MAXIMO

My Red.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since last night. She seemed so innocent...until our lips met. With her American accent and that damn optimism, she had no idea what she'd just gotten herself into by coming here.

But something about her kept gnawing at me. A nagging feeling I couldn't shake. She looked... familiar.

I knew I hadn't seen her before. I never forget faces, and it's impossible to forget a face as perfect as hers. So why did I feel like I had? Why did just looking at her stir something dark and unsettled in the back of my mind? Why did it feel like my brain was trying to tell me something I needed to know, but my eyes and body weren't paying attention?

A guttural scream snapped me back to reality.

I glanced over just as Luca snipped off the tip of Marco's finger. His pathetic pleading filled the room, his cries bouncing off the damp concrete walls of his cell. It was almost pitiful. A former gang lord, now reduced to nothing in my custody.

That's what happens when you mess with me.

"Are you ready to talk now?" I asked over his screams.

Marco sobbed, shaking his head. "Go f*ck yourself, Scar!"

I smirked despite the slow-burning anger curling in my gut. Marco was resilient. I had to give him that. Too bad he was only making his suffering more entertaining.

"Guess I'll have to leave you to Luca's mercy then," I said, stretching lazily. "Your screams used to excite me, but now? Now, they just irritate me."

"Then kill me already!" he shouted.

At that exact moment, Luca snipped off another fingertip. Marco's body convulsed as his tortured groans echoed through the room.

I hummed, tilting my head. "Now, where's the fun in that?"

Tears streaked his bloody face. "I can't take this anymore. Please, just kill me."

I walked toward him, crouching down so we were face to face. "You won't die until I get what I want," I murmured. "Until then, you'll continue to be tortured until your body physically cannot take it anymore. But you won't just die peacefully. I'll make sure your death is slow and painful."

I let the words sink in before continuing in a calm, measured voice.

"And it won't end there. Your remains will be cut up into tiny little pieces, packaged into perfect little boxes, and shipped to your family in Monza. Tell me, Marco, will it be your daughter who opens the package? You know how kids love opening packages."

A strangled sob tore from his throat. "Please. Not my wife. Not my kid..."

I sneered. "Oh, don't worry. I won't kill them." I let my smirk widen. "But by the time I'm done with them, they'll wish I had."

His breathing turned ragged.

"They have nothing to do with this," he choked out.

I let out a dark chuckle. "You're right. They don't. This is your fault. You had the f*cking nerve to trespass into my territory. To attack my shipment. And now you expect mercy?"

He was silent, chest heaving.

"You should do the right thing, Marco. Give me the information I need. Or your innocent family will pay the price."

A beat passed.

"There's a rat among your men," he whispered hoarsely, finally looking me in the eye.

The air in the room turned heavy.

My jaw tightened as I reached for the revolver tucked in my waistband, pressing the cold metal against his forehead.

"Who is it?" I snarled.

He whimpered. "I-I don't know. But if you give me time, I'll find out-"

I cocked the gun.

"You think I'm stupid?" My voice dropped to a growl. "You think I'd ever trust you?"

His entire body shook as he cried, and his pathetic tears only managed to make me even angrier. 

"Please, Scar. I swear, I'll find whoever the rat is. Just let me redeem myself-"

"You're irredeemable," I spat.

"I'll do anything to keep my family safe," he sobbed. "Please let me do this."

I leaned back and pretended to consider it. Then, I smirked.

"Fine. I'll give you twenty-four hours."

Marco's breath hitched in relief.

"Find this rat. Bring them to me. Fail, and you can start digging graves for your whole family, before I make you join them."

ARIA

I paced the entire length of the hotel room, phone pressed to my ear as I called the number from the Milan housing website. My heart pounded as I prayed that the person on the other end spoke English.

After seeing the money Maximo left me, and the text from my stepfather, I knew I had to find a place to stay. I couldn't keep living out of a hotel.

I glanced at the stack of cash on the nightstand, heat creeping up my neck as memories of last night flashed through my mind. I'd practically begged Maximo for money, then ended up in his bed the same night.

