Page 4 of The Mobster’s Prize

So much for a fucking vacation. I should’ve left the country. He couldn’t have strapped me with the girl if I was on a plane to Greece right now.

CHAPTER 3

Xandra

The stall door slides open again, and Fancy Suit is back. It’s obvious he’s here for me, but I expected someone older. Like one of my father’s goons. Bigger around the middle. Greasy hair. Thick gold chains around his neck. Not someone so refined.

Or so good looking.

This guy is more GQ than thug. Though he holds the same dark, angry stare as my dad’s men.

“It’s time to go,” he barks. “You’re coming with me.”

I’m not going anywhere with anyone.

He comes forward, reaching for my arm, and I buck away, doing what I can to fight him off. A feat that’s impossible with tied hands. I lose my balance and go toppling backwards, landing right in a pile of hay, wedged up against a wall.

Awesome.

“Did you really think you stood a chance?” he growls, looming over me.

He crouches down, plucking a strand of hay from my hair, holding it between his fingers.

“You have two choices, Alexandra. Cooperate and we can do this the easy way, or I’ll pick your ass up and force you into my truck. What will it be?”

I glance past him at the several armed men standing by the door. There’s only one of me.

Begrudgingly, I don’t think I have a choice. Cooperation may be my only key to survival. I shift onto my knees, immediately losing my balance and falling straight into his hard frame. His arms shoot out to steady me, a growl rumbling from his chest. And unfortunately, I get a very good feel of the muscles hiding beneath that expensive suit.

The guy is solid.

Dangerously solid.

And he’s ridiculously handsome from this vantage point.

“Damn, you stink.” He wrinkles his nose in disgust, trying to hold his head away.

That’s because I’ve been locked up with these horses all day. Two big men dragged me from my bed in the middle of the night, shoved me into the back of a horse trailer, and drove me to the middle of nowhere. I don’t even know what they want with me. But I’m one-hundred percent positive it has to do with my father. Luigi Santone has spent his entire life pissing off the wrong people. Looks like it’s finally caught up to him.

I thought that by moving away from the man I could escape his life, but somehow, he’s managed to drag me into his mess again.

He grabs my arm, yanking me up and pulling me out of the barn. All the men are staring at me. There are more of them now. Too many glaring in my direction. We come to a stop in front of a lifted black truck with blacked-out windows, and his hand moves in to remove the tape from my mouth, but the old cowboy stops him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Fancy Suit glances at him.

Then back at me.

I don’t know what he thinks I’m going to do. Scream? There’s nothing but grass and dirt for as far as my eyes can see. I think Fancy Suit has come to the same conclusion because he removes the tape anyway. Ripping a screech from my throat as the glue tears across my skin.

“Ouch! Really?” I touch my lips, making sure they’re still there. “Did you have to pull so hard?” The burn runs across my upper lip like a strip of fire.

“They say it’s better to rip off the Band-Aid fast.” He tosses the tape aside. “Look on the bright side; now you don’t need to wax that upper lip.”

My upper lip was not hairy. But I’m sure it’s missing the top layer of skin now.

“Did anyone ever tell you you’re an asshole?”