Gio

Once the Irish mob is paid off and Johnny is safe, this will all be worth it.

I think I truly believe that, but my stomach feels differently.

Knock.

Knock

Knock

I jumped at the sound; I was too lost in my thoughts to see the man approach my car. I look up at him through the driver’s side window. He’s hovering over me and devastatingly handsome. He has a sharp jawline covering a day or two’s worth of stubble. His lips are curved upwards with a menacing smirk, and his dark brown eyes are piercing.

I swear he’s looking deep into my soul.

He moves his fingers in a circular motion indicating for me to roll down the window. Without thinking, I comply. Grabbing the crank below the window and winding it down, revealing myself to the handsome stranger.

“You Annie?” he asks.

Shit.

I think every damn fear I’ve imagined is about to come true at the hands of the most attractive man I’ve ever seen. My stomach threatens to revolt at this thought. I swallow the lump forming in my throat and nod my affirmative reply to him.

He smiles, he likes that answer. “You have a gun?” he asks now, his eyes assessing the state of my car. It’s clean, except for the Gatorade bottles Johnny and Rob tossed in the back seat. My car is normally void of trash.

I shake my head no to answer his question. I hate guns; they freak me out, and even if I didn’t I had no money to buy one now.

“Good.” he flashes a perfect set of pearly white teeth when he smiles at me. “Now, I’m going to need you to listen very carefully, okay?” he doesn’t wait for me to respond before he continues. “You’re going to get out of this car and walk nice and slow into my club here. Try to run or do anything funny, your two friends inside my place are going to get bullets in the head, ya hear me?”

My heart sinks at his threat. Yep, this is my worst nightmare come true.

I nod again, I’m afraid if I try to speak my voice will betray me.

“I need a verbal response, Annie.”

I steel my spine and take a deep inhale. You can do this. “I understand.”

“Good. Now take off the sunglasses and get out of the car.”

I pull the layer of protection from my face, tossing it into the passenger seat. You can do this. I keep whispering words of affirmation to myself, that will get me through this shit show. I unlock the car door and slowly step out, revealing my full self to this man.

He nods at me approvingly, which only serves to make me feel like an obedient child. An obedient child who’s protecting her brother, that’s my life story.

I walk slowly with my hands at my side to his club door. I don’t know this man, but I can tell he’s not like me. He’s bigger, scarier, and I’m not about to give him any reason to hurt me or my family.

He opens the door for me. “What a gentleman,” I mutter, then mentally kick myself.

Luckily, he chuckles when he hears my comment. He likes my sass.

“Want me to check her, skip?” A large man, wearing black dress slacks and a wrinkled linen shirt, asks once we’re inside and my handsome captor has locked the door.

“I got it.” He has an easygoing look about him for someone who now has three captives in his bar. “I’m going to frisk you now, sweetheart, don’t get too hot and bothered.” He smirks as he comes closer to me.

I heave a sigh and raise my arms for him. “That full of yourself, huh?” Who am I? Why am I sassing this man who could easily overpower me?

He laughs, a smirk playing on his lips. This confirms for me that he likes the attitude, he wants to play this game. That I can do.

He places his large hands on my shoulders first before moving them down my body. His movements are slow and steady and his touch feels electric on me. He sweeps the hood off my head, revealing my full face for him. My ashy blonde waves are now loose and free, falling slightly past my shoulders.

“That’s better,” he whispers at the sight of my exposed face and hair.