God. The thought mortified me.

But the soreness between my legs reminded me of how good he felt.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus.

I needed to find a permanent place. Somewhere hidden. Somewhere safe. I was a fugitive in my own home, just like my mother's family.

A lump formed in my throat as I thought of them. Their rejection. Their cold, indifferent stares.

I was completely alone.

'Wait for me.' 

Maximo's words from the letter came back to my mind. I wasn't alone, which was crazy because I didn't even know who he really was. If he wanted me to wait for him, why did he leave me a ridiculous amount of money I was scared to count? What would happen next after he got back?

A hoarse voice crackled through the phone, pulling me from my thoughts. "Hello?"

The accent was thick, the tone gruff like it belonged to an old woman.

"Hi, I got your number from a website," I said, nervously rubbing my palms against my jeans.

"You want house?" she asked bluntly.

I exhaled in relief at the fact that she could at least communicate in English. "Yes."

"I send you address. You come see for yourself. Then you pay."

"Okay. Thank-"

Beep. 

She ended the call. 

I scoffed at her rudeness, but sure enough, a message with an address popped up on my screen. Without hesitation, I booked an Uber, then threw on a hoodie over my t-shirt and jeans. As I tied my shoelaces, another notification appeared. My driver was nearby.

Grabbing the wads of cash, I tucked them neatly into my purse and headed outside the hotel building. The day was bright and the sun was glaring harshly against the earth. It was almost too hot to be wearing a damn hoodie.

As I stepped onto the sidewalk, I spotted a black Honda Civic across the road that matched my driver's description.

I pulled my hoodie up, keeping my head down as I walked toward the car. But then-

A familiar feeling snaked its way up my spine, like a prickle of unease at the back of my neck.

Someone was following me.

Panic surged through my veins. I picked up my pace and rushed towards the car, my fingers itching to yank the car door open. But before I could, a strong hand clamped down on my arm.

I gasped, twisting and thrashing against the grip. The man let out a frustrated breath.

"Vai a dormire," he growled.

A white handkerchief pressed against my nose, and a sharp, pungent scent filled my lungs. My struggles weakened. My limbs turned to jelly.

No. No, no, no.

My knees buckled as my body collapsed into his arms. Through my blurring vision, I saw black dress shoes step into my line of sight. Then came the sickening crack of metal striking flesh, a pained grunt from the man who held me, and suddenly, we were both falling... and falling-

And then, everything went dark.

ARIA

I woke up to the feeling of a cold and hard surface beneath me.  A shiver wracked through my body, and I tried to wrap my arms around myself, but the sharp clank of metal stopped me. My brows furrowed as I pulled again, only to hear the heavy rattle of chains. My eyes fluttered open, taking in the dimly lit, unfamiliar room. It was nearly empty, except for the chair in the center and the chains binding me to the floor.

With effort, I pushed myself into a sitting position, my head pounding, my stomach churning. I glanced down at my hands and feet to see that I was chained to the floor. 

My heart beat accelerated as confusion clouded my head. I shivered again as my teeth chattered. That was when my memory started to come back to me. The harsh grip. The handkerchief over my nose. The dress shoes stepping into view before everything went black.

A deep groan pulled my attention to the side. Another man was chained to the ground beside me. My breath caught as my gaze traveled to his hands-the same hands that had covered my mouth.

Before I could react, a familiar voice sent a chill down my spine.

"She's finally awake."

My stomach twisted painfully. My heart stopped.

I turned my head slowly, and there he was-my stepfather. 

He was in Italy? How did he know where I was? How could he come here so quickly? I thought I'd injured him pretty badly, but it seemed nothing could fully stop him. 

He stepped further into the room, his movements calm, assured, like a predator circling its wounded prey. 

"I told you I would find you," he drawled, a smirk tugging at his lips.

My throat tightened. "How did you find me?" I spat, glaring at him. A sliver of satisfaction filled me when I saw the bandage wrapped around his head.

