DOM DIARIES : THE CHASE: A Billionaire searches for love. Page 9

  I raced passed them and into the stairwell, hurtling down. But then I stopped. She wasn’t in here. If she were, I’d see or hear her running down each flight. Selina knew I’d pursue her. She exited somewhere, but which floor? I knew I needed to reach the street, so I exited into the nearest hallway and pushed the elevator button.

  I’d catch her either way. But if she didn’t already hate me to hell and back, she would when she reached that shitbox she called home and realizes it’s been completely erased.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  I didn’t feel violated; I felt invaded. I told him to stay out, but he just wouldn’t listen. I knew he wouldn’t let it go. He fired up my blood in all the wrong ways, but also in the only way a man can. I burned for him. In lust and anger. I didn’t know which was stronger, but when he forced me to endure his devious touch; the rage burned with the need and the explosion was stronger than anything I’d ever felt before.

  It sickened me.

  And I realized in that fucked-up moment of passion that we were the same in so many ways; his confession cemented it.

  He hated me, too.

  Hated the sick desire burning between us. But unlike me, he didn’t want to fight it. Because he knew he had nothing to lose. But me? I had everything to lose. My dignity being the first thing.

  The cab I flagged down crawled to a stop outside my apartment building. I swiped my debit card through the machine and opened up the door. I was frugal but it was late and even I knew better than to take my chances on a subway all alone, especially in this dress that now made me look like a “working girl.”

  With bleary eyes, I pushed open the lobby doors and headed for the stairwell. My feet ached so I bent and slipped off my borrowed heels. Holding them in one hand, I climbed, uncaring the floors were dirty. When I reached my floor, my palm pushed the door open.

  My heart raced.

  I’d either been robbed, or someone was in my apartment. I frantically felt around in my bag for the pepper spray. Our apartment door was wide open, and all the cheap overhead lights were turned on.

  Other than that, it was bare.

  Floor to ceiling bare.

  I’m a strong woman, but my chin trembled.

  Tears slipped down my cheeks. I hadn’t been robbed and now I felt violated. I walked to my room on bare feet. Even my mattress was gone. My breath left my body when I looked out the window. He was hot on my heels. The now familiar black Range Rover was barreling down the street.

  I backpedaled from the window and thought fast. I could go to a hotel tonight, but what would I do after that? I couldn’t let him win. His pursuit of me was one-minded and sick. I had briefly thought about going to the police, but Johnny Lamatti had many in his pockets. One would surely turn on me.

  Rafael was so carefree only hours earlier. Maybe I could talk some sense into him? Or I could call Roque? That man was dangerous because he had a way of making you feel supremely safe. He gave me his number...I bit my lip and debated if I should call or keep running.

  Either way, time was running out.

  I squared my shoulders and crossed my arms over my chest. He burst through the open door anticipating I’d be running out the back.

  “Get my shit back. Now.” I demanded. I was so angry, I glowed with it. He took and took and took just like the entitled rich boy he was.

  “I didn’t do this. Johnny did.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Call your roommate. She’s sold you down the river before, why wouldn’t she do it again?”

  Uneasiness churned in my gut; he could be right. I held a finger out, indicating him not to come any closer and made the call.

  “CHRISTINE? Why is all my shit gone?”

  “Fuck. I-I meant to tell you at dinner…”

  I hung up, sick of her and everyone around me always lying. She texted me the address to our “new apartment.” I strode passed Rafael and walked down to the street, raised my arm up high and hailed a cab. I wouldn’t spend one fucking night under a roof owned by Johnny. But I would pack my backpack and formulate a plan. I wanted to get away from them all: Christine, Johnny, and Rafael. I wanted to erase them from my life. New York was a big enough city to do it and I knew I could.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  I nursed a bourbon in one hand while the other gripped the iron railing. My eyes scanned the lights below. “Where are you?” I asked the night sky.

  Two minutes later I knew.

