Allison's POV

I blinked away the harsh light penetrating my eyes. I squinted, turning from the full-length glass windows, the sunlight beating its way in in harsh golden rays, drawing large squares on the sparkling white tiles of the floor. I sat up, my mouth hung in a large ‘O’ as I yawned.

I felt the softness beneath me. I stared down to find I was on a large king-size bed. I started, throwing my eyes everywhere as I jumped from the bed. Where was I?

The bedroom was large, almost half a football field, and luxuriously furnished with state-of-the-art furniture. This was certainly not my place. Where had the bastard brought me?

Had he touched me? I stared down hurriedly at myself, checking myself out. I had on the leather jacket and jeans just as I wore them yesterday. Nothing was missing and nothing was out of place—except me—alone in a drug dealer's home.

But why did he bring me here? And with that question came my heart thrashing against my chest, waiting to explode off of me. Had he found out about me? Does he know that I am an FBI agent and not a stripper?

My gaze darted around the whole room once again, my eyes uneasy in their sockets. Where was this place?

I stared through the full-length window at the property. It was extensive, yards and yards of lush green field and a small forest, the large leaves making huge canopies over the rest of the properties. The tall trees hid it a little, but leaning on my toes, I found it—water, stretching on and on to nowhere, melting into the bright blue sky. God! I screamed in my head. He’s taken me to Island.

There was no island in the list of the properties he owns. Meaning the FBI doesn't know this place and probably never will. Luca had a history of buying properties under random identities so they could not be linked to him.

I had agreed to stay out of contact with my handler. But plans have changed now. I have to find a way to contact Agent James Parlor to alert him of my whereabouts in case Luca Tonelli tries to harm me. I touched my pocket, feeling for my phone.

I gasped. My whole body froze for a moment. It was gone. Gone. I rummaged through my pockets, but it was truly gone. He’d taken it. Only the empty flaps came out.

The phone was the only means I had of communication with my handler. Without it, I was cooked. I spun around, my heartbeat wild, beating an ominous tune to my ears. My hands trembled around me. I really was cooked.

I had no idea if my cover had blown or if drugging girls and ferrying them to some isolated islands was his new pastime hobby. But I had only one option now. And which was… Run. Escape. There should be a boat in the dock to take me out of here.

I ran for the door. The corridor was deserted, empty—occupied only by a loud, deafening silence. Tiled floor with paintings lined up on bright white walls stretched down on both sides. I darted by reflex to my right, and soon I was scaling an ornately designed wooden staircase.

I jumped into the living room, the entrance door waiting for me, wide open, the morning sun straying in—my sanctuary. I was almost safe. Footsteps echoed around me, and I froze—cold.

A thin, hoarse voice, scratchy like a cracked audio, boomed around me. “Where the hell are you going?” Rico Bastoni demanded.

For that split moment, years of training meant nothing, and I became a scared little girl. Cold sweats pooling on my forehead. My soul practically left my body. I think it came back when it realized we were both in this mess together.

I spun around to see Rico walking from the kitchen, dragging his huge body along with him. His twitchy eyes were unpredictable as always. They scanned me from head to toe with the interest a dog gives a bone. His hair was shaggier than last night, each strand struggling to escape the others.

He looked like he had just stepped out of a mental home. He also looked like he could jump me if I tried to move and yet looked like he couldn't bother to move at all.

Well! I shook my head grimly, making him a rather stiff smile. I had to test which it was. I turned to the door, and in one mad run I raced for it.

Turns out the crazy bastard could move and was a lot crazier than I thought. He jumped on the nearest sofa, lifted himself into the air, and flew into me, battling me to the ground.

Pain jarred through the whole of my back as we crashed into the floor.

He pinned me to the ground, and I struggled beneath him, unable to move any limbs. I groaned from the pain tearing down every nerve ending in my back.

Footsteps approached us. We turned to find Luca strolling down to us. He wore a night robe, his legs stuck in some flip-flops.

“Caught the little bitch. She was trying to escape.” Rico screamed in his thin, croaky voice, cackling excitedly.

“Get off her,” Luca simply said. “She can't really escape, since there are guards everywhere on the property.”

Rico’s eyes jumped around harder in his head. “Yeah. But.”

“But let her go. She is my guest.”