He pulled a gun from his waistband and rested it on his lap, tapping the barrel against his knee.

"You underestimate me, Aria," he said smugly.

A shiver ran down my spine. I was going to die here. My stepfather had always been cruel, but this was different. This was calculated. I looked around me and saw that two of his men were already positioned behind me. The heavy weight on my limbs reminded me that I had no chance of escaping. My eyes slowly crept back to his face. His face glowered in the dark room, but I saw a hint of mocking humor in his eyes.

"You can't escape," he added casually, as if he were commenting on the weather.

My breath hitched in my throat as I stared at the man I once called my father. I stared at the man that I once adored.

I gulped as the realization hit me. The money he had, the connections, his violent nature, the way my mother seemed to fear him...

Did he have any relations with the Mafia? Why would my mother marry a made man after running away from the same people? It didn't make any sense. My stepfather was a businessman in America. He owned a legitimate company.

"You used to be such a nice guy," I whispered, the words bitter on my tongue. "You used to be the best father..."

His expression darkened. "I am not your father!" he bellowed.

"I know," I shot back. "My mother would never have had a child with a man like you."

The realization hit me, just as his hand struck my face before I could brace for it. My head slammed against the cold ground as white-hot pain exploded behind my eyes.

But I couldn't focus on the pain. All I could hear were Evita's words echoed in my head as the puzzle pieces clicked into place.

"My mother was wanted, so she ran to you for safety," I rasped, pushing myself back up.

A cruel smile twisted his lips. "I see you've done some research."

"What did you do to make her stay?" I demanded. I knew my mother wouldn't willingly run to someone who had ties with the mafia-the same people who killed my father.

His eyes glinted with amusement. "I saw her in America and recognized her. I knew she was running. So..."

"You forced her to marry you," I hissed, fury bubbling inside me.

He shrugged. "It was either that or being handed over to the Don. She chose the best option."

Fresh tears burned my eyes.

"But I loved her," he continued, his voice rising. "I married her, even though she had a child with another man, even though she would never give me a child of my own. I loved her!"

His voice turned twisted as he continued. "But nothing I ever did was enough. I took care of you like you were my blood. I took care of us as a family. And yet, she was stealing my money and planning to run away again-with you."

"You told me she fell sick," I whispered in a wobbly voice. "She didn't fall sick, did she?"

His smirk sent ice through my veins.

"No. I killed her."

The words shattered something inside me.

"You're a monster!" I screamed.

His jaw clenched as he stepped forward and gripped my throat with both hands. My body jerked against the restraints, my lungs burning as he squeezed. My vision blurred at the edges and my eyes felt like they would pop out of their sockets. Just as I thought I would pass out, he released me with a shove.

I coughed, spluttered and gasped for air.

"Three bullets to the head," he mused, raising his gun. "That was how I killed her. And that's how I'll kill you."

A shaky gasp left my lips as he aimed the gun at my forehead. I squeezed my eyes shut as tears slid down my cheeks. This was it. This was my end.

Tears trickled down my chin, and my heart stopped as the deafening bang reverberated through the room. 

MAXIMO

A trail of smoke curled from my gun as the body crumpled to the ground.

The two men flanking him bolted, and my men chased after  them immediately.

I turned back to the woman chained to the floor-Aria.

Fear lingered in her wide eyes as she looked up at me, her body trembling. Anger bubbled up inside me as I saw the way she was chained to the ground like a dirty criminal. What the f*ck was she doing here, chained up like a f*cking criminal beside Marco of all people? She didn't belong in a place like this.

In a flash of rage, I pointed my gun at him.

"You better f*cking explain what's going on," I snarled.

Marco swallowed hard. "S-she's the rat," he stammered.

I stepped closer, my finger tightening on the trigger. "You should know better than to lie to my face."

"He's not entirely lying," Lorenzo interjected.

I snapped my head toward my brother. "What?"

