When we arrived back at the house, I put the food away and decided to forget about doing any work. Georgio could wait. I wanted to take an afternoon for me. I changed into my bikini and headed down to the pool. I spent the afternoon floating on the air mattress and reading one of my favorite books. I was completely swept away as the love story took over my mind. I was so absorbed in the characters, it took me a moment to hear the voices.
Using my hand as a paddle, I made my way over to the side and eased out of the pool. The tiles were hot, and I was thankful I’d packed my sandals and a silk robe and not something heavier.
I was curious to hear how Mariano’s day went, and I wanted to tell him I had bought ingredients to make us a dinner, perhaps for tomorrow night. Cooking was fun for me, and over the years it served as a stress reliever. Wyatt and I had taken cooking classes together, and we became quite good. Besides, I thought it might be a nice gesture since I was staying here for free.
I heard the voices and followed the sound down a long hallway. They became louder as I entered the library, and I came to a halt and took in the three men yelling at Mariano.
“His body was dug up! What were they looking for?” one man yelled.
Body?
I covered my mouth with my hands when they all turned at once, and I froze as they stared at me.
“I’m sorry.” What was happening here?
The man closest to me whirled around and pointed a gun to my forehead.
I screamed and tried to back up.
Oh, my God!My gaze jumped to Mariano for help.
“Stop moving, Sienna,” he ordered and looked at the man with the gun.
“How important is she to you?” The man’s voice was menacing.
“Come on,” Mariano laughed and eased himself onto a desk, “are we really doing this right now?”
“Mariano?” I felt like I was rooted to the floor or stuck in some nightmare. How was he so calm when all it would take to kill me was a flex of a tiny muscle.
Mariano sipped his drink like this happened every day. “Move the gun away.”
My panic took over, and I went to run, but the man with the gun lunged forward and wrapped his arm around my bare waist and pressed the hard steel to my temple.
My blood was like ice, and my heart pounded in fear.
“What were they looking for on my brother’s body?” The gun twitched as he spoke. “He was never a part of this!”
“I don’t know.” Mariano held his hands up. “Let’s just all relax and have a drink.”
“A drink?” The guy who was holding me laughed and smelled my hair like a snake taking in its prey. “I say let’s play with her instead.” His free hand started to move down my stomach.
“Don’t touch me.” My skin crawled under his touch.
“What did you say, pretty young thing?”
“I will chop off your sorry excuse of a penis and jam it down the barrel of your gun.” I tried to keep the fear from my voice.
The man laughed as I wiggled in his hold.
“It wouldn’t fit,” he whispered into my hair, and I wanted to vomit.
“That’s not what your sister said last night!”
His buddy smirked while I clamped my mouth shut in fear more garbage was going to fly out. Damn Wyatt for making me binge watch all those American movies.
The click of the hammer echoed in my ears as it was pulled back, and I knew it was time. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the tiny bullet to wedge inside my skull, ending my hell of a journey in this life.
Suddenly, I was spun around and into a different pair of arms. It took me a half a second to know exactly who it was.
“Whatever the hell this is, it ends now,” Elio barked over my head while he held me protectively close to his chest. I saw that he held a much scarier looking gun in his free hand. “Get out.”
“Elio.” The man who had held the gun to my head spoke up with his hands in the air. “You need to control your friend.” He nodded at Mariano. “He’s stepping on dangerous territory by digging up my brother.”
“I won’t ask twice,” Elio snarled as the guys stared at Mariano for a beat longer.
“We know your face, and we know your name, little lady,” the creep said directly to me. “Let the games begin.”