I didn't wait for him to do that. The moment his hold on me relaxes a bit, I kick him off me with every strength in my legs. He staggered off me, hitting a sofa and tumbling down with it.

I grinned at myself, dusting off my jeans. That was much better than what I had in mind.

“Come,” Luca called. He walked over to me. He reached for my hand, but I jumped back from him. I held my quivering hands together as I held his penetrating gaze, unflinching. I wouldn't let him intimidate me anymore.

“I want to leave this place. You kidnapped me. Brought me here by drugging me.”

“For that I am sorry. It was the only way to bring you here.” He smiled. He was so inexperienced at smiling one could tell at a glance that it was false.

“And I never asked to be brought here.” I snarled at him. “Let me leave. I want to leave.”

He smiled again. This time he didn't bother to make it believable. “I am afraid I can't, Miss Allison.” He said, still formal. “I’ll suggest you come with me right now, or else I can't protect you from Rico.” His gaze strayed to Rico, who was already struggling to his feet. Rico glared at me, a tic building at the side of his lips.

“What do you say, Miss Allison?” He asked, tilting his head to the side. His hand outstretched for me to take.

I stared at his hand and at Rico, still seething with rage, sniffing like a junkie. Thick veins wound tight around his neck like ropes. If truly the island was full of guards, then escaping was rather impossible. But staying might be disastrous as well if he already knew who I am.

I gambled, and I took his hand. Either way, I was cooked anyway. Besides, I still had a mission to accomplish. His thick fingers clasped tight around mine, and he led me up the stairs quietly, Rico’s murderous eyes following us.

He pushed the door and steered me into the bedroom I had just run from. He led me to a couch in the room.

“Sit,” he ordered. His voice exuded that confidence and authority that compelled me to do as he said.

He took the armchair opposite me, and he dragged a glass table in the room between us, ignoring its squeals as it grazed the tiles.

I was expecting another serious interrogation again. Instead, he pulled from the large pockets of his robe a small pistol and my phone. He gave me one of his fake smiles as he snapped open the gun, showing me the bullets in the magazines. Then he placed both the phone and the gun on the table before me.

My eyes darted from the table fast to the grin that filled his lips, my heart thumping against the walls of my chest. “What is this supposed to mean? Why do you have my phone?” I demanded, masking the chaos in me with false anger. Had he found out about me?

He reclined into his seat. His lips stretching to enrich his grin. “I have done my research on you, Allison. I always make it my business to do so for anyone that works in my clubs. And with what I found, I am not surprised you came at me with such a clever trick as you did yesterday.” He sighed. “But to avoid more trouble between myself and the law, I would give you a chance to escape.” He gestured to the gun with a slight nudge of his eye. “This is loaded with ten bullets, enough to help you escape from here. So I will count to five, Allison. Which gives you five seconds to pick up the gun and run. Any later, and it would be your brains on the floor.” He said.

My chin trembled as I spoke, eyes darting to the gun and him. “What the hell is this? Why are you doing this to me?”

Had he truly found out who I was? How did he? My team was supposed to cover all tracks?

He just smiled as he counted, saying nothing else, but. “One…Two…”

My chest threatened to explode as my eyes kept darting from him to the gun. “Just what is this? What did you find out about me? This is wrong. I have done nothing wrong.” I rambled.

Still, he said nothing but smiled as he counted. “Three…Four…”

Well! I’ll be damned if I let him kill me. For all I know, he already knows who I was. Someone must have slipped up on my team and left a loose end untied.

I snatched the gun from the table, pointing it straight against his head. My fingers trembled on the trigger. “How did you find out about me?” I demanded.

I had expected he would be afraid with a gun pointed right at his head. He just grinned, brushing his thumb along his lips. “I didn't find out anything about you, Allison. You just told me who you are now.”

Fuck. I gritted my teeth so hard, my jaw was on fire, aching badly. The bastard had fooled me. This was all some crazy test, and I have fucking failed.

I concentrated on the positive. Well, at least I have the gun. It would be a waste to kill him without getting my answers. But I wasn't going to escape without killing him first.

“Goodbye, Luca Tonelli.” I said it to his face, and I pulled the trigger.

There was a sharp click that stung the stillness in the room, and then there was nothing.