take every ounce of strength that I possessed.
Chapter 2
Sofia
I let out a grumpy groan and rolled onto my side, tugging the sheets over my head to wrap myself in a little cocoon. My mouth was dry, but lethargy sapped my muscles. I would drag my ass out of bed and get a glass of water in a little while. For now, I wanted to go back to sleep until the effects of last night’s party wore off.
My mind churned, my thoughts sliding through my brain like slow, thick molasses. I didn’t remember partying last night. The last thing I remembered was watching YouTube clips from The Voice on the big screen TV in my apartment.
Dark eyes flashed through my memories, and I felt the phantom touch of big, masculine hands on my body.
I threw the covers off with a gasp, jolting upright as instinctive fear shredded my sleepy confusion. The world spun around me, and I clutched my head to stave off a wave of dizziness.
“Stay calm. You’re okay.”
I yelped, shocked at the male voice in such close proximity. I jerked my head around, trying to search for the threat. Everything blurred, and I lost all sense of balance. I felt myself falling back, but a corded arm braced around my shoulders to support me.
“You’re safe, Sofia.” I recognized the deep, rumbling voice: Mateo Ignazio.
A little thrill buzzed through my system, despite my confusion. I always responded this way when Mateo was near.
“Mateo?” I rasped, my tongue feeling too thick in my mouth. I blinked, trying to get the world to settle into place around me. “I don’t…feel good.”
I felt hungover and beyond disoriented. I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed through my nose to center myself as I took note of my surroundings as best I could. I was definitely in bed. But the sheets felt silkier than those on my own bed, and they didn’t caress my body. I was fully clothed, but I usually slept naked.
I took another breath. Mateo was in bed with me, and he was close enough for me to smell his unique, masculine scent. He’d never been this close before. I inhaled deeply, savoring him.
The fleeting pleasure I found at his nearness dissipated into fear. He had been this close before. The last time his scent had permeated my senses, he’d been holding his hand over my mouth and sliding a needle into my neck.
Disjointed images flooded my mind: Mateo pinning me against the wall of my apartment; Mateo’s hands tugging sharply at my hair; Mateo’s fingers wrapped around my throat. I hadn’t been able to move, even though I’d struggled to get away from him.
Adrián had been there, too. And my father…
“Daddy,” I gasped, still half-blind.
Mateo’s arm firmed around me, his powerful muscles flexing. “Adrián is dealing with your father,” he said roughly.
“What do you mean?” I asked, desperate. My hand found the front of Mateo’s shirt, fisting in the soft cotton material. I had a terrible feeling I knew what he meant. On some level, I’d always known Adrián Rodríguez was a dangerous man. He was my dad’s sort-of boss. More of a business associate, really. Adrián came to meet with Daddy at our house sometimes, and I’d briefly interacted with him at social events hosted by my father.
Adrián was gorgeous in a scary kind of way. Definitely male model material, but his pale green eyes were cold as ice. I would have avoided him altogether if it hadn’t been for the fact that Mateo was always close by his side. I’d been drawn to Mateo ever since I’d met him when I was fifteen years old. He had a dangerous aura about him, as well. But in that delicious, tattooed bad-boy kind of way that made my belly flutter.
“Don’t let Adrián hurt my dad,” I beseeched, my eyes finally focusing on Mateo’s rugged features. His lips thinned, obscured by his thick black beard. His displeasure was clear. “You won’t, will you?” I continued. “You wouldn’t let Adrián hurt Daddy.”
“Your father should be fine,” Mateo replied tightly. “As long as he cooperates.”
My head pounded as I struggled to sift through hazy memories. I remembered a conversation between Adrián and my father.
You’re loyal to me from now on, or Sofia will suffer. Adrián’s cold threat surfaced in my mind. I jerked against Mateo’s hold. He pulled me closer to his stone chest, his arm an iron band around my shoulders.
“What are you going to do to me?” I asked on a horrified whisper. My heart twisted in my chest. I never would have imagined that the man I’d secretly pined for was capable of hurting me. But Adrián had definitely told my father that Mateo would hurt me if he didn’t cooperate.
Mateo’s restraining hold on my body remained firm, but his free hand cupped my cheek. “I’m not going to hurt you, florecita,” he promised, his tone smoothing to a gentler cadence. “Don’t be afraid.”
I pressed my palm against my pounding forehead, trying to alleviate my headache. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Here. You need to drink some water.” His hand left my cheek, and suddenly, smooth glass touched my lips. I parted them automatically, grateful for the cooling liquid on my parched throat. After a few gulps, I tried to turn my face away.
“Finish it,” he commanded sternly. “Then, I’ll explain what’s going on.”
