Chapter 13
Laurie
Adriano holds me tightly while I keep my face pressed against his shoulder, trying to calm my breathing.
His palm moves up and down my back, slow and steady, and eventually, my focus drifts from the petrifying panic to the solid warmth of his muscled body.
Everything about him feels incredibly overwhelming.
The tuxedo beneath my fingertips. The amber and leather scent of his cologne. The strength in his arms as he keeps me tucked tightly against his chest.
He takes hold of my chin to tilt my head, but I jerk free before shoving my face against his shoulder again, because I can’t look at him right now.
A deep chuckle rumbles from him. “My little butterfly is hiding. Cute.”
Jesus! He’s deranged.
His arms tighten around me again, all possessive, and he presses kisses to my hair. The tenderness of it feels completely at odds with the terrifying man I saw outside the church mere minutes ago.
Exhaustion creeps through me, and being held by this ruthless man starts pulling me into a strange trance.
When the SUV crawls to a stop and the engine is switched off, I’m ripped out of the daze, and the instant Adriano opens the door, I dart away from him.
The first thing I notice as my feet touch the ground is the guards scattered everywhere like this place is Fort Knox. Seeing machine guns makes more horror pour into my soul.
Then my gaze locks on the mansion towering to the right of me, and my lips part.
Holy crap!
I marvel at the sight of the beautiful terracotta walls and ivy-covered stone. The Mediterranean-style mansion is so massive and elegant it barely feels real.
Turning my head, I see gardens stretching along the side of the mansion. Perfectly manicured hedges frame stone walkways, and deeper between the trees, I spot a pavilion and two equally gorgeous houses.
This property is huge.
Feeling overwhelmed and speechless, I turn to Adriano, but the moment my gaze lands on him, terror tightens every muscle in my body.
He stalks closer, grabs hold of my hand, and starts pulling me toward the front door.
A fresh wave of panic explodes through me, my breaths rushing over my lips and my pulse racing so fast, I can hear my erratic heartbeat in my ears.
As we enter the mansion, I glance over the living room where black couches circle a light wooden table. Tilting my head back, I gape at the stunning sight of the glass ceiling and towering tree.
Adriano stops suddenly, causing me to bump into him, and I quickly rip my hand out of his hold. Noticing my suitcase standing beside one of the couches, the stark reality of what happened today knocks the air from my lungs.
I married a stranger who killed a man in cold blood.
“Try to calm down,” Adriano says, his tone even as if he’s telling me about the damn weather.
Fully on guard, my gaze follows his every move as he shrugs off the jacket, and I hate how stupidly attractive he looks in the vest. As he undoes the top four buttons of his dress shirt, he watches me like I’m some sick form of entertainment.
Maybe that’s what I am to him.
The thought makes my tongue go numb and the dreaded prickly sensation returns, running over my skin as the warmth drains from my body.
Maybe he’s one of those wealthy psychopaths who snatches people up to hunt for fun. Like in that horror movie I watched years ago.
Oh God.