  “Johnny?”

  “I found her… holed up in Montauk. She got a house-sitting gig.”

  “How convenient. Text me the address.”

  “I can’t. Some shit is going down. Roque is up my ass. Christine. Ah, fuck, Rafe. My girl betrayed me. She was FBI. They have her stashed in witness protection or some shit. Roque has men infiltrating my own circle trying to sniff out more rats. He’ll know where Selina is. Shit, he’s probably wiretapping me too. I’m fucked, man. I don’t know if you girl is in on this, but Roque thinks she knows something. He won’t take any chances that she does.”

  My heart pounded hard. If Roque gets to her first… there’s no telling what he might do. He’s a ruthless Kingpin in a designer suit. He’d sell Selina just because he could.

  “Is Roque in New York?”

  “No. But he’s on his way.”

  “Text me the address.”

  “I’ll do you one better. Take my helicopter, I’ve already sent men to get her for you. Consider it an early birthday gift. I was going to have them question her first. I won’t lie. I wanted them to rough her up. Her bitch of a roommate is fucking everything up for me.”

  “You sound oddly calm.”

  “It won’t stick. I have someone in the FBI. The hit on Christine has already been ordered.”

  “Leave my girl alone. I mean it Johnny. No Bullshit.”

  “Only if you finally be a true DOM and take control of her ass. Make her completely submit. The girl needs it. Hell, that was clear at the restaurant.”

  I smiled wickedly. My adrenaline was raging. I’d get to the truth. Innocent or guilty—Selina would finally be mine. I’d tie her ass up and spank it. Watch the imprint of my hand stain her skin red. I was already getting hard just thinking about punishing my little spy.

  Good.

  Let her scream. She must be in on this. Why else would she hide away for a month, ghosting her own life?

  Let her be afraid.

  Let her think she’s going to be sold as a sex slave by Johnny after all. Then I’d swoop in like an avenging hero and take my reward—her.

  I’m in ruthless pursuit.

  She was sex on a stick.

  She knew it.

  I hunted her down. She thought that she was safe. But the girl is in for a huge surprise. I’m taking her tonight.

  No more games.

  No more running.

  Johnny already gave the orders.

  Selina will be taken and delivered to me.

  Bound.

  Gagged.

  And totally at my wicked mercy.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  It was peaceful where I was. The constant lull of the breaking waves replaced honking horns and the shifting engines of garbage trucks.

  Thank God, I escaped them all. I pretended to be cool with the new apartment in Chelsea with central air, stainless steel and bodyguards. I expanded my business, hired walkers to take my place, and set up payments through my PayPal app. Then I scoured help wanted postings from a computer at the New York Library just in case Johnny had our internet monitored. Actually, I’m sure it was. The kicker was when I Googled Roque Salvatore. I couldn’t believe that the man I had drank a bottle of wine with and practically passed out on—was at the top of the mob food chain.

  He was as dangerous as they come. Forget Johnny, forget Al Capone, forget every scary man from your worst nightmare—Roque Salvatore beat them all. And I spent half a night with him, sometimes alone.

  A shiver ran up my back at how chummy I was to
an international crime king. A ruthless killer who fooled me with his beauty, brains, and wit. I even read an article where it was reported that he had ties to outlaw motorcycle gangs on the west coast. The man has powerful allies and would make a terrifying enemy.

  I just have horribly bad instincts when it comes to men.

  That must be it.

  Or he was just one charming motherfucker.

  Christine had let it slip that Johnny and Rafael were tight. Growing up together at the same prep schools as well as college.

  I knew I needed to evade not one, but two powerful men. I needed space to process my conflicted feelings. I wanted and desired Rafe… but wasn’t sure if I could trust the man. And the two of us were explosive together. I spent many nights, moving restlessly underneath the sheets, wishing he was there to relive the throbbing ache between my legs.

  But he wasn’t.

  Instead, I came by myself, but it was still his face in my head and his name I panted every time I came.

