“Please don’t hurt me,” I say with a loud sob. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Christ, I believe you. Wrong place, wrong time.”

I freeze. I think for a moment he remembers me, too, but I was a kid then. He couldn’t. And when he speaks, I realize he doesn’t.

“I don’t think you’d be wearing a bright pink coat if you were trying to stay incognito. Blend and all. But you did overhear some shit.”

“I won’t tell anyone. I forgot it already. I don’t even know what it was—”

He shakes his head. “Get up.”

I reach for the phone, the last of my belongings.

“Leave it.”

I look at the destroyed phone. It wouldn’t do me much good now anyway, so I leave it and stand.

“Let’s go,” he says, taking my arm and turning me.

“Where to?”

“My house.”

“Why?” I pull back.

He looks at me. “So I can figure out what to do with you.”

3

Sergio

The girl is sitting beside me wringing her hands in her lap. She’s watching wide-eyed as we pass the exit into the city. She’s quiet, like she promised she would be. It was either that or ride in the trunk. I didn’t really intend on putting her in the trunk, but she doesn’t know that.

She’s scared shitless, but thing is, I believe her.

I don’t think she was out there to spy. I would bet my life she doesn’t even know who the Benedetti name belongs to.

My uncle suggesting a cleaner was dramatic, to say the least. But Roman is all about business. I glance over at her. If it was up to him, we probably would need that cleaner. There are some men in my business who take a sick pleasure for the job of punishing. Business is business for me. I’ll do what I have to do. But soaking my hands in innocent blood doesn’t get my dick hard.

I get off at my exit and Natalie sits up a little taller.

“Where is your house?”

“Chestnut Hill.”

She nods. Is silent.

“Don’t you have another question?”

“What are you going to do to me?”

Ah. There it is. The question that matters. Actually, I haven’t decided what I’m going to do just yet. I need to make sure she doesn’t talk. I need her scared for that.

“Punish you,” I say.

“Punish me?” her voice falters.

I nod once while navigating the lonely, dark streets leading to my house. I don’t normally have to deal with a woman like this and I’m not even sure why I’m bringing her to my house.