Page 60 of Tempting My Mafia Monster

It took everything in me not to launch myself at him. Maddox put himself between me and the asshole, probably for that reason. He could sense how unhinged I was, and for once, he wasn’t the one Sean should fear.

“Monster,” Sean greeted with a smug smile, gesturing to the door. “Let’s give the lady some privacy to change. We need to go over a few things.”

Maddox glanced over his shoulder at me, and my rage turned to heartbreak. My lips trembled. This was it. It was happening. I’d run out of time. He gave me a lingering look, then stormed out of the bunker, Sean and his men following. They closed the door, and I grabbed the nearest thing—a pillow from the chair—and threw it at the door. A lot of good that would do.

With the pillow no longer hiding it, the glimmer of silver caught my eye, and I froze. The knife Maddox had given me weeks ago was sticking out from the back of the sofa, where I’d hidden it. My eyes flicked to the door. The deep murmur of their voices drifted beneath the steel. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I knew I still had time if I was quick.

I tipped the contents of the bag onto the bed and changed, throwing on the flowery sundress, similar to the one Sean had first given me when I arrived. He’d even thrown in a pair of trainers, a hairbrush and some lipstick. I didn’t bother with either but shoved my feet into the trainers. Then I grabbed the new bedsheet Maddox had been rewarded with after his last fight and used the knife to tear a strip from it.

Lifting one leg onto the bed, I strapped the knife to my thigh with the torn fabric, as high as I could. The door creaked open, and I straightened, smoothing the dress over the concealed weapon.

Sean looked me up and down slowly, taking me in. “Handcuffs.”

Nolan walked in, and I held up my wrists before he slapped them on. I met Nolan’s green eyes and unreadable expression with hostility. He stepped to the side and took hold of my elbow as my heart thrummed wildly in my chest.

“Let’s go,” Sean ordered. “Now.”

Nolan escorted me outside, walking a few metres behind Sean and three of his men. Maddox was standing next to Oscar, cuffed and leashed by the SUV, refusing to get in until I was with him. Sean took a phone call, held up a finger to Oscar, and moved a few steps away from the rest of the group. Alone.

I swallowed. My eyes darted around the other men. Nolan still held my elbow, but so lightly that it wouldn’t take much to yank it free and bolt. Straight over to Sean and stab him in the back. But that wouldn’t guarantee death. No, I’d need to hit a vital organ. Or slit his throat.

But if I did it in front of everyone, they’d shoot me. And I was putting Maddox’s sister’s life on the line, too.

“Whatever you’re thinkin’ of doing, Little Monster,” Maddox’s raspy whisper at the back of my head sent a shiver down my spine. “Don’t. Or you’ll get us both killed.”

Sean ended the call and stormed back towards us, waving his hand to suggest we all get into the cars. The moment passed. Maddox exhaled. But if he thought I wouldn’t do what needed to be done, he was wrong. He’d do anything to save his family. I understood that better than anyone else. Because so would I.

Once again, I was blindfolded for the entire journey until we reached a private jet and were forced to board. Sensing my confusion, Sean quickly filled us in as the soldiers tied me to a seat and attached Maddox’s cuffs to a metal loop on the plane’s wall. Clearly, this wasn’t the first time he’d been flown somewhere to fight.

“Has your family ever let you leave Italy, Princess?” Sean asked as a beautiful air flight attendant poured him a glass of whiskey. That she was practically wearing only lingerie was a dead giveaway that it wasn’t her actual job.

I looked out of the window, pretending to find something more interesting than giving him any response.

“Most mafia princesses are kept cooped up behind high walls until they are married off,” Sean continued. “But not the Buccinis.” He clicked his tongue. My head snapped back to him, a deep scowl on my face. “No. They fly their women everywhere with them. Elaborate holidays. Greece. Maldives. Thailand. Croatia. America. You’ve seen a lot, haven’t you? I can’t decide whether it’s admirable or foolish that the men in your family think they’re that untouchable.” He gave me a slow, satisfied smile, the scar on his face stretching with it. “I’m sure they’ve had a shock. Seeing as I plucked you from your own doorstep like something they left out in the rain.”

He chuckled at my expression. He was in a good mood. The excitable energy radiated from him in waves, giving me murderous thoughts. From the corner of my eye, I saw Maddox shift in his seat and clench his fists.

“Anyway, I digress. You like France, don’t ya? Your family owns a ski resort there. That’s where we’re headin’.” He smirked at my vacant expression. “Not to ski! No, but the sport will be just as exhilaratin’, I promise.”

He raised his glass and nodded to a man behind me. A slight gesture that ‌moved the man from the back of the cabin like a chess piece. I turned and felt my stomach drop.

The ‘doctor’. The same one who had been at the last fight. He settled into the seat beside Maddox and opened his briefcase on his lap.

Maddox’s black eyes found mine across the cabin. I held his gaze as I twisted my fingers in my lap, fiddling with the hem of my dress that concealed the secret I was hiding. At that moment, it was the only thing keeping my breathing steady.

“Marseille was the Russian’s choice,” Sean resumed, talking to no one who wanted to hear it. “France is neutral because we both have connections. That means the blood spilt will be someone else’s problem to clean up. Civilised, for us all to agree, really.”

Bile rose in my throat, thick and acidic. I turned to the window and focused on the clouds rather than on his face or on the doctor prodding Maddox to check his previous injuries. I tried my best to let Sean’s bullshit fly over my head and gave him nothing. But Cristo, the man loved the sound of his own voice.

At some point, I stopped managing it and simply glared at him as he talked about his plans to marry off Arianna and use Santino’s head as a centrepiece on the wedding table. He wasn’t the only one with fantasies. Cutting out his tongue, stuffing it up his asshole and watching him choke on his own blood were mine. But I was a lady, so I kept them to myself.

“All looking good, Doc?” Sean asked the doctor, who was peeling off his gloves with a snap and closing his case.

“He’s healed remarkably well.” There was a careful pause. “But those ribs are still causing him problems. He’ll need to protect his right side from any impact during the fight or—”

“Talk about me like I’m not here, why don’t ya?” Maddox grumbled, throwing his head back against the seat with a dull thud.

“Fine. So we double the Raw Mercy dosage,” Sean suggested with an unbothered shrug as he set his glass down on the table. My eyes widened. Maddox slowly lifted his head off the seat. Even the Doctor paled.