"I'm sure I look ridiculous!"
We land in Naples, and our chauffeur boards the plane with the things Ryder requested.
"You look beautiful." Ryder puts the lipstick in my grasp and then hands me a pair of black Gucci sunglasses.
I make my way to the bathroom and take a look at the wig on my head. Surprisingly, it actually looks pretty good! Natural almost. Blonde sort of suits me.
How Ryder can put the wig on me and know what to do, is beyond me.
I read the lipstick top—Chanel rouge coco. The shade is Ina. It's a gorgeous, hot pink color. One I'm sure my mom owns. Not my style, though. I put it on carefully and pucker my lips.
Putting on my sunglasses, I run my hand through my wig, examining myself in the mirror. Not bad, I think to myself.
Scary how I look like a completely different person!
I walk out of the bathroom and into an empty cabin. Where did everyone go?
I look out of the window and see that the flight attendant, another woman, and the chauffeur are loading tons of bags from one SUV to another.
I slowly exit the plane and walk down the stairs. It's a beautiful, windy day.
Ryder is talking to the unknown woman and does a double-take when he sees me.
I assume that the woman he is talking to is Missy. She's Indian with dark skin and almost as tall as Ryder. She looks very intimidating.
He smiles at me and waves for me to come to him.
"...good, once we're settled in, I'll contact you. We'll meet at the hotel and go over some things."
Missy nods at Ryder and, without a word, walks to one of the SUVs, driving off.
Ryder puts his arms around me and pulls me towards him. "You look beautiful." He kisses the side of my head.
I blush and look down.
"I have clothes for you, Sam," Ryder then says, walking me to the truck.
Oh?
"Is that what they were loading into the truck? All those clothes? For me?"
"Yeah! I don't know what you like. I've seen the things you wear. Freddie picked everything you wear now. He coordinated with Missy."
"Babe, I don't need so much. We are here for a week. Ten bags are excessive. Don't you think?"
His smile fades. "I know. I also bought you some other stuff and everything from the house. I meant what I said. I want you to go back home when we leave here. You need to be with your loved ones. We're going straight to California once I finish here."
I look around in confusion and annoyance. Did he not want me around?! Did I not tell him I didn't want to go back yet?!
"Yes, but that's not your decision to make!"
The Flight attendant hands Ryder paperwork, which he quickly signs and hands back to her.
"It is! I'm returning you to your family," Ryder says slowly. He also gives me a look to show his words are final.
My heart sinks.
I ignore him the entire ride to the hotel. After the conversation we just had, he should've just taken me home right then and there. Not wasting any time here in Naples.
Ryder turns to me and asks me something, but I pay him no attention. I am starting to fall for my would-be assassin, and he is ready to dump me back to my parents. Back to my old life! One that will never be the same again.
"Why are you ignoring me?" Ryder asks.
I adjust my sunglasses and continue looking out of the window.
"Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"
As if he didn't know! Just like a man to not know what he said or did to offend a woman.
I look over at him. "No, I'm fine."
Turning my head the other way, I go back to looking out of the window. I do feel his gaze on me, and I don't care. I am so angry at him!
I try to copy his inhumane calm look but fail miserably. I'm glad he can't see my facial expression. It would've been a dead give away that I am hurt and upset.
Ryder reaches over to touch my face. I don't move at all. I am ready to give everything up for him, and I'm sure he doesn't even care for me. He's probably excited to take me home. What the hell is wrong with me?!
We pull up to the hotel a few minutes later.
Decumani Hotel de Charme.
The chauffeur opens the door for me. If it isn't for the fact that I have to wait for Ryder, I would've walked into the building by myself.
Ryder puts his arm around my hip, but I push his hand away and cross my arms. I don't bother to look and see his reaction. I walk up the steps to the waiting doorman.
He opens the door for us.
I remove my glasses as my mouth falls. The hotel's lobby is actually stunning and elegant. It has an old-world charm to it—something from the eighteen hundreds.
"Ah, Mr. Forñay! Welcome back!" With a thick Italian accent, a very young man walks up to us and shakes Ryder's hand.
