Dangerous Beauty: Part Two: A Mafia Princess Page 4

Carter ran fast, hearing the men running after her, screaming her name. She needed to get out of here and disappear. She needed to be alone so she could think. It felt like she was alone, in a pit of darkness with no light to guide her. The thought of being alone had her fighting back tears. The voices of the men chasing after her sounded worried and scared. She looked back and saw the boss gaining on her, his eyes filled with concern. It was as if he wanted her to stop running and come back— but it didn’t make any sense!

  Carter focused forward again, stopping abruptly when a man suddenly appeared in front of her. “Carter, stop!” he yelled.

  She gasped. His face was so familiar but she didn’t know him.

  Carter didn’t hesitate this time. She saw a gun holstered close to his chest, and after a quick move her father had taught her, she had it in her hands, pointed straight at his face. “Get back!” she yelled frantically.

  “Carter, baby, stop. It’s me. Mickey,” he said with his hands up, walking slowly toward her.

  She needed him to stop— because for some reason, she didn’t want to hurt him any more than the other men.

  “Carter, just listen to me. You shouldn’t be out of bed. You need to be resting. This is too much for you.”

  “I said, get back!” she screamed. The other men finally caught up, and they had her surrounded.

  She pointed the gun at all of them, hoping to God they would just let her go. She couldn’t think, and she was so close to breaking down. She felt lost. Her entire body shook with fear, and she could barely hold the weapon straight.

  “Carterina, put the gun down,” the boss said calmly, while attempting to catch his breath.

  Carter’s body tensed, and her eyes widened. “Wh-what did you just call me?” She couldn’t believe it. Her father was the only one who knew her name.

  “I called you by your name, child. Carterina Anastacia Stone,” he replied.

  Carter’s panic showed on her face. Her heart beat quickened, and her breathing became labored. “Who told you that? My father wouldn’t tell anyone my name!”

  “Carterina, you must come back inside now. This isn’t good for you. Let us take you home.”

  “This isn’t my home!” Carter screamed as tears filled her eyes. How dare they try to convince her that this place was hers? It was torture. They were trying to make her believe their bullshit, and then they would hurt her.

  The man moved forward. “It is your home, Carterina.”

  “I said get away from me! Stop calling me that. You don’t know me.”

  He moved forward again slowly.

  “Stop!” she screamed, but there was a desperate plea in her voice as tears began to run down her face. She needed him to do as she said because there was no way in hell she could kill him. She just didn’t understand why.

  “Carterina, please give me the gun,” he said lovingly.

  Carter shook her head frantically. “Stop talking to me like that.”

  “Like what, child?”

  Carter sniffled, “Like you care,” she whispered. This was the last thing she needed right now. It was too much.

  “I do care for you, Carterina. I love you like you were my own daughter.”

  Carter searched his eyes for dishonesty, but they indicated he was telling the truth. But he couldn’t be. For a moment, she just stared into his eyes and thought about his words. He had called her child. The way he said it was familiar— his voice was familiar. But Carter was absolutely positive she didn’t know the man.

  “That’s not possible. I don’t know you,” Carter said softly.

  “Yes, you do, sweetheart. We are your family.”

  “Bullshit.” Carter snapped again. “My family’s dead … I saw it happen.”

  “I know you did,” he said sadly.

  Carter had an overwhelming urge to trust him. His tone was loving and fatherly. He looked at her the same way her father did when he would try to calm her. His eyes were filled with concern and love. Carter was trying to understand, but she still couldn’t.

  “Pl-please stop. I don’t … I don’t want to hurt you,” she said, pointing the gun at him. Why was she crying? This wasn’t like her. Carter had been tear-free for the last five years— ever since her father had died. “Just let me go. Please. I don’t want to hurt any of you. Please—”

  “Why, Carterina? Why don’t you want to hurt us?” he asked, trying to stir her memory. “I know you can remember, sweetheart. You know that you know us— you just don’t understand how. We can help you if you just give us the chance, okay.”