Lorenzo took a step forward as his dark eyes scanned Aria's face with chilling precision. I watched the way she cowered under his scrutiny, and my body itched to get her off the floor, to get her to safety.

But first, I had to figure out what was going on.

Then, in Italian, Lorenzo said the words that made my blood run cold.

"She has an uncanny resemblance to him."

Silence thickened the air.

Lorenzo turned to me with a dark and grim expression on his face.

"She's the daughter of Emilio Alfonsi-the man who murdered our brother."

Rage clouded my vision as I turned to Aria whose lips were parted in silent horror and confusion. The fear in her eyes was no longer for her stepfather. It was for me.

"You were looking for a rat. I found one," Marco said almost gleefully.

He took a slow breath before adding, "After I saw her at the party, I knew there was something off about her. I had someone dig into her background. The long lost daughter of Emilio Alfonsi who just arrived in the city and is back for revenge. Her family was ruined because of the mafia. She's a spy, Maximo."

I turned back to Aria, my grip tightening around my gun.

Betrayal twisted inside me. I had slept with her. Let myself be pulled into her.

I wanted her. Craved her.

But all I could see now was the ghost of the man who took my brother's life.

In a fit of rage, I turned back to Marco and pulled the trigger. The bullet struck him between his hopeful eyes.

Aria's shocked gasp filled the room, drawing my attention to her. I no longer saw my Red. All I could see were different ways I was going to torture her before finally killing her, just like I killed her father.

ARIA

I couldn't stop the scream from leaving my mouth as the second man Maximo killed dropped to the floor. Everyone turned to look at me, but I could only look Maximo in the eye. His dark stare terrified me, and I no longer saw attraction or desire in it. Instead, I saw unadulterated rage and fury. In that moment, I wished I could understand what the other man told him to make him react this way.

This wasn't the man that saved me from being raped or the man that had touched me and looked at me with so much desire. The man who stood before me was a monster.

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?" I asked with venom in my voice.

He marched towards me, and I subconsciously cowered to protect myself. He got to where I was and crouched down to my level.

"You really got yourself into trouble, Red," he growled as his hand reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. His calloused fingers touched my cheek, and goosebumps rose on my skin. I shivered as I wondered how many people he had killed with those hands.

My skin crawled immediately as I moved away from him. He chuckled darkly before he gripped my chin roughly.

"Don't f*cking touch me," I hissed as I tried to get out of his grip.

My efforts were futile, as I was literally chained to the floor. His eyes hardened, and he brought his face closer to mine.

"I was just inside you yesterday," he said as a sick, twisted smile appeared on his lips. "You moaned my name, and now you don't want me touching you." His tone was mocking. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I wished I could kill him.

"You f*cking slept with her?" The same man from behind asked in anger. I assumed that was his brother because their resemblance was uncanny.

Maximo's jaws clenched as he stood up and turned to his brother.

"I clearly didn't know who she was," Maximo spat.

They had an intense staring battle before Maximo turned to his men, who were standing behind him.

"Unchain her," he ordered.

I watched as they searched my stepfather's dead body for the keys before coming over to work on the heavy metal that bound my limbs.

I still didn't know who he really was, but it was obvious he held so much power.

"Who the f*ck are you guys, and what do you want with me?" I screamed.

They all ignored me, and I wished I could punch them in the face.

Maximo walked up to me and dragged me by my arm. I winced as I stood weakly on my feet.

"Where are you taking me?" I screamed again.

I was terrified, and I knew he didn't have anything good in store for me. I had faced death so many times in my life that I wasn't scared anymore. Dying was definitely better than facing any kind of torture.

"Just kill me here."

"Stop talking," Maximo ordered harshly as his icy gray eyes came to meet mine.

"I don't even know who you really are. I–"

He gripped my chin again, this time a little rougher than before.

"Give me the duct tape," he growled to no one in particular, while still maintaining eye contact with me.

Without thinking, I raised my knee to hit him in the groin. I should have known that was a horrible idea, because he caught my knee with one hand and immediately had me against the floor.

