Mafia Captive by Kitty Thomas Read Free Book Online Page A

crossing herself over the phone. The shock of his brother coming out had about killed her and she still wasn’t over it. Of course. That was why Angelo had told her Leo was getting married—to take the heat and attention off him this year.
    He suppressed a growl. “Yes, Ma. We’re getting married. I already proposed.” If they knew about Faith, he may as well have a sham marriage. He’d never get his mother off his back if she thought they were living in sin . He wondered what she’d think if she knew Faith was being held here against her will? Nothing good.
    “Without us meeting her!?! We raised you better than that! I can’t believe you’d get engaged without so much as calling your poor mother! Is she Catholic? Please tell me she’s at least Catholic.”
    He had no idea one way or the other, but what was another lie on top of the rest of it? “Yes, Ma. Of course she’s a good Catholic girl.”
    “What about her family? Are they a good family?”
    “She doesn’t have any family,” he said, injecting a drop of honesty into the conversation.
    “Oh, that poor girl. Well she’ll have a big family, now.” It was all it had taken for his mother to switch gears. “Is she Irish? I know you’ve dated your redheads, but Sal won’t like Irish blood in the family. Please tell me she’s not Irish.”
    “Yes, she’s a redhead.”
    “ Benedica la vergine Maria ,” she whispered. Blessing the virgin mother was Gina’s response to anything scandalous. If his mother knew the full weight of the scandal, she’d be praying the rosary nonstop until the New Year.
    “Ma, I’ve got to run, but I’ll see you next weekend.”
    They exchanged the normal end-of-conversation pleasantries and he disconnected the call. Demetri rose an eyebrow.
    “Don’t say it,” Leo said. “Go to Tiffany and get me an engagement ring. Something that looks convincing… like I bought it for someone I deeply love.” Of course, any ring from Tiffany sent that message.
    “What if the girl won’t go along with it, Sir?”
    With Faith being moved to the other end of the house, the staff knew he’d gone soft and left her alone.
    Leo’s expression hardened. “If she won’t go along with it, she’ll spend Christmas tied up in the dungeon.”
    Demetri’s eyes widened a fraction, but he left to carry out the order.
    ***
    Faith sat at a writing desk near the Christmas tree, doodling on a pad of paper while a sitcom played on the TV in the background. She’d finished her lunch several hours ago and was hungry again. The sun had set, but she was afraid to leave her room to go to the kitchen—afraid she’d run into Leo. She wanted to use the intercom and send a servant after her food, so she could stay safely hidden away in her room. But no matter what he’d said about them being there to take care of her needs, she was afraid of making them angry or that it would get back to Leo and he’d be angry. Surely he hadn’t meant for her to order room service with that thing.
    She’d intended to offer to pay for her room and board, at least until the money ran out, hoping it might appease him. It wasn’t as if her money could do her any good otherwise. But when she’d seen him standing in the kitchen, the reality of him came rushing back. He was so large and strong. She’d felt the evidence of his strength as he’d held her down and spanked her that first night. His intense eyes and the constant grim line of his lips made her afraid. And that scar on his face…
    Although he’d been kinder to her than his twin had, that scar made him darker and harder around the edges, less approachable.
    She jumped when the door opened—no knock this time. He stood framed in the doorway, like death had come to claim her. Faith tried to calm her breathing, but he never looked at her calmly. It was always with an intensity that made her afraid to breathe, to exist. As if she needed to be very still and quiet to stay safe.
    He strode across the room so