Taken_ A Dark Mafia Romance - Piper Stone Page 0,24

a strong woman, feisty in every regard, refusing to accept what was happening to her, even though I could see her mind processing the events that had already occurred.

“I should have known you were a part of this the moment you stepped into that greenhouse. What were you doing, casing me?” she hissed, tossing me a nasty look.

She was all fire and brimstone, a woman to be reckoned with. “Whether or not you believe me, Winter, I didn’t know who you were earlier.”

“Uh-huh. Tell me another line of crap. This entire situation was set up months, years ago and no one told me. Why you?”

“The luck of fate,” I said in passing. The less she knew the better. “You act as if you were never told about the Box. Is that the truth?”

Sighing, she toyed with her dress. “I knew of the cult-like tradition, but my parents never indicated that it was a requirement, at least not for me.” She laughed softly, pressing her hand against her mouth. “Just another lie swirling in a sea of them told so I wouldn’t run away from my plastic life permanently.”

I remained quiet, my balls tightening from the scent of her perfume. The taste of her from before lingered in my mouth, creating a ravenous thirst. I envisioned her naked body stretched out and waiting. I wanted her hands bound, her lovely mouth open and ready to suck my cock.

Christ. I’d already acted like some Neanderthal. I wasn’t that kind of man. At least I hadn’t been months before. I was riled that her parents hadn’t prepared her. That would certainly have prevented the round of embarrassment in front of far too many outsiders. I knew Christian was likely doing damage control. I could only pray his gamble in allowing them to attend wouldn’t backfire.

“What the hell is going to happen now?” she finally asked through clenched teeth.

“My guess is the evening will continue as planned.” I studied the rearview mirror, still surprised additional ‘help’ hadn’t been sent in order to find her. Although Christian knew me well enough to realize I wouldn’t be able to let her go. I bit back a chuckle at the thought. The entire thing had been planned for some time.

I could feel her hard gaze as her head turned slowly. “You guess? You really expect me to believe that bullshit?”

“What does that mean?”

She shifted in the seat, chuckling under her breath. “Do you really think I’m that naïve, Matteo? While I haven’t lived here in years, and refused to visit under almost any circumstance, the name Capodanno is saturated with power as well as danger, you and your brother’s control over the entire community more like a monarchy.”

I gave her a curious look, realizing the woman had a thick backbone. She’d paid enough attention to form her own opinions even through her bitterness. “Interesting.”

“I do read the papers and yes, several stories reached Florida,” she quipped. “With that being said, do you honestly want me to buy that you of all people have no idea about every step the Sacred Sect expects to be taken? You’re part of this. Your entire family is. Christian was certainly enjoying his role earlier. Taking over where Father McGivney left off? Funny how I don’t see either one of you as the religious type. Wait. I almost forgot. The sect is more like a cult.” She laughed as she rolled her eyes.

Her words were biting, meant to rile me, yet I refused to take the bait.

“What do you think you really know about the Sacred Sect, Winter? The crap reported in the newspapers was all lies. A smart lady like you knows that. However, you were required as a child to be told of the rules and regulations.”

“Rules. Regulations. This was supposed to be a happy little homeowners’ association, not a horror movie. And I seriously doubt that the words spewed about the secrets hidden in the dark crevices of the sect were all lies.”

“People are thriving in our community. They value their way of life and will do anything to protect it,” I retorted. Maybe I had been drinking too much of the Kool-Aid that Christian had accused me of months before. Sadly, I wasn’t telling a lie.

“Including murder?”

Laughing, I slowly tipped my head in her direction. “You’ve been reading too many novels. I will ask you again. What do you believe you understand about the sect?”

“Enough to realize I want nothing part of this life. Seeing what my mother