Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
My trip to Italy had been wonderful until my eyes landed on a large, handsome Russian with a devilish stare. As I wait impatiently for him to approach, I’m abducted by another and sedated. I woke up in his bed, wondering how I was going to escape my abductor, only to realize he would always be my hero
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Dmitri
I observed the mundane scene of the Italian piazza below, feeling bored while waiting for my next meeting. Checking my watch, I had another hour before I had to meet with a client, giving me too much time to observe and mentally punish the naïve tourists.
People moved about their day as if there weren’t monsters just feet away. They had no idea that one lurked on the balcony above them. As I imagine the fools falling prey to the predators out there, a smile that would scare my enemies stretches over my face.
It’s been years since I served as an enforcer and snapped necks for the Russian brotherhood, but some instincts don’t fade. The crowd was full of easy marks. Although I never targeted the weak and innocent, it didn’t mean I couldn’t notice how simple they made it. Sometimes, I could just picture how I’d do it if they were my target.
Now, I’m running my life as clean as possible, or as clean as someone with my past can get, but there is always someone making it difficult, like when a former contact gets mixed up into some shit and needs my help. Today’s meeting will be a clean deal, with no dead bodies and no back-alley deals.
I sip my coffee, loving the taste of a great Italian espresso, while I look down at the classical structure and beauty of the little piazza. The Italians have truly perfected the technique of coffee and architecture; it’s the reason why I’d chosen Italy as one of my homes away from home. I continue my perusal of the crowd from my seat on the balcony while sipping my coffee.
Immediately my attention is drawn to one tourist in particular. She’s a pretty, young woman with long black hair that’s pleated in a braid, hanging down her back, resting on her small backpack. A foolish thing to have on her. Someone could quickly snatch it and steal her belongings. Has anyone told her how unsafe it is to leave herself so vulnerable to theft?
Innocently, she points to the cold, sweet gelato for sale, lifts her head, delivering a bright smile to the male vendor. From her gestures, it’s clear she’s not fluent in the language. Still, he figures out which one she wants from just the visual cues. Her head bobs as she nods with pleasure that he’s picked the correct one. He returns an even wider, more intent smirk filled with lecherous intent.
Before I can fully process the scene in front of me, the small cup in my hand cracks, sending the espresso everywhere. “Fuck.” Setting down the broken pieces onto the saucer, grabbing my napkin, I wipe some of the mess away when I hear a light laugh. I forget all about the damn mess on my slacks or the slight burn from the spilled coffee and return my attention to the mysterious woman below.
She turns my way with her treat, taking a bite and smiling broadly with her eyes closed and head tilted upward. My dick stiffens in my trousers like never before until I have to adjust myself in the seat. Her eyes opened and immediately met mine from across the courtyard. Her sky-blue eyes are radiating joy from her gelato.
A low rumble rips from my chest, and I swear I can hear a soft gasp fall from her delicately parted lips as if she can hear my mating call. The image of her will be burned into my brain for the rest of my days.
I raise one brow and smirk before winking at my distraction. This beautiful creature isn’t why I’m in Italy; however, I have always believed life threw you in the path you were meant for, and she was meant to meet the beast today. With a motion of my hand, I tell her to stay put because I’m coming to claim her. Without an ounce of hesitation in my step, I quickly exit the hotel and down to the street to search for my little naïve tourist with so much to learn about the world and dangerous men like me.
I spotted her across the courtyard, only to find a man flanked to her left. He’s got his hand around her shoulder while he whispers in her ear. Who the fuck does he think he is touching something that doesn’t belong to him?
Growling, I move closer, ready to rip his head off to see that he’s holding a gun to her waist. She swallows hard, trying to stop herself from screaming.
The kidnapper doesn’t see me, so I call Mikhail. “Bring the car around. Now. Track me.” There’s no time for greetings or anything else, so I end the call and follow my woman and her abductor. Mikhail needs to track my phone because I won’t stand still while she disappears in the hands of scum.