Ruthless: Mob Boss Book One Read Online Free PDF Page B

use the drugs—and the pillowcase over your head—if you’d prefer it.”
    Regret shaded his voice, and she understood that he didn’t want to use those things, but he would do it if she forced his hand.
    “And if I come on my own, you won’t put the pillowcase over my head?” She was as afraid of the darkness as she was of drug-addled oblivion.
    “I’ll still have to cover your eyes eventually,” he admitted. “But not until we leave the building. And I’ll forget the drugs if you come on your own and promise not to do anything stupid.”
    She wasn’t crazy about the pillowcase under any scenario, but at least this way she might get a clue about where she was being held. “Okay.”
    “You’ll be good?” He asked the question like he almost didn’t believe it. “You promise?”
    She sighed. “I promise.”
    She didn’t think twice about the lie. She wouldn’t hesitate to make a break for it if an opportunity to escape presented itself. It’s not like these guys had any honor.
    “Good.” He looked down at the gun in his hand. “This is only a precaution. We’re going to make our way through the building, and I’m going to put the bag over your head before I put you in the car out back.”
    “The car?” Hope blossomed inside her. “Does this mean my father has paid the ransom?”
    “The ransom...” Luca looked confused in the moment before a wall of impassiveness dropped down over his features. “Not yet. But trust me. Nothing bad will happen to you tonight.”
    She raised my eyebrows. “Trust you?”
    “I’ve kept you safe so far, haven’t I?” he asked. And then, more softly, “Kept Dante out of here?”
    The name sent a bolt of dread through her body. “Okay,” she said. “Let’s go.”

9
    She tried to look around the hallway without being too obvious, but there was nothing to see; just the same beige walls, different closed doors.
    Luca opened a door at the end of the hall, and they ascended a narrow staircase. She could feel the gun pressed into her side, but just barely. She wasn’t afraid. For some strange reason, she trusted Luca. He wouldn’t hurt her as long as she held up her end of their bargain. And she would hold up her end of their bargain until she had a reasonable chance of escape with enough time to warn David to make himself scarce.
    They exited the staircase into another hall, this one paneled in gleaming mahogany, and her feet sunk into thick taupe carpet. For the first time in days, she could hear the noise of other people moving around.
    Luca stopped walking and looked down at her. “I’m going out on a limb here. Be good.”
    She nodded, a little overcome by the knowledge that there were other people in the vicinity. Not because she thought any of them would help her escape—whoever was in this building obviously worked for Nico, and you didn’t cross a man like Nico Vitale—but because the sheer proximity of other human beings meant she wasn’t alone for the first time in days.
    Light shone from one end of the hall, and she guessed that was the front of the building. Luca headed the other way.
    She tried not to wonder why he was doing this for her. Wasn’t he worried that she would see something—or someone—she shouldn’t? And if not, was it because they planned to kill her after all?
    She did her best to glance into the rooms with half-open doors while Luca moved her along, but what she saw didn’t exactly clear things up.
    The first room they passed was large and brightly lit, filled with tables topped with what looked like hi-tech computer equipment. The work stations were manned by men and women in suits and skirts. It could have been any office building anywhere in the world, and the sound of fingers tapping on keyboards lingered even after they passed the room.
    They were approaching another door when she heard the sound of a woman’s voice, professional and very British.
    “That’s correct. The donation should be listed as anonymous on