Footsteps startled Katherine awake; the sound grew louder as the steps became closer. Initially, her heart raced, but as she stretched her neck from side to side, she began to relax. Stiffness had set in from being tied sitting up for who knew how long, and that was doing wonders to her already sore and beaten muscles. She blinked repeatedly to clear the blurriness and attempted to focus.
“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. I need some answers now!”
Ray was angry. No time for snarky comments or she might find herself beaten up even more and any chance of escaping would be lost. She sat quietly in the chair, acting the wallflower she was for so many years.
“What’s wrong? Earlier you wouldn’t shut up.”
She stared straight ahead.
“Your boyfriend tried to take out one of my men at the caves. What do you know about it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she gritted her teeth. Inside, she was happy Tony was still alive and fighting. Outside, she was cold as ice.
“Let me see if I can jog your memory a bit. I’m sure you wouldn’t want anything to happen to dear old Daddy when he comes to transport you home. Maybe after he brings me the money he’s conjured up, he can call Italy his last stop and final resting place.”
She balled her hands into fists, nails digging into her palms. She pursed her lips trying to remain calm and not let this loser get the best of her. He wanted to anger her—get a response. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“No? The threat of your dad dying to come rescue his little girl isn’t working? What if we find your mother and dispose of her as well?”
All control was lost. The thought of something happening to her mother was unfathomable. She fought against the ropes in an attempt to stand up and do what to the man, she didn’t know. Clearly, he could overpower her. Instead, she yelled at the top of her lungs, “You can’t do that!”
“I can and I will if you don’t start answering my questions.”
She bit down on the inside of her cheek in an attempt to stop the tears from welling up in her eyes and the emotions from taking control.
“Tell me what your boyfriend was doing at the caves.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, and I don’t have a clue what caves you’re talking about.”
“Surely he must’ve discussed them with you. He was there for thirty minutes, so he had to be doing something.”
She saw red as anger ripped through her body. The urge to claw the man’s eyes out was overpowered by the desire to remain in control and escape. “I don’t know. Maybe he would’ve told me if you hadn’t snatched me out of the car! Since I haven’t seen him since the gas station, I don’t have a clue what he’s been up to. I’ve never known anything; he just takes me along for the ride and shows me all of the sites in different cities. I don’t know anything about the man!”
“You know enough that you’ve kissed him and decided to travel with him through a foreign country. That doesn’t seem like the behavior of a good American woman here for a casual visit. It sounds like a woman connecting with her lover.”
Tears streamed down her face, landing in a growing wet spot on her blouse. She didn’t know who Tony really was. That fact hit hard. In a short amount of time, she turned into someone completely different; someone she didn’t recognize. Perhaps she wasn’t transitioning from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Maybe she’d just lost her way. “I don’t know what to tell you. I got caught up with a man who seemed to be nice. Obviously, I’m a poor judge of character because I got played.”
“Don’t try to play the martyr. It’s not going to work with me. I don’t give a shit if your feelings got hurt. The only thing that matters to me is whether or not he gives a shit about you. Is he coming to look for you or not?”
“How should I know? Right now, I don’t know if I want him to.” Her lip quivered as tears continued to trickle from her eyes. More than anything, she wanted this nightmare to end—Tony or no Tony. She didn’t care.
“You better hope he does, or forget about ever getting out of here.”
She regained her composure; time to return to her role as the proper heiress she’d been raised as. She stared straight ahead.
“Tell me where you two were heading.”
“I already told you. We…”
“No! Dammit! I want the truth!” The man slammed his fist against the wall behind her head.
She counted to ten before answering. In her most even-keeled voice, she answered, “We were going to Geneva. His dad left a message for him to go there and pick up a package.”
“What’s in the package?”
“Like I told you before, I don’t know. He never spoke about what his dad left and obviously, I wasn’t there if or when he retrieved it.”
“Yet you’re wearing his mother’s engagement ring.”
She gasped. “How do you know that?”
“Why do you have that ring on?”
Her mind raced, desperately trying to fill in the blanks. There was more going on here. “How do you know it’s his mother’s?”
“I’m only going to ask you one more time. Why. Do. You. Have. That. Ring?” His breath was hot against her face.
“He gave it to me for safe keeping.”
“And yet it’s on your ring finger.”
“It’s the only finger it fit on.” She closed her eyes. The intensity of the man staring was too much.
“Sounds like a match made in heaven—a real love connection. You’re trying to make me believe there’s nothing going on between the two of you?”
She rolled the ring around on her finger with her thumb. It did seem suspect, that she was wearing the ring. Why would Tony give it to her? Did he know who was after him? Was he setting her up to take the fall?
“What’s rattling around in that pretty little head of yours?”
She looked down. “I don’t know why he gave me the ring.”
“You said yourself it was for safekeeping. Were you lying?”
She looked the man straight in his green eyes. “No! That’s what he told me. I’m just wondering if there was an ulterior motive.”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” The man went behind her and forcefully pulled the ring off of her finger. “It has 0416 engraved on it. This ring has a lot of sentimental value for Massimo. I’m surprised he would give it to a random woman.” Ray came back and knelt down in front of her, staring into her eyes. He held up the ring. “I’m going to know soon enough whether or not you’re lying to me. For your sake, I hope you aren’t.” Ray jumped to his feet and walked toward the stairs.
She didn’t hear what the man said. She just saw the emeralds. “You…You’re related to him.”
The man spun on his heels, locking eyes with hers. A sinister grin formed across his face. “Now, my dear, why would you ever think such a thing?”
“You-Your eyes. Your eyes are just like his; only his have more gold. And your accents are very similar. They’re more polished and easier to understand than most Italian’s. You’re his brother, aren’t you?”
“No. I’m not his brother. Nice try.” Without another word, Ray ran up the stairs, leaving her alone to try to connect the dots.