Lucas slipped through a door about halfway down the long, carpeted hallway guarded by two tough guys wearing dark suits and sunglasses. Both throw off the unapproachable, mean-guy personas well. I’m sure to those not associated or familiar with the family life, they could be confused as bouncers, but they are made-men. I could call that from a mile away. There’s only two species of men, a made-man and a regular joe. Like everything else in life, good and bad exist on both teams. Unfortunately, from the way things have been happening the past few years, I’d suspect the made-man team might be running short on the good guys.

There’s no doubt which team Lucas Ruffinelli is playing on, and I don’t need any verbal confirmation to know he’s both feared and respected. Ugh . . . I just really hope he’s one of the good guys, though.

I really wish there was a way to find out what’s through that door I saw Lucas go through almost a half hour ago, but I’m fairly sure tonight isn’t the night to go exploring. It’s odd, though. It almost looks like some sort of VIP area, but I know the VIP section is upstairs. Gianna said Lucas usually banishes her up there when he doesn’t have time to keep an eye on her. The hallway has super dim lighting, so I can’t really see too much except a few different doors, but I can almost see a shadow of another man standing outside the door Lucas went through. It’s probably another guard.

Something is definitely going down. When Lucas approached that hallway a while ago, the two protector ogres quickly went on high alert and haven't relaxed or let down their guard for a second since. I noticed them before, and they had been talking casually and seemingly relaxed.

I’m not sure why I’m worried. I shouldn’t be, right? This is completely normal in the everyday ‘family’ life. For whatever reason, the business aspects haven’t bothered me before now. Though, maybe I would’ve felt differently if Matteo had any involvement. The risks associated with this life are all too familiar, unfortunately. Even clean hands didn’t save Matteo.

With just the thought of him, a lump rises in my throat. Not happening. I refuse to let my emotions get the best of me here, tonight. Lifting my half-empty glass to my lips, I drink until I hear the ice cubes clink. That damn sure better help if I’m going to have to feel the pain of forgetting these emotions tomorrow. I discreetly open my clutch to check the time again. Forty-two minutes and counting. Okay, so yeah. I’m definitely worried now.

Christian is behind the bar talking to one of the bartenders, and Gianna escaped to the dance floor a few minutes ago. She said she needed to have some fun before Lucas comes back and banishes her to the VIP area. In desperate need of a distraction, I decide it might be a good time to find the ladies’ room. I place my glass on the bar, but before I’m able to step away, Christian calls out to me.

“You okay, Eli?” I nod.

“Just going to the little girls’ room,” I tell him with a forced smile. I’m anything but okay, not that he needs to know that, though. He holds up one finger and then stands on some sort of step or platform behind the bar, giving him a couple of feet advantage over the heads crowding around. He looks over in the direction of the restrooms and then at me.

“Too crowded, Eli. Go to the private ones down that hall. Second door on the right,” he tells me, pointing at the hallway the ogres are securing.

I try to wipe the surprised expression off my face and act nonchalant about it, but I don’t think I play that off well. I think the combination of the mixed feelings and the overall confusion with what the hell is happening to my life could be causing emotionally instability. Christian gets the attention of one of the guard ogres and gives a signal before pointing down at me. Obviously, the ogre understands code because he replies with a quick head jerk, which hopefully means he’s going to let me in. But there’s still a chance he could’ve misunderstood and thinks Christian just told him to choke the life out of me. Guess we’ll see.

I smile at Christian again as he steps down from the ledge, offering me an approving thumbs-up. Here goes nothing. I turn and start squeezing my way through the crowds in the direction of the hallway. Sometimes, it really sucks to be short. At five-foot-three plus wearing heels, I would’ve thought I’d be about average height, but it seems like most people in here still tower over me.

I’m trying hard not to be annoyed by all the bodies rubbing up against me as I try to move through the gigantic but very crowded room. If this place were empty, I could have reached that hallway in just a couple of minutes. It can’t be more than thirty yards away, but whatever, I guess it’s good Lucas’s business is thriving. Is it too selfish to wish it could just be thriving on another day?

My mood is literally deteriorating by the second, but it goes from bad to nightmare in a split second, and there’s no question I’m in trouble. A big arm snakes across my abdomen, and I’m yanked roughly into a large body behind me. Immediately feeling the sharp-edged blade pressed firmly against my lower back, he gets my attention. I gasp as pure fear ripples through me and glitters in the back of my eyes, realizing too late how stupid I was to become so distracted.

“Don’t make a sound, Elianna, or you’ll be joining your friend Matteo sooner than we were planning,” the man tells me, his voice cold and exact with his mouth close to my ear. There’s no possible way out of this situation without a fight. No one who would realize this isn’t normal can see us. Walls of bodies conversing and dancing are shielding us, and I’m sure it looks like we’re dancing right now too. I’m so screwed.

I can’t see his face, but there’s no doubt in my mind it’s the man who’s been watching me and giving me the creepy vibe all night.

“Who are you?” I ask, my voice broken, attempting to choke back the emotion. He cackles an evil laugh, and I realize immediately that there’s a strong possibility I’m not just in trouble, but I may also die at the hands of this insane man.

