Without sparing Rafael another glance, I turned and ran, but I barely made it a few steps before my heels betrayed me. My ankle twisted, and I went down hard, elbow first. Pain exploded through my arm, but the adrenaline shoved it aside.
I scrambled back to my feet and started running again. I reached the dirt road, only to be met with raised weapons. The guards didn’t recognize me at first, or maybe they did and still thought I was a threat. I must’ve looked completely insane, sprinting in heels and a backless silver dress. But I didn’t stop.
Ahead of me, the mansion gates were shut. A wall of about fifty armed men stood guarding the entrance, rifles in hand, ready to fire.
Somewhere in the chaos, I heard barking, growing louder with each passing second. A moment later, a massive black Dobermann charged toward me, its muscled body barreling forward like a battering ram.
The beast ran alongside me for a moment. It was as tall as my waist and as terrifying as its reputation promised.
“Take her down, Diablo!” A voice I didn’t recognize shouted from behind.
The dog didn’t hesitate. Before I could even react, it lunged at me, and I slammed into the ground. The weight of its body pinned me down as it barked. Its drool hitting the dirt near my face.
Now that the adrenaline had drained from my system, I could feel every ounce of fear settle into my bones. I wasn’t a fighter anymore. I was a terrified girl on the ground, surrounded by five men on horseback circling me like wolves, while behind them stood a private army, silent and armed to the teeth.
But nothing was as horrifying as what came next. Three lifeless bodies were tied to the backs of the horses. Judging by their condition, it was clear they’d been dragged a long way.
“Back to your posts. This could be a trap,” one of the riders yelled.
Seeing him sent a bolt of pure terror down my spine. Not the kind that makes you scream, the kind that steals your breath and roots you to the spot. I’d never felt anything like it. Even the memory of Jill’s assault faded into something distant in comparison.
The man was tall. Towering. Shirtless. His head was completely shaved, a narrow scar cut through his right eyebrow. His chest, shoulders, and arms were covered in tattoos shaped like Roman armor. A living gladiator pulled out of ancient blood-soaked arenas.
Without wasting a second, he jumped down from his horse, turned to the massive black dog, and barked a sharp command.“Back home, Diablo.”
The dog darted away immediately, only to be replaced by something even more terrifying. He stepped in, grabbed me by the throat, and yanked me to my feet like I weighed nothing. His face was inches from mine. The veins in his forehead throbbed with fury, his jaw clenched tight.
He was death itself in human form, and all I could do was give in. Overwhelmed by the sheer force of his presence, I shut my eyes.
His breath was hot against my ear when he finally spoke. “Who the fuck are you, and what the hell are you doing on my property?”
Weak, confused, and terrified, I couldn’t get a word out. My silence only seemed to piss him off more. His hold on my throat became stronger. I gasped, clawing at his hand, desperate for air.
“Are you deaf, bitch?” he growled. “Or you looking to die? When I ask a question, I expect a fucking answer. Now speak before I rip out your tongue and shut you up for good.”
I couldn’t breathe, let alone talk. All I could do was open my eyes and silently beg for mercy. But he wasn’t even looking at me anymore. His attention had shifted, his voice booming toward one of the horsemen.
“Maxim! If that bastard Giuseppe brought another slave into my house, I swear I’ll take his fucking head myself.”
“She’s Tony’s girlfriend,” the one called Maxim said, sounding almost amused.
The beast let go and I dropped to the ground, coughing and gasping for air.
“You mean his full-time whore?Since when does Tony do girlfriends?”
“Since three months ago. Not judging him, though,” Maxim said, grinning. “Look at her, man. If having a girlfriend meant grabbing tits like that every night, I’d sign up too.”
It wasn’t until Maxim pointed it out that I realized the state I was in. The straps of my dress had snapped, and my breasts were fully exposed. A helpless whimper escaped my throat. I tried to cover myself, but pain shot through my left elbow, knocking the air from my lungs. Still, I managed to shield what I could with my good arm.
Maxim watched the whole thing with that smirk. “Don’t waste those moans, sugar. I could think of a hundred better ways to pull them out of you.” He winked, then added with a grin, “Saddle’s warm if you’re in the mood. Pretty sure Tony wouldn’t mind sharing.”
The other riders burst out laughing, but the shirtless man’s roar shut them up. “Knock it off, idiot. She could be a spy or something. Why the hell was she running around the house like a lunatic?”
Maxim shrugged. “Come on, man. You know Tony. Any girl with half a brain would run for the hills to get away from him.”
But the beast wasn’t buying it. He turned back to me again. “What were you running from?”
My body trembled uncontrollably, and the cry wouldn’t stop. I tried to form words, but they drowned in my sobs.
