Beautiful Beast (Perfectly Imperfect: Mafia Legacy #1)

“What?”

“Now, Guido.”

“Fucking with Bratva is a very bad idea. And I’m not talking about kissing potential future jobs with them goodbye. Even if it was a mistake, Petrov can’t be reasoned with if it affects any of his people, never mind family members. She’s flying back to Chicago tonight.”

“I’m not sending her back. Not yet, anyway.”

Guido lowers his cell while he stares at me in disbelief. “Are you out of your fucking mind? What are you going to do with her?”

“I haven’t decided, yet.”

Chapter 4

The sun is on my face. I can feel its warmth. A faint scent of brine is in the air, mixed with a masculine fragrance. Strange buzzing not too far away. Crickets? No, it can’t be. There are no crickets in Chicago.

The sound of steps. Retreating.

“Mom?” I mumble into the pillow. “Draw the damn drapes.”

More footsteps, but further away now. The unmistakable click of a shutting door.

I squint my eyes open. Then, spring up in bed, madly looking around the unfamiliar room.

The walls are the color of pale-terracotta, adorned with stucco detailing and oil paintings depicting Mediterranean landscapes. An aged white wooden bookshelf, filled with dozens of leather-bound tomes, occupies the space between two sets of opened balcony doors. Long sheer curtains sway with the morning breeze.

I scramble down from the bed and do a quick assessment of myself.

My feet are bare. Someone removed my sneakers and socks, but I’m still dressed in the same outfit as yesterday—gray jeans and an oversized shirt—wrinkled to hell from sleeping in it. And then, there are my wrists. Both are wrapped in gauze, right over my injuries from the handcuffs.

Bewildered, I focus on the two doors on the opposite wall, wondering where they lead. As I head across the room and past the couch that faces the fireplace, the soft plush rug tickles the soles of my feet. That masculine essence in the air is stronger around this spot, but there’s another smell here, as well. Coffee. I look down at the low table in front of the couch. A single espresso cup sits atop it. The tiny cup is half-empty, as if whoever was drinking the rich-brown nectar left in a hurry. As heavenly as that aroma is, the male scent lingers. Cypress and orange.

Panic grips me. Someone was here while I slept.

“I see you’re up and about. I hope you like your accommodations.”

My head snaps up, eyes zeroing in on the blond dude from yesterday. He’s in jeans again, and a bright-green T-shirt. Leaning on the doorjamb, he’s holding a plate overflowing with food. My mouth waters just looking at it.

Swallowing hard and willing my stomach not to rumble, I take a step back. “Were you here the whole night, creep?”

“Excuse me?”

“You left your coffee.”

His gaze slides to the espresso cup, eyebrows furrowing, then casually strolls inside, lowering the plate onto the coffee table right next to the abandoned drink.

“You’re free to roam around the house and go outside on the patio, but please don’t try to run away. The property is surrounded by an electric fence, and cameras monitor the grounds. The security staff are authorized to shoot if they find you trying to escape. Rafael will come to see you later today to discuss your situation.”

“My situation?” Eyes flaring, I can’t believe he has the gall to make that remark.

“Exactly. It would be to your benefit to behave until my brother returns.”

“Your brother? So he’s in charge around here? I assume he’s the one who ordered me kidnapped?”

“Yes. Yes. And yes, again.”

“Then, kindly relay this to your brother.” I fist my hands and march across the room until I’m standing right in front of this arrogant pissant. “When my father finds out about this, he’s going to chop both of you into tiny little pieces. And then, he’ll throw those to our dogs. I’m going to enjoy watching them feast on your flesh while I drink margaritas and relish the sound of your intestines being chewed to bits. After, I’ll happily wait until the pooches shit out your digested remains.”

Guido’s lips widen into a lopsided smile. “Thank you for such a detailed explanation, Miss Petrova. I’ll be downstairs if you happen to need anything.”