Allison’s POV

We moved into the luxury soundproof cabin. Yet, I was more uncomfortable under the plush seats than I was on the one outside. He handed me a script, smiled, and leaned back into his seat, watching me closely as I lied to Special Agent James Parlor.

According to the script, I told agent James Parlor I was safe and that the mission was going as planned and that I would be contacting him soon. When he asked where I was, according to the script, I told him I was outside the country with Luca Tonelli, and we were both lounging in some Brazilian beach resort.

Special Agent James Parlor sounded disgruntled about the new arrangements. I had to improvise, convincing him, damning myself further. Destroying my chances of a rescue.

The call ended, and I threw the phone back to Luca Tonelli. I swept him hard with my short lashes. “What now?” I demanded, my tone scathing. He caught the phone in the air, and he gave me a warm grin. “We returned home, Allison.” He said, and proceeded to slap the helicopter's body repeatedly.

I don't know how the pilot got the signal, but the helicopter began to shift, throwing us a little sideways, and steering back for the island.

“The island isn't my home.” I retorted, a little defiant.

“It is your home now, Allison. Because now, you are mine. You belong to me.”

“Do you know this is worse than being a Mafia Don and drug dealer? This is a worse federal offense. This is kidnapping.” I yelled, and I instantly rebuked myself for speaking, because I sounded scared. My voice was strangled.

“I have done worse, Miss Allison.” He grinned, then he nudged his chin at the blindfold. “You have to put that on again.” 

I stared at the blindfold in my hands for a moment and then at his face. He nudged his eyes to me again, encouraging me to put it on. I grunted through gritted teeth, my fingers still shivering as I lifted the blindfold to my eyes.

The rest of the journey continued in silence for almost an hour, or maybe longer or less. I couldn't say. The rampage my heart was running beneath my chest made it even harder to make sense of the time.

Eventually, I felt the helicopter descending. Then his smooth voice split the silence in the cabin. “You can take off your blindfold now.” He said. The helicopter landed, and just as I was trying to get my eyes accustomed to the light around, he snatched my hand, leading me out of the cabin with it.

Around us, the helicopter's rotors were whirring down to stillness, and I covered my eyes with my hand, shielding my eyes from the sun. He led me like that into the mansion and up the stairs.

He was steering me towards the door to the room I had slept in when I snatched my hand from him. I stood back in the hallway, looking up at him. “Why did you make me lie to my superior? Why do all that? What do you want with me?” I yelled, tired of all the mind games. I was already starting to go mad in my own head, trying to work out whatever his big plan was.

He whirled slowly to me, brushing his thumb on his lips, though he didn't grin now. “You will soon find out, Miss Allison. Just be patient,” he said.

“I can't,” I snapped. “Tell me just what you want from me. Is it some FBI secrets or the evidence we have on you? Just what the hell do you…”

He shot forward then, and his arm claimed my waist while simultaneously pressing his other palm on my mouth, silencing me, my words coming out as a low muffle.

His deep blue eyes darkened, a little stern. “I told you, Miss Allison.” He whispered, breathing the words on my face, as he pressed my body tight to his. I felt every bit of the warmth of his bigger body. “I might be the Don, but even I have some things I can't do. I can't save your life if my men find out that you are a spy. Because not killing you then would make me look weak, and the last thing I want to look is weak before my men. So let's help ourselves, alright? I help you, and you help me. Do you understand?” He lifted his brow in a gesture that hinted he demanded an answer.

For reasons I couldn't understand, I felt a hot rush of heat bubbling up from the rungs of my belly to the rest of my body as his warm touch lingered around me. I swallowed, forcing back the heat to whence it came.

And though my chest still burned with questions, all ravaging my mind, turning me slowly insane, my wild heart slamming against my chest again, I nodded my head gently. I had no other options, did I? I was at his fucking mercy.

“Good, then. Miss Allison.” He said, then another half-baked smile. “Stay in. Someone would bring you your breakfast and lunch.” Another half-baked smile, and he pushed the door and threw me in.

He smiled again, and the door shut with a loud thud on my face. Then reports of his retreating footsteps echoed beyond the door.

I stared at the door. I noticed I didn't hear a sharp click that would have suggested he locked the door from the outside. I waited until I heard nothing of his footsteps, and I grabbed the doorknob. The cold steel felt colder against my palm as I pulled it, my fingers shaking around it.

Surprisingly, it opened. I suppressed the gasp building up in my lungs. He really hadn't locked me in. I stared dazed at the empty hallway, my eyes lingering into space. I had never been more confused in my life. Escaping might not be a really good idea with the island crawling with guards and the possibility of a boat not being in the dock.

The helicopter would have been my safest way out, but I don't know how to ride it, and there was nothing I could threaten the guard riding it with to make him fly me away.

I ground my teeth so hard my whole jaw and face ached, and I shoved my fingers into my hair, nearly scattering the tight bun I had bound them in.

I wished I knew what his plan was for me. Then I would know how long he plans to keep me alive and how to work out my escape. The mystery of his plan held my fucking existence at a classic suspense. For the first time in my life, I had no idea what I should do. After what he had made me do on the helicopter, I was my only hope out of here. And I either take the risk of escaping now or never.

Perhaps I should do it now. I grabbed the doorknob tighter. I should take the damn risk now. Who knows? I tilted my head to the side, muttering to myself, I might just be lucky.

I took off my shoes, a pair of sneakers someone had worn for me, and I pulled the door. Carefully, I walked down the stairs, on the balls of my feet, my footsteps as quiet as silence, my eyes darting fast everywhere, making sure I could spot a guard before I was spotted by one.

I climbed fast down the stairs, my bare feet barely scratching the tiles. I leaned onto the wall and peered into the living room, my eyes darting fast and quick around the massive space, doing a fast visual sweep to make sure it was empty.

I scurried fast for the door then. I was running into the field as fast as I could when I suddenly braked to a halt, my breath caught for a moment, my lungs squeezing themselves out.

Beyond me to the trees, figures in black suits crawled out of the forest beyond the field at the sight of me, all big and burly with shoulders like a barn’s door and faces carved out of statues. They either cradled a rifle or wore guns on their belts.