I threw myself against his arm, and he easily pinned me down with his weight. Angry tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered how helpless I was.

"You shouldn't have f*cking done that," he tsked as he taped my mouth shut.

"Where are you taking her?" I heard his brother ask as he got up and carried me on his shoulder.

"She's mine to deal with."

My head spun as I bounced on his hard and muscular shoulder blade. I tried to protest, but I knew it was useless and would only cause me unnecessary pain.

I heard the sound of a door opening, and before I could realize it, I was thrown into a dark space. It took me a moment to realize I was in the trunk of his car-the same car we had sex in.

My breathing accelerated, and I began to sweat. The car started moving, and I felt like throwing up. I placed my tongue on the roof of my mouth as I tried to hold it back. Throwing up was definitely not a good idea in my situation, especially since I had duct tape over my mouth.

My breath became short, and my head spun as the car continued to move. At each bump or pothole, my body bounced and jostled, accelerating my disorientation and panic.

Slowly, the car came to a stop, and I heard the sound of the door being opened and closed. I squinted my eyes as the trunk was opened. Maximo roughly bundled me out of the dark space and onto his shoulders again. All my blood rushed to my head as it hung upside down against his body.

Fearful greetings met my ears as he walked into the house. From the flooring alone, I could tell that his house was a mansion. I bounced against his shoulder as he climbed the stairs. The sound of a door being unlocked filled my ears, and before I knew it, we had entered the room, and I was thrown roughly onto a soft bed.

I groaned as my eyes spun, while Maximo grabbed my arms and handcuffed them to the metal headboard of the bed.

Fury boiled inside me as he pinned me down on the bed with one knee and accessed my face.

"Scar!" His brother's voice boomed from outside the room.

They were going to discuss my death. My heart beat harshly against my ribcage as Maximo got up and left the room.

Harsh voices were heard from outside as they argued. My head spun, and I shut my eyes tightly as I tried to listen to bits of their conversation.

"Why are you keeping her?" His brother barked. "She needs to be killed immediately!"

"Even though you're my brother, you shouldn't forget that I'm still your Don. Never question my decisions!" Maximo growled.

My heartbeat stopped.

Maximo was a Don? A mafia don?

My father was killed by the mafia. My mother ran away and got into an abusive marriage, which eventually led to her death because of the mafia. I grew up with an abusive stepfather because of the mafia. My grandmother and aunt are still in hiding till this day because of the f*cking mafia!

My vision blurred as a seething rage bubbled up inside me. I zoned out and didn't get the rest of their conversation. My hands balled into fists as Maximo barged back into the room again. He headed for the bed and crouched beside me.

Suddenly, I felt sharp stinging sensations on my mouth and areas around it as he ripped the duct tape off my skin. Without thinking, I spat on his face. A little sense of satisfaction went through me as I watched the shock on his face. Calmly, he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face.

"You're going to regret doing that," he growled as his hand came around my throat.

His entire hand covered my neck, and I waited for the choking pain to come. He wasn't pressing hard enough, and I didn't like that.

"Is this the best you've got?" I spat as I looked him in the eyes.

"Just kill me now. Don't waste my time," I hissed.

He growled as he pressed my neck harder and used his body to pin me to the bed. I could feel the hard ridges of his body against me, and my mind flashed to the way his hands touched me in sinful places.

"You're so f*cking clueless," he seethed as he brought his face closer to mine.

His warm breath fanned my face, and my skin tingled with awareness. I looked into his eyes and saw the desire brimming within them.

"You don't know how every single thing you do turns me on," he murmured against my ear. My body flushed as electricity zinged through my veins.

"You don't realize how f*cking weak you make me." He sounded like he was angry with himself for feeling that way.

He quickly got away from my body, and I went cold from the lack of contact.

"You were a good f*ck," he spat, his voice suddenly turning cold. "And I would definitely love to f*ck you again before I finally kill you."

My breath hitched in my throat as he smirked darkly at me.

"And you're going to let me, because you want this as much as I do."