Viola sat down, squished between the two large men, her heart beating sporadically. From the green snake tattoos on both men's hands, she knew they were from the Yakuza.

“What do you want with me?” She asked, her voice steady betraying the fear she felt in the pit of her stomach.

The driver laughed sardonically, “Did you think you could hide from us for so long in plain sight? We know your Viola. Santoro's daughter, and I know he'll pay anything to keep you out of harm's way.”

Viola surprised them by saying, “What's so funny?” The man next to her said,his teeth clenched in anger.

Viola knew she was testing the waters by her actions, but damn the consequences.

“Oh, nothing, it's just funny to me that the Yakuza are that broke enough to kidnap me and ask for a ransom,” she said nonchalantly, brushing an invisible flint off her dress.

Their eyes widened at her bold insult and the driver stopped the car suddenly and forcefully. Making Viola lurch forward, her head almost colliding with the hard surface.

He grabbed her arm harshly, making her wince, but she kept her expression neutral, having been trained on what to do in this situation.

“Shut up bitch, watch your tongue, or I'll cut it off even if it costs me my life.” He said through his teeth angrily, letting her go.

Viola remained calm, knowing her phone had a tracker, and if her father didn't hear from her in the next twenty-four hours, he would get suspicious and find her.

“I think the boss may even take a fancy to her,” the one on her left said, his eyes looking lustful and dropping with ill intentions. His look made bile rise up her chest and sent a shudder of disgust up her spine.

“Behave yourself, Leo,” the driver gave him a stern look through the mirror.

Leo raised his hands, “I will.”

They drove to an abandoned warehouse, on the outskirts of town. Viola’s anxiety increased as they pushed her out of the car into the damp and dirty warehouse.

Of all the days I had left my gun, Viola said frustratedly in her head. Her eyes scanned the place.

Leo came in after that, “Boss, I can't find her cellphone.”

Viola's eyes widened in realization, she had left Dmitri’s.

All eyes turned to her, “Where are you hiding it? Don't play smart with me,” the leader of the group shouted.

“I don't know…I must have left it at the house.” She stuttered, feeling thoroughly afraid; there was no way for anyone to track her and rescue her. She was at their mercy now.

Leo smirked darkly, “Boss, I think we'll have to search for her, she might have hidden it under her dress or something.”

His cold eyes made her sick. Was this how she was going to be assaulted by him?

The boss nodded. “Strip her naked and check every inch to make sure she's not hiding any device that can be used to track this location.”

Viola's mouth went dry, her eyes scanning for anything she could use as a weapon. But there was nothing.

She walked backwards as Leo menacingly approached her. "Wait please, I promise I'm not hiding any device,” she said in panicking.

Till her back hit the wall of the warehouse, Leo was just a few feet away a menacing look on his face.

“I'm going to enjoy this,” he whispered.

Viola wrapped her arms around her body tightly, shutting her eyes in fear.

Suddenly, the door to the warehouse got kicked down loudly, causing everyone's attention to go there, except Viola, who still had her eyes shut in fear.

“What…. Are you doing here? We have no issue with you?” the boss said apprehensively.

The fear in his voice made Viola pop her eyes open, and she almost cried in relief when she saw Dmitri Valentino.

But a thought suddenly came to her: What if he was in on it or something? Or he came here to finish her off himself, because he hated her family.

Dmitri approached, and the men shook in fear. Even Leo’s evil smirk had been replaced with one of fear and worry.

“You have something that belongs to me, or should I say someone?”

His words surprised even Viola. What the heck does he mean by belonging to him?

“I'm sorry boss, we didn't know. But still, I'm afraid we're under strict orders from the top to keep her here. I can't let her go, even if it costs me my life.”

The men took a defensive stance; it was an unfair fight, four to one. And they were all armed.

“Don't beg any more boss, we can take him. He has no backup,” one of the men said with a shaking voice, as though he were saying the words to convince himself, too.

Dimitri smirked, “So be it then.”

Viola didn't want Dmitri to die, oddly, although that was her whole mission, and her father would be pleased by it.

But seeing him put his life on the line to save her reminded her too much of her elder brother Loris, who always guarded and protected her.

“Please, don't fight. Let's not be irrational here.” Viola pleaded weakly, but they ignored her and cocked their guns.

In a split second, Dmitri produced two guns, holding them in one hand each.

The first shot was fired by the men and Viola screamed in horror, but Dmitri was too fast. He dodged the bullet expertly and fired two in a second, knocking two men down.

Then followed the array of bullets fired incessantly. Even the two men who were shot and on the ground kept shooting.

Viola covered her eyes in fear for Dmitri, unable to watch him die.

Dmitri moved like a cheetah, dodging a lot of bullets; luckily, he put on a bulletproof vest inside his shirt.

But as two bullets had hit his left arm, focused, he fired shots at the men, putting one down again and incapacitating the ones on the ground with more shots.

Now he had just one bullet left in his gun, every second counted, and it was too precious for him to spend reloading. It could cost him his life.

“Impressive, I see why you’re the dreaded son of Igor. It's a shame I have to end with you here,” the boss said.

He fired a shot, aiming for Dmitri's head this time. Too fast for him to dodge.