Blacklisted Page 4

  "What is he saying?"

  "He's ordering them to find you, alive. He's put a reward out for $50,000 to the person that brings you back to him." Michael couldn't hide how pleased he seemed, the smile radiating from not only his lips but his eyes.

  "$50,000?! What is wrong with this guy? Why doesn't he just pick another girl?"

  "It could be a lot of things. His pride I'd say is the biggest one. He had thought his plan to squeeze you out of work until you came crawling to him was foolproof. He wasn't prepared to lose you. A person like him… power is what keeps him in his place. Without power, what would he be?"

  "Just another mamaluke lookin' to rip somebody off?" I muttered, crossing my arms. Michael laughed, a deep rich sound erupting from his chest.

  "Exactly. So not getting what he wants doesn't look good. But honestly, I don’t think he realizes just how crazy he’s starting to look to all of his guys. They’ll humor this for a while—but if he gets too distracted…"

  He shrugged a little, letting me fill in the blank for myself.

  "I guess I sort of get it. What's your next move?"

  "Well. I need to eliminate some of his guys; he has too much manpower. It'll be too difficult to do what needs to be done with all of the soldiers he has lurking around all the time."

  "Uh, eliminate? Are you the fucking terminator? What do you mean eliminate?"

  "Kill, Gabriella. Don't look at me like that; they're all inhumane pieces of shit who have done despicable things their whole adult lives," he growled, pointing towards the screen.

  "See him? That's Donnie Rossi. He was actually a friend of my parents—he's the one that started the fire. And prior to the restaurant? He burned down Lucco's Deli. Killed not only Lucco, but his two daughters, and the family dog. Do you really care if he lives?" He stared at me, the anger surrounding him.

  "No… I suppose he deserves it," I said quietly, remembering the fire he was talking about. Lucco was also a friend of my parents, his daughters were no older than 14.

  "I get it, Brie. This world didn't exist to you a short while ago. But it's always been around, its filth seeping into the lives of good people. Is it so terrible that I want to stop them? So horrible that I want small, good families around here to be able to run their businesses without fear? That I want people to be able to make an honest living without worrying that some asshole will come barreling through their door and take it from them?"

  "No. It's not terrible. But wont there always be someone to replace him? You can’t completely stop them Michael," I murmured, sighing quietly. Here he was, trying to be Batman and I was fretting over what? A few nude pictures and my feelings getting hurt? If this was going to infinitely make our town safer, even if only for a while… if people didn't have to live in this fear anymore… couldn't I put up with a few uncomfortable moments?

  It was then that it finally dawned on me; I trusted him. Regardless of how his actions made me feel, his actions were for the greater good. And now that I could see that, I was ready to help however I could.

  "I'm sorry for being so moody," I started, swallowing hard, trying to gain any courage I could. "I want to help. I want to see them pay for what they did to your family, and all the other families. I want to make him pay for what he's done to me."

  Michael's face was illuminated with what almost resembled pride.

  "I'm glad you finally can see this the way I do, Brie. I'd much rather include you then have you feel like you're a prisoner."

  He smiled a little and leaned in to touch my cheek, his hand sweeping across my skin.

  "You are beautiful. You know that right? It kills me to let him see your body." His eyes darkened, his voice growing tight.

  "I know it doesn't make much sense to you, because you've only known me for a few days. But as I've mentioned—I've known you for over a month now. I know what you like, and what you don’t. I know that you're independent and that sometimes when you're alone in the kitchen at night you put on music and sing to yourself. I know that you're motivated—you kept getting fired, but you didn't falter once. You just went back out for a new job. Even though I got the information in a rather… questionable way, I still know you. And honestly, what happened between us yesterday? That came after a month of me wanting you. God, you don't know just how badly, Brie. The way light illuminates your skin," his fingers trailed from my face to my shoulders, making me tremble.

  "The way your body curves, the way your hair frames your face. You're irresistible."

