Ria
She noticed that he had also draped a muffler around his face, in such a way that he looked unrecognisable. He was also sitting forward and his entire posture resembled an old man, bent with age.
The little car trundled along and then she could no longer hear the sound of vehicles driving, like bats out of hell, in the other direction.
After a while, he looked back and she sensed that he was relieved, if slightly. He let her sit up and as she opened her mouth to complain, he said tightly,
‘The Rudenkos are on their way to Erin Dorsey’s place; those were their cars.’
Ria stiffened and then her body slumped.
The same men who had kidnapped and almost sold her mother as a sex slave; the men who were responsible for her father almost dying? she thought in terror.
*
Her large eyes on Philippe were filled with fear. Without looking at her, he reached out and took her small cold hands in his, tugging her into the warmth of his body and this time she did not resist. The men in the front seat did not look at them. She sensed that they were too tense as the man behind the driving wheel kept flicking his eyes to look at the road behind them, to see if they were being followed, she realised with fear. leaning into Philippe’s warm body, she bit her lip and tried not to think of the dead man she had seen at the cottage a few hours ago.
Her life seemed to be spinning in rapid circles, totally out of control and she was confused and plain scared.
*
The Capo was on the phone again, barking orders and after a while, the car slowed down. He also snapped out instructions tersely to the man behind the wheel, giving directions to some house. ria sat numb, uncaring and terrified.
As she peered into the dark, she made out a small farmhouse. A dim light glowed at the doorway. No other sight of inhabitancy could be seen.
The car stopped, the headlights immediately being turned off.
Philippe indicated that she should get down and one of the men came around to stand beside her as the door of the little farmhouse was opened, cautiously. The man beside her had a large gun in his hands and she shivered.
‘Capo,’ said a voice, the rheumy voice of an old man, and she saw that it was a stooped old figure who had opened the door, shuffling as he moved.
“Come, come in quickly.’ Philippe was beside her, his large warm hand on her elbow, guiding her to the door and in a few minutes, they were inside.
As Ria stood uncertainly in the middle of the small house, she shifted from foot to foot. it was bitterly cold and obvious that the old man who had opened the door lived here alone. A large scruffy dog lay beside an ancient fireplace, too lazy to bark or even raise his head. He raised his tail and thumped it slowly as Philippe moved across but did nothing more. The old man who had opened the door stood, a weak smile on his leathery, wrinkled face. Wrapped in woollens, it was impossible to make out his figure but obviously, he was very old.
She was too terrified to acknowledge him although she gave a small smile when she saw the curious black eyes of the old man on her.
Philippe and his men strode about, checking out the place. Satisfied at last, the Capo returned, glowering as he glanced at her.
Only then did he step to the old man in the room who had been looking at him. Ria watched wide-eyed as the two men who had been with them left the room with a perfunctory nod in her direction.
Where were they going? she thought in panic as Philippe advanced into the room, large and threatening in his leather jacket. His dark face was stubbled and he looked so hot, she thought frantically, trying not to think of her fear, an overwhelming sensation eating away at her.
*
But the Capo was heading towards the old man.
Enfolding him in a hug, Philippe grunted,
“Tio Javier.’
Uncle? This was Philippe’s uncle?
Once again, fear arose in the pit of her stomach. She was in the middle of nowhere, with three men and an old guy who was the uncle of…
*
Her meandering, wild thoughts came to an abrupt halt as she focused on what Philippe was saying.
The Capo was nodding at her, dark eyes narrowed at her expression, and speaking in Spanish but Ria knew enough Spanish to understand that he was saying that she was his girlfriend.
Two spots of bright pink bloomed on her cheeks. How dare he say that? she thought but before she could open her mouth and say anything, Philippe was beside her and in one swoop, his mouth descended on hers, his arms going around her waist to draw her to his body.
Ria stopped struggling as the sensation of his lips on hers sank in; his mouth was hard and demanding and his arms were like iron bands around her soft body. Unwillingly enough, she felt her body melt in his arms, a wetness pooling in her core as he felt her longing to be held in his strong arms crystallise into desire. her hands went to his hair and then to his muscled shoulders. This was the first time he had ever kissed her, she thought dreamily and oh, damn, but it was out of this world!
*
The old man in the room cleared his throat loudly and the Capo stepped away, his arm still around her. There was a delighted expression on the old man’s wrinkled face and he looked like a beaming Santa Clause, she thought as she raised a shaky hand to her bruised mouth.
‘My girl is a little shy and frightened.’ said the Capo, almost mocking her but his eyes were burning with desire as he spoke.
His Girl? thought Ria as a warm glow went through her body.
Nevertheless, she glared at him challengingly, preparing to argue and he growled in a low undertone.
“Princess. Not here.’ There was a warning note in his tone and she controlled herself with difficulty.
“I shall show you your room,’ chuckled the old man and led them down a narrow, windowless corridor where the stone floor was uneven, chattering away in Spanish with the Capo giving monosyllabic replies.
*
He threw open a door at the end of the passage, a small wooden one which opened into a tiny bedroom with a small double bed in the centre. A bare minimum of furniture in the room suggested that it was not used very frequently by guests. It was an old man’s room which had been hurriedly vacated for them.
Ria stepped inside when the Capo pushed her in gently and after he had exchanged a few words with the old man he shut the door firmly and turned to her.
Ria , her face a mask of fury, rounded on him.
“GIRLFRIEND?’ she spat as he stood his eyes narrowed. ‘How dare you kiss me, Philippe?’
And at that, his hard gaze dropped again to her mouth, the swollen red lips, plump and moist. Philippe felt again the tug of longing as he looked at her. Hellcat, she might be but he wanted her and it was going to be hell tonight, keeping his hands off her. Especially since he had felt her submission when he kissed her.
She placed her hands on her hips and cried, “Who gave you…?’
Philippe crossed the room and pulled her to his broad muscular chest. He was breathing hard as he tried to control his lust and his irritation.
‘Listen, Princess.’ he said in a low voice and she stopped, breathing hard, meeting his eyes.
He decided to tell her the brutal truth.
‘ Dusak and his men are following my Hummer. They know that you are with me. I needed to throw him off the scent so I have five such similar vehicles all over the countryside, going in different directions. And Becky, who is also an employee of your Pappa’s has taken your phone to throw them off the scent.’
But Ria had frozen at the mention of the mane of Dmitri Rudenko’s nephew.
‘Dusak?’ she whispered.
She went white and for a minute, the Capo thought she was about to faint.
Philippe gripped her arms hard and went on.
‘Tio Javier is not related to me by blood but he is a person who I trust. I do not want the old man in trouble. So I invented the story of you being my girlfriend. if anyone traces the vehicle, which is totally unlikely, it will not be easy to remember that we stayed here.’
She stared at him and repeated stupidly,’…Stayed the night?’ and then, her blood rushed to her face as she hissed, pointing a trembling finger at the sad-looking bed,
‘Philippe, are you kidding? I will NOT spend the night here on the same bed with YOU.’