“You can call me the grim fucking reaper, princess. Been waiting all night for you to step away from your keepers. Lucky for you, I haven’t come to kill you this time, but soon I will. Right now, I just have a message for you,” he seethed, his tone dark and nasty.

“Tell me, and get the fuck away from me. Or else you'd better be willing to kill me before I kill you, asshole,” I spit out the hostile words, blinded by my anger. I’m no longer concerned with possible outcomes. My heart is racing with a sudden spike in my adrenaline.

I want to fight him off. I know I can get out of this hold he has on me, and if I can do that, I can get away too. But more than I want to fight him off, I want the message he’s delivering. If this asshole knows anything about Matteo, which clearly he does, I have to know who he is and what he knows.

“You really are a feisty little bitch, aren’t you? I thought I’d get some good tears from the little mafia princess, but it looks like the princess likes getting roughed up. Is this turning you on, Elianna? Don’t worry, princess. I won’t let you die a virgin.” My stomach turns with disgust at his vile words, but at the same time, it flips a switch for me, taking my plans in a whole different direction. I no longer have any desire to fight to escape him. I’d rather fight to kill him, but not until he tells me what I want to know.

“What the fuck do you want with me?” I sneer, almost breathless from my rage.

I can hear his breath in my ear, but he doesn’t speak right away. Pressing the blade a little more firmly against my lower back, I feel the cold metal meet my skin and know the sharpness has cut through my dress. Live or die, I’m not sure I even care anymore, but I need answers before I can accept either fate.

“Stay away from the Ruffinelli boy and keep your mouth shut. We know you’ve been snooping around, and you know what happens to nosy bitches?” he asks with icy calmness. I don’t answer this time, so he finishes. “They get dead, and there’s no one left to save you now, princess. Do what I say, or you’ll be paying sooner than you think, and just so you know, I’m watching every move you make. The Nicchi name means nothing anymore now that your little boyfriend and daddy are both dead. That means I now own you and will decide your fate.” A sudden chill hangs on the end of his words, leaving me in a thick cloud of rage.

He thinks he’s going to own me. That’s hysterical. Guess the joke’s on him because I’m not afraid to die if it’s the price I must pay for my parents and Matteo.

I haven’t stepped one foot in a ring since the last time I was there with Matteo. He’d tell me to do what I must do to escape, but the option to stand down and get away left the minute he reminded me that the people I love most are dead. Call it a death wish since this asshole has a knife and I’m ultimately at a disadvantage being at least half his size and wearing heels. Plus, I’m not in fighting fit shape as Matteo would tell me, but there’s absolutely no chance this asshole is going to get away without feeling some kind of pain.

I know once I make my first move, I’ll have to finish it, but I know what to do, recalling every move Matteo and I practiced. It’s time for someone to pay for this pain I’ll never be able to escape. Game on, fucker.

Relaxing my knees, I don’t give him any indication I’m about to make my move. I start the countdown in my head. Three seconds, starting now.

One. I can no longer hear anything except my own heartbeat. I’m in the zone.

Two. I feel every single point of contact he has with me.

Three. Hope I make you proud, Matteo.

With speed, I squat, lowering my body to get better leverage and movement radius. He’s caught off guard by the sudden shift, and before he can recover, my bent arm is extended and he gets my elbow jabbed straight to his nose.

He stumbles back a few steps. His left hand instinctively goes to his nose while he discreetly slips the knife that was in his right hand into his pocket. Looking directly at me with an evil sneer full of hatred, one corner of his mouth twists upward with amusement. Sick fucker.

The action gets the attention from those closest to us, and they all step back just a bit. I hear some male voices rumbling with agitation from what appears to be a group of frat guys. One of the biggest of the college guys steps forward between the man who’s now detailing every second of my upcoming murder and me. Another guy comes to my side and asks if I’m okay, but I don’t respond. Even though I can technically only see half of this sicko with the frat guy in my way, I won’t take my eyes off him again. Made that mistake once already. It’s not happening again.

He might want to kill me, but I’m not going to make it easy for him. Life lesson, asshole, you’re going to have to earn this one. His accusing eyes meet my glare, but I don’t flinch. His face is set with a viciously dark expression.

“See ya soon, princess,” he says with a raw edge to his tone. Looking at me intently for a second, he sidesteps, disappearing into the crowd.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” the voice says again, but I can’t answer because I’m hyper alert and waiting for the evil asshole to pop out and catch me off guard.

Then I hear another voice. “He ran out the back. I tried to catch him, but the dude was too quick.”

It’s not until I hear those words that I realize I’ve been holding my breath. I finally drop my shoulders enough to get air into my lungs, and before anyone else tries to talk to me, I spin and more aggressively push my way through the crowd heading toward the hallway that will take me to Lucas.

Remembering his words to Christian, “Interrupt me immediately if Elianna needs me. Got it? I can’t get to him fast enough. As soon as I approach the ogres blocking the hallway, one of them steps aside, allowing me access, and I quickly slip through. I should probably tell them that some crazy man just attacked me, but I don’t. He’s long gone, and at this point, I don’t have time to waste because there’s no question he’ll be coming back for me.