  He let out a slow breath, his eyes meeting mine. "And now I know, the way the sweat glistens on your skin, the way you moan when I touch you… it's unlike anything, tesoro."

  He leaned in and kissed me slowly, meeting no hesitation.

  He had me hook, line and sinker. Regardless of how degraded I had felt, regardless of the kidnapping, I was dangerously hooked in the mystery that was Michael Russo.

  We had a quiet lunch and he left shortly after—I could only assume it was to commence his "terminating" project. I had parked myself at the couch and watched movie after movie, which eventually only served to make me bored. The more I drifted away from what was happening on the screen, the more my mind wandered.

  I was in no relationship with Michael. I was his prisoner, and if I wanted to stay on his good side I couldn't fight back—right? It was then that I started to realize how pathetic I had become. I had been fending for myself since my parents moved. I had put more than one guy in his place while I worked at the gentleman's club—but here I was, letting some guy take degrading pictures of me, fuck me, and yell at me whenever I so much as looked at him wrong? I began to boil with anger. How could I have been so naïve? How could I let him destroy my spirit this way? A strangled cry escaped my lips as the full reality was setting in. I was no better than him.

  five

  A few hours later, the door opened and Michael slipped in. He was covered in what looked to be dirt, and blood. I eyed him pensively from the couch, his face unreadable.

  "How'd the terminating go, Arnold?" I asked sarcastically, my attitude in full swing.

  "Great actually. I killed 3 of them. Go turn the shower on for me?" He stretched and walked towards me, looking at me expectantly. Did I look like a goddamn maid? My fingers dug into my fist, my skin turning white from the pressure.

  "How about you turn the shower on yourself?" I said quietly, standing up.

  "Excuse me?"

  "I said turn the shower on. Yourself," I spit out, glaring at him. He easily had half a foot on me, but I wasn't letting that stop me. The anger hadn't stopped seeping into me; I was seeing red.

  "You want to try again, Brie? Perhaps with a little less fucking attitude?" he growled, his hands balling into fists at his side.

  Before I could process what I was doing I reached up and punched him hard in the nose. The second I heard the crack I dropped my arm, my jaw dropping open.

  He didn't move; almost as if he didn't feel his nose break under my small fist. He just stared at me silently; his hands open, his fingers flexing. Suddenly, a smile broke out on his face and he began laughing. I backed up slowly, a puzzled look on my face, unsure of what the hell is going on.

  "You're something else you know that? After all I put you through, you still got a little fire don't ya?"

  He laughed quietly and sat on the arm of the couch, looking me over a few times.

  "You remind me a lot of my mother. She would never take shit from my Dad. But she was respectful to him as well, Brie. That's all I want from you." He reached up and closed his eyes before grabbing his nose and adjusting it quickly, causing me to throw up a little in my mouth.

  "Thanks for setting me straight, bambina. Perhaps I've lost sight of myself recently." He sighed and pushed his fingers through his hair, flecks of dirt falling to the floor.

  "I'd still like it if you went and turned the shower on for me," he lifted his head, smiling teasingly. "Please?"

  I rolled my eyes and smiled a little, turning o
n my heel. Maybe I wasn't such a wimp after all.

  While he showered I had made my way around the kitchen, deciding I might as well do something to keep myself busy. I sautéed mushrooms and chicken, adding wine and a little flour to thicken it. I chopped up cucumbers and tomatoes, adding them to the salad I had started. By the time he was out, dinner was pretty much finished.

  "Sit," I said, pointing towards one of the stools at the breakfast bar. He smiled and watched me buzz around the kitchen, reaching over to grab my ass when I was close enough. I rolled my eyes but laughed, slapping his hand away.

  Once everything was finished I placed a plate in front of him, then grabbed a beer from the fridge and set it down next to his plate. "Mangia mangia!" I said, as my mother would say, always wanting someone to eat.

  He smirked and dug in, moaning lightly as the first bite slid down his throat.