  Mr. Pickles saved me again. His owner’s old friend, Mrs. Bradley, had a new boyfriend. He was some European hotshot who was whisking his new lady love off to Greece for the remainder of the summer. Hell, maybe she won’t come back at all. Mrs. Bradley was worried squatters would take up residence in her cottage. So, things worked out and I snuck out of the city under everyone’s nose after some careful planning on a burner phone.

  I was untraceable.

  Invisible.

  Free.

  I watched the waves and drank alone.

  My life was perfect.

  Peaceful.

  Finally, after all that shit that went down, I could finally put it behind me.

  I never heard them coming.

  They were like ghosts.

  One hand wrapped over my mouth, another around my waist. A black hood was dropped over my head. I couldn’t see; could hardly breathe as I screamed.

  But I went down fighting. Sand flew everywhere as I kicked and clawed but it was no use. It took five of those fuckers to get me under control and in their vehicle.

  Anger seethed through me. I wasn’t going out like this.

  But then I felt zip ties bind my wrists. More held my ankles together and replaced the hands that held me still.

  My hood came off and before I could scream, a band of rope was tied around my head. It acted like a gag as it was secured around my mouth.

  These fuckers were huge. Their muscles bulged from under their suits. Guns were holstered at their sides and they wore black silk masks.

  They were scary; evil demons.

  I tried to struggle more as the SUV reversed.

  I turned my neck and stared as long as I could at the cottage where I spend the last month alone. There went my safe haven.

  The lights I left on inside the house were the last things I saw for hours. The black hood was placed back over my head. A finger twirled a few locks of my hair as they brushed against my breast.

  Fear raced faster than lightning through my veins. I was being shipped off to Russia or worse.

  The men spoke in low Italian.

  But I knew they were mob. I knew it the second I smelled the cheap cologne of the man who first grabbed me.

  I tensed at the loud roar of a helicopter flying low that came from overhead. The SUV braked hard and the door was yanked open.

  I didn’t move.

  Didn’t breathe.

  Even through the hood, I felt his stare.

  Whoever he was—I knew he was the man responsible for this.

  I felt his body heat, his eyes on me, whoever he was he was powerful. I felt the man next to me tense, waiting for instructions.

  For a split-second I wondered if it was Roque.

  But why would he want me?

  Before I could form my next thought, I was yanked out and carried like a sack of flour over the man’s shoulder.

  I felt him walk up a few flights of stairs, then it sounded as if he had walked into an elevator.

  We were moving.

  Then I was flying backwards as he dumped me on a bed.

  Something metallic scraped across the floor.

  I shivered.

  No.

  Please, no.

  Then I felt the ice-cold metal snap shut around my wrist.

  I heard the zip tie being cut…felt the tip of the blade as it rested against a vein in my ankle before slashing the plastic tie.

  The hood was yanked off.

  My eyes blinked.

  Where the fuck was I?

  It was a tower?

  I heard waves crashing against rocks.

  A flash of light circled outside.

  My captor stood in the shadows.

  I lifted my chin.

  “Show yourself. If you’re going to kidnap and rape me, at least have the balls to look me in the eye.”

  “There she is. Hello, little spitfire.”

  “Rafael? Have you lost your goddamn mind? Release me. NOW!” I sprang from the bed, hurtling to the end of my iron chain. I threw punches, but he moved just out of reach.

  I glanced through the rectangular window. My eyes took in the pounding surf below. The white frothy foam on top of the sea reflected the moonlight.

  It was a lighthouse.

  He had me trapped at the top of a lighthouse and somehow got a bed carted up here.

  He smirked, rolled his shirt to his elbows and circled me.

  “Do you know who Roque Salvatore is?”

  “Sure. Who doesn’t these days with the internet and all...what the fuck is going on? Let me go! This is a felony!”