"Nice to see you again, Jacques! I trust everything is in order." Ryder removes his sunglasses.
"Of course, sir! And is this Ms. Bennington? What a beauty! May I?" Jacques grabs my hand.
I look over at Ryder, who looks boiling mad but then covers it with an unemotional look. Is he jealous? I smile.
"Of course," I tell Jacques. He bends over and kisses my hand. Once he lets go, he snaps his fingers and orders the bellman to get our things from the car.
"Everything will be sent up immediately, Mr. Forñay! And as always, please enjoy your stay. Ms. Bennington..." Jacques looks at me and winks.
Once we reach our room, I freeze right before walking in. The person in the room across the hall has their door wide open and the television on.
My picture is plastered on it.
My heart breaks that I am in another country with my kidnapper, and I haven't even bothered to call my parents. What kind of daughter am I? I turn and walk into our room, sadness weighing heavily in my heart.
The room is just as beautiful as the lobby. The first thing that catches my attention is the open, double doors to the balcony.
It shows the promise of a breathtaking view! I am about to walk over to it when Ryder yanks me toward him. Hard!
He removes my sunglasses and throws it onto the sofa. Then he pulls off my wig and does the same. I try to move away, but he pulls me towards him again.
With the sleeve of his jacket, he removes the lipstick from my lips. He then kissers me forcibly.
I try to fight him off!
This isn't what I want right now! Especially when he doesn't want to be with me. In fact, I hate him!
He runs his fingers down my neck, giving me goosebumps. I really want to kiss him back but not like this. This isn't fair! Here I am, wanting to give him everything, and he wants to send me away—tears pool in my eyes.
Ryder's hunger for me stops when he feels me go limp in his arms. Then he kisses my cheeks, my forehead, and then my lips again.
"I had to do that," he says while his lips are still on mine.
He then moves his face away and runs his finger down my cheek and neck. "Seeing another man's lips on you infuriates me."
I chuckle wryly. He looks at me, surprised.
"What?" He asks.
I cross my arms over my chest and take a step back. "Jealous of a hand kiss? How is that even possible when you are so ready to take me home and leave me? Forever."
"It's not like that." He walks up to me, causing me to move back again. Ryder pauses.
"No?! What's it like then? Explain it to me," I bite back, a smile forming on my lips. He is driving me insane!
"I saw the news conference a couple of days ago and on the jet. It was your fiancé and your parents. They are going crazy without you. I realize I made a mistake in kidnapping you and-"
"Mistake?! Am I a mistake to you? You just asked me to be your girlfriend!?"
My breath hitches. I try not to blink. I feel the tears building up in my eyes. But I blink, causing them to fall. I wipe it immediately! Why cry over a man that feels absolutely nothing for me?!
Ryder gulps and looks defeated. "Yes. You also don't deserve hiding out like this." He walks up to me and gently grabs me by my arms. I try to pull away, but he is strong.
I give up.
"Sam, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I don't want you to get hurt because of my past and present mistakes. You deserve to be happily married and have kids, a dog or a cat, three mansions by the sea. Peace of mind. Which I can never give you."
I yank my arms from his grasp and wrap them around myself. "Why then? Why give me false hope if you never intended to give me what I supposedly deserved?"
"Because I'm selfish, Sam!" Ryder yells.
He clears his throat as he sits on the sofa. A look of confusion and sadness takes over his features. I wait for him to mask his emotion but the creepy look never comes.
"Always have been, always will be. And I certainly don't deserve you! I wanted you from the moment I first saw you. This kidnapping was more about having you near me than the actual job. And it should never have been that way!"
Ryder stands and walks towards the balcony door. He puts his head down and turns to me. "I'm sorry to say this but I should've killed you or walked away from you a long time ago. I shouldn't have let it get this far."
My mouth drops. What?!
I stand there as my heart shatters into a million pieces.
He rakes his fingers through his hair and looks out of the door. "The one thing I want most in this world is a world away, and I don't think I'm prepared to travel that far."