Looking back over my shoulder, I try to take in one last fleeting gaze at my big sister. She’s beautiful. Just as I’d remembered. A perfect mix of our mother and father. I’m not so self-absorbed that I think we could be twins, but with our matching black hair and blue eyes, it’s obvious we’re related.
The visit my little sister, Rosana, and I had with her wasn’t long, but it’s clear to me that she misses us. It’s also clear to me that she’d had no clue where we’d been, or that our mother had vanished moments after she did, three years ago.
As the suited men usher me and Rosana past the rugged bikers, all dressed in jeans and leather, I wonder exactly how my sister, Bellarosa, fits in here. She’s obviously respected and well protected. She isn’t just here—she is one of them. She is somebody here.
I’m practically thrown into the back seat of the large black SUV that I arrived in, Rosana curls against my side immediately. She presses her face to my shoulder, her arms wrapping around my middle, holding me, attempting to practically become part of me.
It doesn’t surprise me. Rosana is young and innocent, not only in age but in spirit as well. It’s beautiful and I can’t deny that I’m a bit envious.
My sister and I were never awarded that luxury. Bellarosa was taken young from us, and I slipped into her spot as being the one in charge, growing up in a split second.
The passenger door opens, my body jerks from my thoughts as I watch a man slip into the passenger seat. I expect to recognize him as the one from earlier, instead of the man who sat there on the way, another has taken his place.
He’s almost an exact replica, dressed in a beautiful black suit, he has black as night cropped hair, a bit overly long on top but it works for him, his complexion olive much like the others and my own.
He’s a cliché just like the rest of them—all of them.
Clearing my throat, he slowly turns to look at me. His eyes are black, not just dark brown, but solid black. They are a bit unnerving, but still intriguing and dare I say, beautiful as the rest of his face.
My breath hitches at the sight of him. I’ve never seen a man so handsome before. He has dark hair that is a little too long on top, and the sides could use a cleanup, but it works for him. He also should have shaved his face about two weeks ago, but again, can’t be bothered.
“What happens now?” I ask softly.
He arches a brow, his lips twitching as his gaze roams over my torso then flicks back up to meet mine.
“Now you go back to your auntie and you act as though none of this has happened,” he says.
“How?”
He shrugs a shoulder, his tongue peeking out to taste his bottom lip. “Don’t know, cara, but if you don’t, then you’ll have a much bigger problem on your hands.”
Pressing my lips together, I lower my eyes to my lap. The man chuckles and I immediately flick my gaze up to meet his. He’s smirking at me, his eyes search mine for a moment before he shakes his head once.
“Just be a good girl, yeah?”
Licking my lips, I tilt my head to the side. “What happens if I’m not… good, that is?” I ask.
He smirks and leans over the seat. I hold my breath, waiting to see what he’ll say. No doubt, judging by the gleam in his eyes, it’s going to be something wicked.
I can’t even pretend that I don’t want to hear what he has to say. I have a feeling he’s got a lot of naughty thoughts rolling around in his handsome head.
The driver’s side door opens and his words are cut short. My breath hitches as the man in charge, the Boss, sinks down in the driver’s seat.
Pressing my lips together, my body instantly jerks and a shiver rolls throughout my entire being. I don’t know him well, but the Boss being here, it’s unnerving.
Gavino Santoro is definitely not as scary as the boss before him, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not scared shitless of him, I am. Not just of the man himself, but also of his position and power. He’s terrifying, the power that he holds is just as terrifying.
Everything about him, about all of these men and their capabilities, scare me.