Dangerous Beauty: Part Two: A Mafia Princess (41 page)

“Be still!” he whispered again. “I don’t want to hurt you!”

Carter stopped struggling. For a moment, the only thing audible was the sound of heavy breathing. She didn’t know what was going to happen next. All she knew was if she was about to die, she wouldn’t be going out without a fight.

Then the man surprised her …

“Did he kidnap you?” The man’s deep, English-accented voice rumbled against her ear. “Did he take you away from your family?”

Carter frowned and nodded her head. “Yes …” she answered slowly, confused as to why the man would ask her such a question.

“Where are you from?”

“America.”

“Is the door open?”

Carter swallowed and nodded her head. “Yes. But he’s coming.”

She felt him nod his head. “Silas.”

Carter didn’t know if he was asking a question, but she answered. “Yes.”

He finally loosened his hold.

“I’m going to help you,” he said as he turned her to face him.

The room was pitch black. She couldn’t see his face at all.

“Why should I trust you?” Carter asked the mysterious man.

His big hand slid down her arm, and he gripped her hand. “Because I haven’t hurt you yet, have I?”

Carter didn’t speak. She was still unconvinced.

“You pack a good right hook, but you’re not stronger than I am. Plus I’m pretty sure that I could kick your ass. If I had wanted Silas to have you, I would have dragged you up the steps, and there wouldn’t be a thing you could have done about it.”

“You want to bet?” Carter snapped. “I’d kick your ass up and down this room …”

He chuckled. “You’re a feisty one. How’d Silas nab you?”

“It’s a long story that I have no time to tell.” Carter tried to pull loose from his grip. “I need to get out of here.”

He held tighter. “So do I. Calm down. You have a better chance of getting out with me.”

“Who are you?” Carter whispered sharply.

“I’m a prisoner, just like you. I’ve been here since I was fifteen. I haven’t seen the sun for eight years. That door is open now, and I want to get out of here just as badly as you do!”

Carter nodded her head and stopped resisting. He was twenty-three, just like her. Why would Silas keep a young guy down here for so long? She was afraid to ask. If they were escaping the place together, then they needed to do it now.

“Do you know a way out?” she asked.

“Yes. If this place is still the same, I know a way out.”

He held her hand as he walked slowly toward the stairs. “Watch your step,” he said as they began to ascend the stairs.

Carter held tight to the mysterious man’s hand. Something soft and silky brushed against her fingers. When Carter reached forward to brush it away, she felt hair. It was long. Very long.

The light from the upper floor fell over him first.

He was taller than Carter had originally thought. He looked to be about six feet. Thick, long, wavy black hair fell down his back. His hair was longer than any man’s hair should be, in Carter’s opinion. It was beautiful, though— she couldn’t deny that. His hair reminded her of her mother’s …

He was dressed in a loose-fitting, white linen shirt and pants set that made his long, jet-black mane stick out even more. Carter turned her gaze to his skin and saw that he had the exact same complexion as she did.

She frowned.

Once they made it to the top of the stairs, the mysterious man looked down the massive hallway. Carter continued to assess his appearance. He was tall, strong, tense, and had a big build. His hair was long, and his skin was brown.

“What’s your name?”

“Cecilia!” Silas’s voice echoed through the castle.

“Shhh … Shhh …” he said, backing his body and hers up against the wall.

“That’s Silas. Are you Cecilia?” he asked, his back still against her.

“That’s not my name,” Carter replied. “He calls me Cecilia. That’s the name he gave me when I was born.”

The mysterious man shifted. “What are you talking about?”

Carter eyed the back of his head curiously. “He calls me Cecilia, but that’s not my name.”

That’s when he turned. “What are you—” His words faltered as they both gasped in shock.

They both stared at each other, wide-eyed and confused. In the distance, they heard Silas’s voice getting closer to them. But neither of them made a move. They couldn’t. They frantically assessed each other’s similar features … and then their identical eyes met.

To be continued …

Coming soon, Dangerous Beauty Part 3: This is War

To my mommy: Thanks, Mom for your support, love, and encouragement. You’re still my #1 fan and I love you very, very, much. Kisses mommy!! You’re an angel.

To my father: Thank you for always being a hilarious dorky person. You’re a total nutcase (but so am I) and I love you. It is the insanity that I inherited from you that allowed me to write a mafia story (lol).

To my sisters:  Timesha, thank you for being my reading buddy! I’m so glad that it was Dangerous Beauty that introduced you to the amazing world of interracial romance. I hope you loved book two! I love you Tim. To Latricia, if you’re reading these acknowledgments then that means you finally read book one and got to book two, procrastinator!! I love you though. To Celeste, thank you for being the best and most supportive big sister ever. You’re the best and I love you bunches.

To my boombies: Bumba and Pumpkin cheeks. You two are the coolest six month old babies in the world. Bumba, your smile gives me inspiration. Pumpkin cheeks, you’re judgmental stare helped me become a better writer. Both of you are spoiled, and you have attitudes, but I love you little punks so freaking much it hurts. Aunty is proud of you for growing up to be so cool. I can’t wait until you can walk though, because you both are getting heavy  (especially you Bumba ).

To my Grandmama! Thank you for your prayers, support, and unconditional love.   You’re the greatest Grammy!

To Queen Patrice Harrison: You have been the coolest person ever since the moment I met you in IRR. Thank you for all of your help, encouragement, and constructive criticisms. I truly value your opinion and your friendship. You’re the best.

Thanks to Marcia Walkerdine. You posted the link to Dangerous Beauty EVERYWHERE! You spread the word. Thank you so, so, so much. You’re the sweetest woman in the world, and I’m so happy I met you!

Thank you to the best ARC winner ever Sandra. I had so much fun chatting with you while you read Dangerous Beauty Part Two! Thank you for the notes and helping me out with the editing! That was very nice of you, and I appreciate it so much.

Thank you Danette Davis. I’m always bugging you and you’re still super sweet, and when I was a nervous wreck before the release of book one you called me and ease my worry. Thank you for being a good friend and awesome publisher.

Thank you once again Dewy Moss for taking a chance on this series and helping me live my dream of being an author!

Born and raised in Missouri, I am a dreamer. I am in my 20’s and have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. My dream is to one day make a mark in this world. I want to do something that I will be remembered for, be someone people can respect. I have a big heart and even bigger smile. A perfect evening for me would include a glass of wine, chocolate, and a romance novel on my kindle.  I love to read a good story. I have an overactive imagination and enjoy putting together a good story with raw emotion and shocking secrets. Dangerous Beauty is the first novel I have ever written and I hope to write many more in the future.

If you enjoyed this book, please recommend it to your friends and write a review. If you would like to be the first to know about upcoming releases, contests, and more, send me an email at [email protected] with “subscribe” as the subject. Feel free to email any other comments or questions too. I love to hear from my readers. You can also find out more about me and find out about future releases at MichelleHLuvs.com.