Taken for His Pleasure: A Dark Mafia Romance (The Torenti Family Book 1)
even any way for me to contact Cherie and let her know that I’m okay. Not that she’d come to the house of the fucking mafia, that’s for sure, but she may be able to send the cops to save me.Turning around, I’m surprised to see that Johnny is watching me. It’s the first time that he’s actually made eye contact with me all morning, and while I’m not exactly keen on hanging out with someone in the mafia, it is nice to feel like I’m not invisible.
“You want some breakfast? You know that you’re just going to wear yourself out trying to get through the window. There’s no way that Pops would let you stay in here if there was a chance you could sneak out.” He shrugs a little, like he’s sorry for the news, but I latch onto what he said.
“No chance of getting out?” There’s a flash of panic in my veins, but I force it down. “And, yeah, I’m hungry. Can I get some breakfast?”
“Ma will bring you some, hold on.” He turns like he’s going to open the door, but then looks back at me, a warning on his face. “Do you remember what happened yesterday when you tried to get past me?”
I flushed. Yeah, I remember. I remember being knocked down and tied up by a freaking teenager. Instead of saying this, though, I just nod. “I won’t do anything dumb, I promise.” As much as I want food, I also really want to see Roque. Swallowing my pride, I ask, “do you think that Roque could come in here?”
“He’ll be asleep. Sit down and relax a moment.” With that, he slips out the door. Straining my ears, I hear the click of the lock engaging as soon as the door shut.
Okay. I have a moment to myself. Even though he’d told me that there wasn’t any way that I was going to be able to get out of the window, I still go to the bars and give them another shake. They hold fast, so I drop to my knees and glance under the bed. It’s stupid to think that they would hide weapons in here, but I have to look.
Nothing. Same in the dresser drawers and in the closet. It’s slow going for me moving around the room because of my ankle, which is really starting to throb. I’m about halfway back to the bed when I hear the lock click and the door opens.
It’s Roque. He has a plate of food, which instantly makes my stomach rumble, and is looking at me like he caught me doing something terrible. Ignoring the look on his face, I hobble to the bed and sit, staring at him while I wait for him to talk.
“Johnny said you’re hungry, so Ma made some breakfast.” He acts like it’s nothing, but when he brings me the plate, I can’t stop my stomach from rumbling. The plate is piled with toast and jam, scrambled eggs, a bowl of fruit, and even some sausage. Roque holds a fork out to me, but when I reach for it, he pulls it back a bit, a frown on his face.
“If I give you this, you have to promise that you’re not going to stab me in the thigh.” His strong fingers are wrapped around the fork and there’s no chance of me being able to wrestle it from him, so I nod.
“I promise. I’m just…hungry, Roque, please.” I’m sure that he’s going to think that I’m just asking him for the breakfast, but I need more from him. Not sex, although just the sight of him makes my core heat uncomfortably and I have to clench my thighs together, but just to protect me. To be here with me.
I don’t know what’s going to happen to me, and I’m honestly not sure that I can handle whatever is coming on my own.
He doesn’t say anything, but hands me the fork and then sits down next to me. His weight on the bed makes me lean into him a little and he slides his arm around my shoulder and pulls me tight.
For the first time, I feel safe. I don’t know how long it’s going to last or long he’ll be willing to sit with me, but I’m going to take everything that I can get from him right now.
“Listen, Eva,” he said, and at the sound of his voice, my heart drops. I can’t help but think that they’re going to kill me. You don’t learn about the mafia and then live to tell the tale, right?
It’s like he doesn’t know that I’m upset, because he continues, even though I stiffen a bit as I eat. “I have to take a nap or I’m going to fall over. You need to be in here, but I can bring you a book or something so that you’re not bored. When I’m up and rested, we can talk about what we’re going to do about you.”
“Let me go, right? You’re going to let me go, right, Roque? I mean, you can’t keep me here, can you?” I swallow hard, forcing down panic.
I sound ridiculous, and I’m half expecting him to chuckle, but Roque only runs his hand through his hair and then stands up. “Eva, you know too much right now. I shouldn’t have told you how I handled things this morning, but now that you know, you could do a lot of damage to the family, do you get that? Fuck.” His face twists a little and he turns away from me so I can’t see him.
“Roque?” I ask, putting my plate next to me on the bed. “Talk to me. I promise you, if you let me go, I’m not going to tell anyone about this. I swear, I’ll even move if you want me to. You’ll never have to see me again and you won’t have to worry about me.”
Telling him that he won’t have to see me