  "Your food is much better when it's fresh." He winked at me, another reminder of his month of stalking. I laughed and sat next to him, eating slowly.

  "So…will you tell me what happened?" I said quietly after pushing my food around for a few minutes while I had contemplated asking.

  "If you'd really like to know," he mumbled through a full mouth, swallowing after.

  "I followed them. The first two were simple; I snuck up and strangled them from behind—a simple death with not a lot of mess. The worst part is getting the body into the car. But Donnie," He lips turned up in a cruel smile, catching me off guard. "Donnie I took my time with. I made sure he knew why it was happening." He looked down at his plate and began to eat silently, finishing his food moments later. He leaned forward and slipped his plate into the sink, turning to look at me after.

  "Are you scared of me, Gabriella?"

  I looked up at him for a moment, considering all of the things he had done. He had just admitted to killing three men, while sitting at the counter having dinner with me. Was I scared?

  "No," I said solidly, taking another bite before putting my fork down. "I don't feel like I am. I understand why you did the things you did. I may not personally be able to take a life, but I understand why you did it." I slipped my plate into the sink and began to walk towards the couch before I felt strong arms encircling my waist.

  "Are you positive you aren't scared?" he whispered, against my ear, holding me tightly. His fingers slid across my arms and down my stomach, stopping right at my waist.

  "I'm not afraid of you." My voice came out stern, and I hoped he realized that I meant it. Before I could consider the idea too much he spun me around and leaned down, kissing me softly. I let my eyes slide shut, my lips meeting his eagerly. He suddenly reached down and slipped his arm behind my knees, picking me up. I squeaked against his lips, earning a chuckle from him.

  He carried me to his room, stepping in the doorway. "Get the light next to you" he mumbled against my lips, kissing me feverishly. I reached out and flicked up the light, pulling away from him momentarily to take in the room. There was a bed, a dresser, and a picture of his parents hanging from the wall. He dropped me on the plush mattress and pulled his shirt off, tossing it on the floor.

  Smiling a little I slid up the bed to the center. He kneeled onto the bed and grabbed my ankle, pulling me closer to him. I giggled and stared up at him.

  "What are you going to do to me, Mr. Russo?" I said huskily, my eyes sliding over his sculpted chest, noticing a few new cuts that hadn't been there before.

  "Whatever I'd like." He winked at me and leaned over, sliding my shirt up my stomach until he could toss it to the ground. He stared down at me afterwards, his tongue sliding across his lips.

  "I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at you."

  He groaned and pushed his fingers through his hair, his eyes raking over my form from top to bottom. He leaned over me and kissed me again, his hand resting on my hip. I pressed my finger to his lips, letting him know I didn’t want to talk. Instead, I lost myself in him again, letting every negative thought slip away. I gave into his touch, his teasing, and his lips—not an ounce of regret ever crossing my mind.

  We tossed and turned in his sheets until day turned to night. When hours had passed and my body ached deliciously, I turned to look at him. I studied his handsome features, his satisfied expression, and the fresh wounds. I found myself wondering what he was like before all of this; before the kidnapping, before the killing, before his parents were taken from him.

  He rolled over and slid his hand up my arm, a small smile on his face.

  “What is it?” I asked quietly.

  “I’m hungry.”

  Our days continued on like this for a while. We'd eat, we'd watch movies, we'd laugh, and we made love for hours. The only break in that being the four days that I had my period, but lucky for me Michael had me covered, as creepy as it was. I had almost begun to forget why I was here in the first place. It was until he reminded me one day that I had been here for almost two weeks that I began to get stir crazy.

  "You need to let me get outside, Michael," I said sternly, hoping he recognized this wasn't a question.

  "Actually, I was thinking the same thing. Brie can you be completely honest about something?"

  "Yeah? What's the problem?"

  "Do you still want to help?" he asked tentatively, his eyes finding mine as he finished cutting up chicken for the alfredo he was making.