I didn’t like that he was withholding information to ensure my compliance, but I was thirsty enough that I ignored my irritation.
As he tipped the glass all the way up so I could swallow the last sip, a trickle of water slipped past my li
ps and spilled onto my chest. Mateo’s arm tensed around me again. When I finally peered up into his black eyes with full clarity, I realized his dark gaze was fixed on the little droplets that glistened on my cleavage.
I shifted in his hold, my skin heating and unease stirring in my belly. I quickly swiped the water away.
“Please,” I begged when he didn’t start explaining immediately. “Talk to me.”
His eyes snapped back up to my face. “Your father abducted Valentina.”
“What? He wouldn’t do that!” I insisted, denial instantaneous and vehement. I’d met Valentina for the first time earlier today. She’d just moved to LA to be with Adrián, whom she obviously loved deeply. We’d met up at my favorite café to discuss her interest in enrolling at UCLA. She’d wanted to ask me questions about the university, and we’d made plans to go shopping together this weekend. I’d assumed we would become friends.
There was no way Daddy would hurt Valentina.
Mateo’s eyes narrowed, searching my features. “How much do you know about your father’s business?”
“He…” I swallowed, suddenly uncomfortable with my own naivete. “He works with Adrián. They…import and export stuff. Right? Daddy never discusses business with Mom and me. He says he wants to provide for us, and we don’t need to be bored with the details.”
Mateo’s head canted to the side. “You really don’t know, do you?”
“I would know what’s going on if you would tell me,” I snapped, losing my patience. Panic was taking hold in my chest, making it difficult to draw breath. Adrián had threatened my father. He’d threatened my safety. And now, I was in a strange bed with Mateo.
This definitely wasn’t the fantasy scenario I’d imagined sharing with him when I touched myself late at night, indulging in my secret desires beneath the protection of my duvet.
“Your father is in the employ of the Rodríguez cartel,” Mateo informed me bluntly. “He traffics cocaine from Colombia into the States. Adrián’s family controls the product at the source from their base in Bogotá, and he oversees distribution on the west coast. Your father has worked for the cartel since well before you were born. Obviously, he’s hidden the harsher realities of this world from you, but you’re involved now.” He scowled. “If Caesar had remained loyal to Adrián, you could have been saved from all this.”
“No,” I insisted, still deep in denial. “You’re lying. Daddy’s not like that. He wouldn’t hurt anybody. If Adrián thinks he kidnapped Valentina, he’s mistaken. That’s just not true.”
The harsh lines of Mateo’s features softened slightly, his eyes warming with something like pity. “I’m sure Caesar only wanted to shield you from ugly truths. That’s what I wanted for you, too. But that time is over now. Your father ordered his men to abduct Valentina in a power play against Adrián. He intends to give her back to her husband, Hugo Sánchez, in return for backup usurping control of California from Adrián.” Grim lines appeared around his mouth. “Hugo is not a good man. Adrián will do whatever it takes to keep Valentina safe from him. That’s why I had to… Well, that’s why you’re here with me.”
“But I don’t have anything to do with all that. Even if it is true.” I still didn’t believe it, but I would set aside my denial for a few minutes, so I could gather more information to assess my situation.
“No, you don’t,” Mateo agreed. “But your father loves you. And Adrián loves Valentina. You’re leverage, so he can get her back.”
“Leverage?”
He nodded. “You’re going to stay here at my house. Caesar won’t defy Adrián again as long as you’re with me.”
“I can’t stay here!” I burst out. “I have my own apartment. I have my classes. And my friends.”
“You aren’t going back to your apartment,” he said, as though it was a done deal. “Maybe you can attend your classes again at some point. We’ll see.”
“But I have finals coming up,” I protested, as though that was the most pressing issue at the moment. Everything else was just too much to contemplate, so my mind stuck on this fact.
“I’m sorry, but that doesn’t matter anymore. Not right now, at least.”
“It doesn’t matter?” I shouted, slapping his rock-hard chest. “My grades are on the line. My future. You’re talking about fucking up my whole life plan. Because…what? There’s a misunderstanding between Daddy and Adrián.”
Mateo’s thick black brows drew together, casting forbidding shadows over his eyes. “This isn’t a misunderstanding. Your father has challenged Adrián. He’s threatened the woman he loves. Caesar brought this upon himself.”
“But I didn’t,” I protested. “I haven’t done anything.”
He traced the line of my jaw, his feather-light touch in shocking contrast to his iron grip on my shoulders. “No, you haven’t done anything wrong, belleza. And you don’t need to be afraid. Your father will fall in line because he thinks I’m a threat to you. But I will never hurt you. I swear.”
