I Thee Take: To Have and To Hold Duet Book Two by Knight, Natasha (ready to read books .txt) 📗

turns back to me after checking the time on his watch.

“I’m selling you to Felix,” he says flatly.

“What? You told Dante—”

“You’d rather I put a bullet in your head now?”

I quiet.

“Didn’t think so. Besides, that’d be a waste. Those loyal to your father have rebelled against him taking over the cartel, while you and your brother are still alive. Still out there.”

I swallow at the mention of Noah.

“Don’t worry, I don’t care if your brother somehow managed to slip away. Although I am curious how.”

“What do you mean about those who are rebelling?”

“Felix is a smart guy I have to admit. He’ll make an example out of you. Show those still stubbornly loyal to your father what happens when you cross him.”

I stare at him.

“Don’t you want to know how?”

“I don’t care what he does to me.”

“You might care after you figure it out.”

I don’t say anything.

“You know what?” he asks, leaning toward me a little. “I just want to see your face when I tell you. And since I don’t plan on sticking around for the main event, well, I don’t really care about the surprise factor.”

“I’m Cristiano’s wife. You can’t treat me like this.”

“My nephew’s dead. Or if he’s not yet, he will be soon.”

“What?”

He shrugs his shoulder dismissively. “There’s an auction tomorrow night. The big one buyers have come from all over the world for. He already sold his one special item up for bid but now there is a second.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“The virgin daughter of one of the once most powerful men of the Italian mafia families. Almost grown up. Fifteen is a good age. Some men like them young. I hear your uncle did.”

I suddenly know exactly who he’s talking about and I feel sick.

“I personally don’t understand the draw, but I have to admit it brings in good money.”

“Cristiano’s sister is dead.”

“Yes, she is, because you can’t trust a fucking cartel idiot soldier to do the job right.”

“Mara?”

“She goes by Lizzie now. It’s easier for everyone. No harm, no foul.”

“She’s alive. And you’ve known it all this time?”

He smiles, shakes his head. “That’s not the part you should worry about, Scarlett. Didn’t you hear what I said?” he pauses for effect. “There’s now a second special item to bid on. Can you guess what—or I should say who—that is?”

I try not to react. Not to show any emotion at all even though my heart is beating so fast I swear it’s trying to bulldoze its way out of my chest.

“Just think of those cousins and nieces and nephews hearing about how Felix Pérez stripped the cartel princess naked and put her on an auction block to be sold like a piece of meat to any number of Cristiano Grigori’s enemies. And let me tell you, there are plenty. My nephew wasn’t exactly good at making friends.”

“Do you even care about him at all? Do you care that he’s dead?”

“Of course, I do. He’s my brother’s son. I’m not a beast, Scarlett. But again, you digress.”

He opens the box on his lap then and I see a syringe lying inside. I drag my gaze from it back up to his.

“I’ll just leave you with one thought before I give you the gift of sleep.”

He lifts the syringe out of the box, takes the cap off and drops it onto the floor. He gestures to the soldier beside me to stretch my arm out, shoving my sleeve up and gripping it with two hands so hard, it burns.

“Don’t,” I try but it doesn’t matter, does it? Cristiano is dead and if he’s not, he will be soon. It’s what he said and why would he lie? And with what he and Felix have in store for me, isn’t it better if I’m knocked out?

“Just imagine,” he starts, leaning in close. Pushing the air out of the barrel, a few drops of liquid fall on my bare arm before I feel the point puncture skin. “How many men will be bidding to have you. The things they’ll do to you. Hell, if he’s really smart, if he really wants to make that example hit home, maybe he’ll just have them line up and take turns. Just think about that.”

My head lolls back. It’s hard to keep my eyes open or focused as he pulls the needle out and puts it back in its box.

“Noah,” I say, unable to lift my arms or hands or legs when the soldier releases me.

“Noah will have it easy in comparison. He’ll have a price on his head for the rest of his life which I’m going to guess will be a short one.”

“Go to hell,” I manage just before I can’t open my eyes anymore.

“I expect you’ll be there sooner than me. Good night, Scarlett De La Cruz. Sleep tight.”

29

Cristiano

Loud voices cut through the nothingness of a heavy sleep. A familiar sleep. One I don’t want.

“Let me through.” I recognize this one. The others I don’t know. All men and one woman. She’s the reasonable one.

“For fuck’s sake if you don’t get out of my way, I’m going to kill every one of you mother fuckers.”

Dante. I try to make my face work but something’s wrong. I want to tell them to let him in. But let him in where? And why can’t I fucking move? Why can’t I wake up?

“He’s being moved from your facility,” another familiar voice says. Charlie. Yes, Charlie. He’s also reasonable. Calm.

“Get security up here,” the woman’s voice says.

There’s a crash and then the voices are louder.

“Shit.” Dante again.

I should open my eyes. I’m trying to.

“Cris.” It’s Dante and he’s closer now. “Fuck. Cris. Fuck. Open your eyes, man.”

Someone pulls up an eyelid and shines a bright light into my eye. I groan against the intrusion. At least I can groan. Make some sound of resistance.

“He’s heavily sedated. Help me. Take that.”

I feel my arm lifted then set back down before someone prods my side. Now that fucking hurts.

“There’s no reason