Falling for the Villain - M. Robinson Page 0,1

only to hear the keys of a piano go off.

Did they put me on a piano?

I couldn’t scream.

I could barely move.

Who?

What?

Where?

I wondered briefly as pain slammed into my chest—was this how I was going to die? Sitting at a piano? My favorite thing to do in all the world.

My thoughts went back to the last conversation I had with my brother, Romeo. I’d been begging him to let me do my part in the family business for ages. He’d finally talked to my father, one of the main captains for the organized crime Sinacore family. All the ‘men’ decided I was too young, too inexperienced—too innocent.

I was naive.

A young woman.

A child in their eyes.

Though let’s be honest—I’d practically breathed mafia life since the day I was born, but those weren’t the reasons that really got to me.

“She’s too pretty.”

Like they were concerned some psychopath was going to carve out his name in my cheek, leaving me marked forever.

Tainted.

Broken.

Were they right?

I struggled again against the ropes.

Romeo must be so worried.

Behind the blindfold, I squeezed my eyes shut. I wouldn’t cry. I couldn’t give them the satisfaction. I’d just save up all those tears for later once I was rescued because I would be rescued; half of Seattle’s most powerful men were more than likely already out looking for me.

Which begged the next plaguing question: who would have the balls to take me?

Tears streamed down my face.

More silence.

It was driving me crazy, the fucking quiet.

Maybe that was their point.

I’d either been taken by someone who saw an opportunity and went for it or by someone more devious. That thought alone sent shivers coursing down my spine and to the pit of my stomach.

Until I finally heard a deep voice order, “Play for me, Juliet.”

How did he know I could play?

Hearing his voice did something to me, and I instantly started to fight against everything, especially the voice that was a few feet away from me. I must have been quite the pitiful sight, and I wasn’t going to get loose unless he untied me; however, that wasn’t going to stop me from trying.

“If you keep squirming like that, you’ll only make yourself bleed, and I’m already not happy that my men split your temple. It would be in your best interest to not hurt yourself. I already killed two people today because they didn’t follow my orders.”

I fought the urge to hurl.

My stomach sank further when I realized how hopeless I truly was.

“I’m going to remove your blindfold and the tape over your mouth, but I need you to stay very still. I don’t want to hurt you yet, but don’t for one second think that I won’t.”

Yet?

The blindfold was pulled loose, and for a brief instant, I would have rather not known the man behind the crippling voice.

The room’s dim lighting made it harder to see, and I wondered if he did that for me. Before I could continue with my mindless thoughts, the tape was crudely stripped from my mouth, and I screamed out in agony. All the illusions of this possibly being a dream became a nightmare within seconds.

“What do you say?” he rasped as I desperately tried to focus on the voice in front of me and not the stinging across my mouth.

How long have I been here that my eyes can’t adjust that quickly?

“I didn’t ask for questions, Juliet.”

Did I say that out loud?

“Now, what do you say?”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to see the man hidden in the shadows. I couldn’t see his face even though he was only standing a few feet away from me, but I knew even if I did get free, I wouldn’t make it past him.

Running on pure adrenaline alone, I asked, “Who are you?”

The last word barely left my mouth when he tightly gripped my face and squeezed so hard I instantly whimpered out in pain.

“What. Do. You. Say?”

A muffled “Thank you” escaped from the dryness in my mouth.

“Good girl,” he praised, instantly letting me go and allowing the blood to rush back to my cheeks. “I know you’re scared,” he added softly, his tone effortlessly altering to a calm voice. “All you have to do is be obedient, and no harm will ever come to you. If you don’t listen to me, I’ll be forced to punish you. The choice is yours. It’s really quite simple, Juliet. Is that understood?”

My mind was working a million miles a minute.

“I really don’t like waiting. I’m not a patient man, and you’re