As she closed the door behind her, Verena leaned against it and took deep breaths. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of emotions - excitement, worry, guilt, and desire all of them together in her chest. She couldn't stop thinking about Cassio's touch, the way his eyes seemed to see right through her, and the way her body responded to his presence.
She couldn't stop thinking about Emma, even if she could find the room where Vincent had kept her she should have asked now it looked as if she didn't care at all, caught up in this stupid game she didn't even know when they started. Was it just yesterday or six months ago or even three years ago they met each other? Why the crap did fate have to make them meet again?
Verena took a deep breath and tried to clear her head. It was as if she had never been this involved with a man. In a way, yes she hadn't but of all the men in the world she just had to want this one. She shook her head furiously, of course she didn't want him. It was just the usual reaction to a game with an annoying attractive man. He was an enemy who wanted her to betray her familia, even though she had already done that three years ago. Which is exactly why she didn't want to have anything to do with Dominic again, even though he had been good to her for a reason she didn't know, she heard rumors of how he was cruel to men that turned their backs on him. She didn't want to know if the rumors were true or not.
As she walked quietly through the dimly lit corridors that seems to go on, her mind was full with a thousand and one thoughts. Was it possible to double cross Cassio like she had planned? What if he caught her and killed Emma?
Why Ava? Why did you trust me with keeping your little sister safe? She asked in her head for the hundredth time.
She had observed that different patterns were used for different doors of each room. The owner of the house must have had a taste for art. Well that artistic taste is what would allow her to find Emma. She had kept a memory of the pattern when Cassio had showed her that video. It was one of the reasons why Dominic had liked her, she was smart.
There was a big burly man standing guard over the door. "I would like to see my sister please" she demanded when he tried to stop her from entering.
"Your boss gave me orders, do you want to go check it out with him? He is probably taking a bath by now" she lied, words falling confidently from her mouth. She really hoped he wasn't going to ask Cassio. Deciding that she wasn't worth getting shouted at, the guard allowed her to enter the room.
She didn't think that was going to work. Cassio needed more vigilant guards she thought. Dominic men would have never fallen for that trick.
Inside the room, Emma was sleeping in the bed in the middle of plush pillows, her innocent face looking like a cherub. Verena's heart clenched at the sight, a surge of protectiveness flooded her as it did three years ago when she had gone to get her out of Ava's house in a bloody dress. She approached the little girl, her fingers trembling as she brushed a lock of raven hair from Emma's brow.
She looked so happy and satisfied, Verena could see a chocolate smear by the side of her mouth. The poor little girl had no idea of the danger they were in and She vowed to keep it that way.
She wanted to lay down beside her to curl around her and protect her from this world but she couldn't, Cassio was like every other Mafia men and he would be angry to find her in the girl's room. As she thought of it, she decided, screw him anyway. He needed her else he would have killed her hours ago.
So she was sleeping here. Whether he liked it or not, he could kiss her ass. So she entered under the covers and cradled Emma smelling the orange scent of the shampoo Chloe had made for her.
It wasn't long as that she slept that the door creaked opened and a cologne she was now getting familiar with filled the room. How had he known she was here, who was she kidding this was his house. The man probably has cameras everywhere so she waited to see what he would do. The bed sank with his weight and she was about to open her mouth to question him, but his arms snaked around her waist, halting the words in her throat. Unbidden, a shiver moved through her, and she leaned into him. Her body was reacting all on its own, heedless of her will. And the fact that he was going to kill her sooner or later didn't stop her mind from imagining his hands roaming down her stomach, slipping inside her pants, under her panties, and…another shiver racked her. Damn it, she had to get away from this man, had to think clearly before she did something crazy, like actually throw herself at him and demand he "put her in her place." But when she tried to dart away, his arms tightened around her, keeping her still.
"Let me go," she demanded. Her arousal mingled with another spring of fear.
His hold only tightened further.
"I'm warning you. You really don't want me to show you the skills I learnt from him. So let me go."
"I'm pretty sure I would like to see those skills" he said, lips smirking as he brought her more snugly into him, hardness to softness. Cotton to flesh.
Eyes narrowing, she bit out, "We'll just see about that, won't we?" She was just about to knee him in the groin when he squeezed her butt, startling her.
"Allow me to give you a demonstration of my own skills." He pressed the juncture of her thighs against his. And she felt that like again, does he always carry a gun? Despite her best rational intentions, Verena found her blood becoming molten lava, an inferno of need. While his lower body rhythmically brushed against hers, he palmed one of her breasts. So unexpected and new, these touches electrified her, moved across every fiber of her being with the intensity of lightning. Her knees weakened, right along with her will.
She licked her lips and prayed he didn't notice her mounting desire.
He noticed.
A blond brow rose, taunting her. "Have you changed your mind about being under me?"
Yes, yes, yes.
"Miss, miss. The boss wants you downstairs" a voice from nowhere said and she blinked open her eyes, squeezing it shut as the sun rays hit them.
Fuck!
She had been dreaming.