“Then you can’t stop me from leaving.” I tried to push away from him.
His gentle touch on my cheek shifted, his hand coming to rest on my throat. He didn’t apply pressure, but my breath stuttered.
“I can, and I will,” he warned calmly. “I don’t need to harm you to keep you here with me.”
I licked my lips, a small shudder racing through my body. Mateo stroked the column of my neck with his thumb, but he didn’t release my throat. His dark eyes burned into me, staring with an intensity that I didn’t fully understand. My skin pebbled, even though heat flashed through my body.
“I want to talk to my father.” I intended to make a demand, but the words came out as a meek request.
Mateo continued to brush his thumb up and down my neck. I realized he was tracing the line of my artery. I could feel it pulsing beneath his touch, and I became hyperaware of the threat he posed. I should fear my vulnerability in his powerful arms, but a strange sense of calm settled over me. My lashes fluttered, my thoughts drifting away. Maybe the drugs Mateo had given me hadn’t fully left my system. I felt weak and achy in ways I wasn’t at all familiar with.
“What did you give me?” I whispered.
“Give you?” he asked, his voice deeper than I’d ever heard it. His eyes were hooded, and he appeared as though he might be drugged, too.
“The drugs,” I murmured.
He blinked, shaking off whatever was affecting him. His hand left my throat, and I drew in a shuddering breath.
“Nothing that will have long-term consequences,” he reassured me. “Now that you’re hydrated, it’ll fully wear off soon.”
His eyes were intent on mine, as though he’d be able to detect whether or not the drugs lingered in my system just by studying me. When he continued to stare and didn’t say anything else, I decided to press for my request again.
“I want to talk to my father. Please, let me call him.”
He blew out a short sigh and reached into his pocket. Keeping me secured against his chest with one strong arm, he retrieved his phone with his free hand. He didn’t say anything to me as he selected a contact and connected the call.
“Adrián,” he said into the receiver. “Is it done?”
I tensed. Mateo wasn’t calling Daddy for me. He was calling his terrifying boss. The man who had ordered him to kidnap me and hold me hostage.
Mateo idly stroked his thumb up and down my arm, as though he was seeking to soothe my tension without really thinking about what he was doing. Despite the frightening, confusing things that had happened to me today, I believed him when he promised he wouldn’t hurt me.
I don’t need to harm you to keep you here with me.
A small shiver raced over my skin at the memory of his stern declaration. His thumb rubbed the goose bumps that suddenly pebbled my flesh. I blinked up at him, finding myself trapped by his intense, rapt stare once again.
He jerked his head to the side. “Yes, boss,” he said to Adrián, refocusing his att
ention on their conversation. “I have her at my house. I assume you want me to hold onto her for a while?”
I scowled and strained against his hold. He didn’t even seem to register my small struggle. He simply continued stroking my arm as he talked to Adrián about me. Discussing my abduction as though it was totally normal.
This couldn’t be real. It certainly wasn’t my normal. Maybe I never had been really aware of what Daddy’s business entailed. But surely, he wasn’t actually capable of trying to hurt Valentina? The vibrant, sweet woman I’d met earlier this afternoon wasn’t a threat to anyone. Some of the men Daddy worked with—like Adrián—were scary, but there was nothing dangerous about Valentina.
Was my dad secretly just as scary as Adrián Rodríguez? I couldn’t reconcile my doting father with a man like Adrián, whose cruelty was evident in each of his perfect features, somehow enhanced by his physical beauty. With his panther’s eyes and sleek demeanor, his predatory nature was impossible to miss.
“I’m glad Valentina is safe,” Mateo said. “And Hugo?”
Adrián’s reply elicited a chilling reaction. Suddenly, Mateo’s jaw set, and his dark eyes glinted with a savage, terrifying light I’d never seen before. His lips curved with sadistic satisfaction. “I’ll leave you to it, then,” he told Adrián smoothly before ending the call.
As soon as Mateo’s gaze focused on me, the cruel expression faded. Even though his features softened, my fear lingered. The man holding me wasn’t the sexy bad boy I’d fantasized about for years. He was just as dangerous as Adrián.
He reached out and touched his fingertips to my furrowed brow, and I flinched.
His mouth pressed to a tight slash, and his muscles bulged and flexed around me as he slowly withdrew his hand.
“It’s over,” he announced coolly. “Valentina is safe with Adrián. You can talk to your father now.”
Before I could begin to formulate a response, he retrieved my rose gold phone from where it rested on the nightstand. I gabbed at it like the familiar object was my lifeline, but he snatched it back, holding it out of my reach with a warning frown.