  “So? No one can hear you scream up here. No one is coming to help you. And you will scream. Besides, little hellion, you’ve pissed off a lot of important people. You are staying put. What are you going to do now, Selina?”

  “Did I even know you at all?”

  His eyes were a dark storm and I was a ship caught in it.

  I wondered if I would sink or if somehow, I would survive and get to shore. He moved fast, grabbing my hands and trailed one of his down my cheek.

  “It didn’t have to be this way. I tried to do things the right way with you.”

  I looked away. “What’s your plan? Keep me here, bound and at your mercy?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe. Will you play nice? Be a good little girl and bend to my will?”

  “Never!” I spat.

  “When things don’t bend—they break.”

  “You’ll never break me.”

  He rushed me, stood toe-to-toe, until I was forced back against the foot of the bed.

  “Did you know?”

  I stood mute, not sure if Rafael had lost his damn mind.

  “HOW MUCH DID YOU KNOW?!” He roared.

  “Know what?”

  “Christine? Your roommate? We know she was undercover FBI. Johnny was falling in love with her and she tried to burn him. Roque got the intel. You are connected to her. He wanted to interrogate you, but Johnny’s friendship with me is the only thing standing between you and the whole fucking mob. So, start talking doll. They already put a hit out on Christine. The jig is up, baby. Stop playing dumb.”

  “I-I…I had no idea.” The color left my skin. It was exactly what I had feared. Christine was going to end up at the bottom of the Hudson. I just hoped I wouldn’t be there too.

  “Really? So that “accident” when we met and you spilled coffee on me was just an accident, right? Fate? Happenstance? BULLSHIT, Selina! Are you in on this too? She must’ve known our history and put you in my path.”

  “No-no,” I shook my head.

  “DON’T LIE TO ME! My father was right, I was a fool. And to think I thought I could fall in love with you, too. That I thought, mi madre sent you from heaven. But you aren’t from heaven, are you? You are a sexy siren, sent from hell to torment me. Maybe I should’ve just let them have you. But the thought of any man touching you but me, makes me sick. I saved you from that and worse. So, a fucking thank you, would have been nice.�
�

  The iron door slammed and locked behind him.

  Stunned, I fell to the floor and leaned my back against the bed. I thought back to everything, snapping puzzle pieces together. Fuck. He was right. Christine always had a thing for Johnny, searched for him, tried to find out where he’d be.

  But us.

  That was all fate.

  I did fall for him.

  I was never part of some FBI sting operation.

  But he’d never believe that or me now.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “Is she talking?”

  “Not yet.”

  “For fuck’s sake, Rafe. Make her fucking sing, or Roque will. And he won’t do it the pretty way.”

  I scrubbed a hand across my face. “Maybe she is innocent.”

  “Not likely. She ran. Hid for a month at the fucking beach. We’re working our sources to see if the cottage is connected to the FBI in anyway. Her ‘client’ could have been in on the operation. I’m not taking any chances. I can’t get near that cunt, Christine, either. Not without finally giving the feds something that will stick. We’re on borrowed time. Roque is on a rampage. Heads are going to roll over this. Maybe even mine. Fuck, I didn’t see the girl coming.”

  “Neither did I.”

  “Take care, Johnny. If shit gets bad, get out. You know where to go.”

  “I do.”

  Shit. This was bad. I disconnected the call and contemplated grabbing the cheap bottle of whiskey I found here from the last person the mob interrogated.

  We were all dragged into the shitstorm now and Roque would play judge, jury, and executioner. I took a bottle of water from the small fridge and grabbed a protein bar. Selina needed to trust me, or we were both royally fucked.

  I unlocked the door and entered. I held the bottle of water out to her and gave her the bar.

  “We don’t have much time.”

  “I’m not FBI.”

  “Prove it.”

  “How?”

  “Stop. Just Stop. I’m not fucking stupid, Selina. This…” I pointed to us, “wasn’t a coincidence. How much does she know? What does she have on Johnny and his operation?”