  "Yes, I do. Not just for what he's done to me, or those other families—I want to help you find peace." The more I was with him, the more I saw his former self—how he could be again. He was so carefree, fun, intelligent—and incredibly sexy. If he could just not be so obsessive about this situation, maybe things could be normal. Maybe I didn't have to be locked in the basement of a warehouse; maybe I could go back to having an apartment and we could have sleepovers like normal people.

  "I want to take you to the casino." He paused, picking up a dish towel to wipe his hands. "His casino," he finished, his eyes staring into mine.

  "Alright. Let's do it."

  I grinned, ready to stir up some trouble for the jackass. "When are we going?" I asked excitedly, more than ready to get out of this basement.

  "Tonight, after we eat you can shower and get ready."

  He winked and went back to cooking. I nodded and headed to my room, deciding it was time to figure out what to wear.

  He summoned me to the kitchen about an hour later, our early dinner already served and waiting for me at my usual stool. He poured me a glass of wine and gestured for me to sit down, watching as I took my first bite.

  "God, this is heavenly. Tell me you plan to open another restaurant."

  The words were out of my mouth before I could think. Was he ready for that? Was I speaking a little too soon? I stared at him quietly, talking slow bites.

  "I've thought about it. I suppose I'll need something to do when this is all done. And I think my parents would like that I invested their money in something they would've approved of. But there's a lot to consider." He smiled and dug into his food, eating quickly.

  Once I could see that he was alright I began to eat a little faster, still savoring the bites. He was an amazing cook and I couldn't imagine him doing anything else with his time. Once we finished I quickly washed the dishes as he packed the left overs into the fridge.

  "Alright go hop in the shower beautiful. I'll go after you."

  He kissed my forehead and slapped my ass, earning a giggle from me. I made my way to the shower and hoped in, quickly cleaning myself up, shampooing and conditioning my hair afterwards. I was careful with shaving, making sure I didn't miss a spot. I had to be irresistible tonight; the plan depended on it. Once I was done I moved into the bedroom, hearing the shower turn on moments after I was out.

  I had already picked my outfit earlier, my eyes lighting up as I took in the dress one more time.

  It was a floor length, slimming black dress with a slit that went from floor to mid-thigh. The back was completely open, and the front created a slim V from just
below my breast to my neck, tying around my neck at top. I had no idea how Michael had picked such a wonderful piece but it was hardly my concern now.

  Once I had poured myself into the dress I moved over to my closet and picked out a pair of peep toe black pumps, slipping them on. Once I was secure in the fact that I'd be able to stand in my shoes without falling I made my way over to the vanity I had set up for myself. After being here a few days I had sent Michael out with a list of necessary facial products and make up. I had quite the setup, and none of it was cheap. He never complained once, just provided me what I needed.

  Smiling a little I pulled my hair back so I could focus on my makeup. I applied my eyeliner meticulously, as well as my mascara. My eyes already had a doe like appearance, this merely enhanced them. I applied a small amount of blush, and a pale pink lipstick by MAC. Afterwards I began to tinker with my hair, forcing it into gentle waves that hung around me. Once I was satisfied I made my way to the floor length mirror he had given me.

  I gasped at my own reflection, taking in the dress, my makeup, the shoes. Eat your heart out. I grinned, though I knew secretly he wasn't the only one I wanted to impress.

  I slowly made my way out of the room, clearing my throat as I reached the opening to the living room. Michael stood there in a gorgeous fitted black suit, a crisp gray shirt beneath it, and a slim black tie. His shoes looked freshly polished, his face shaved, his hair disheveled and perfect. He was literally mouth-watering.

  He spun around when he heard me clear my throat; his jaw dropping open.

  "Brie…" he whispered, moving closer to me. When he reached me he smiled and took my hand, pulling it up above my head, spinning me slowly.

  "You're so beautiful—I don't think I'll ever get used to it. You look absolutely breathtaking."

  He sighed, pulling me close to him.

  "You don't look so bad yourself."