  Carter stared into his eyes for a long moment before lowering the gun slowly. “I don’t want to hurt you.” She whispered the words almost to herself as she battled internally about whether or not she should trust him. He moved closer to her again, and Carter raised the gun, pointing it toward his face.

  Nope— she didn’t trust anyone. “I said I don’t want to, Boss, not that I won’t,” she said as she began to push back every emotion she was feeling. She needed to focus on the goal, and that was getting out of this place and disappearing.

  “Carterina Anastacia Stone … Drop the gun…”

  When Carter looked in the direction of the firm, heavily French-accented female voice, her eyes shot open in horror. She dropped the gun and began backing up, her head shaking back and forth, as the woman— her mother— moved in her direction. She continued inching backwards till she suddenly lost her balance and fell to the ground. The woman shot forward and Carter scrambled back, pushing her body with her legs.

  “No, no, no. Please don’t. I don’t understand,” the words rushed from her mouth frantically.

  “Carterina. Be calm, baby girl. You should be in bed resting. This stress is too much for you.” There was panic in her hazel eyes.

  “Anastacia?” Carter whispered.

  “Yes, I am your mother.”

  “Why are you here?” Carter couldn’t stop her tears.

  “For you, baby girl. I can’t be apart from you anymore.”

  Carter shook her head firmly. “I-I can’t be here. I have to go. Please let me go,” she cried. She tried to stand, but a sudden wave of dizziness hit her hard and she fell back down. Everyone moved toward her, and she scrambled back again, “Please, stop. Please. I-I have to leave here. I have to …” Her pleading trailed off. She couldn’t talk anymore. She was on the verge of a panic attack.

  “Carterina, you must let us take you back to the house, honey. This is too much for you,” Anastacia said.

  “Please stop talking. This isn’t real— you’re not here!” Carter said as her dizziness began to wane.

  “It’s very real. You should not be out of bed.”

  Carter’s hand went to her head, “What the hell is wrong with me?” she whispered to herself.

  “Carterina, you need to listen to me.” She looked back to the boss, he gave a nod, and she turned back to Carter. “Do not panic when I tell you this, honey. You’re recovering from a very bad injury, and you need to let us take you home.”

  Carter looked into eyes identical to her own and frowned. “What the hell are you talking—” Her sentence went unfinished when she noticed a flash of light reflecting from her left hand. She lifted her hand and stared at the huge diamond ring on her finger. Carter frowned and blinked rapidly, “What’s this?” she whispered. “Where—”

  She stopped talking at the sight of a black SUV stopping in the distance. The passenger door burst open and relief rushed through her at the sight of a familiar face.

  “Carter!” Kyle yelled as he ran to her. Once he made it to her, he dropped to his knees and pulled her into his arms.

  Carter held on to him tighter than she’d ever held on to a person in her life, crying, “Kyle, I don’t know what’s going on. Please take me away from here … Please.”

  Kyle pulled back from her and cupped her face in his hands. A tear fell from his blue eyes, and Carter shot up on her knees. “Kyle, what’s wrong?” she asked, panicking at th
e sight of his tear. She’d never seen him cry before.

  “Nothing, angel. Nothing’s wrong anymore,” he said softly as he tenderly stroked her hair.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, hoping Kyle hadn’t betrayed her. “I don’t know where I am. Help me … please. I thought … I thought we cared for each other. I need you to tell me why I’m here. You’re the only person I trust.” She moved closer to him. “You’re my best friend,” she said softly, hoping to God he still was.

  Kyle smiled, leaned forward, and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “I love you, Carter. You know that.”

  Carter lovingly wiped the single tear from his face and looked in his eyes, seeing the truth in his words. “You’re telling the truth.” She smiled, gave him a soft kiss on his lips, and then wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. “I love you, too,” she whispered. “Please take me home, Kyle.”

  “You are home, angel.”

  Carter backed away a bit and frowned. Why was he saying that? “Kyle, I live in Hope Beach— you know where I live. I’m a damn waitress. I can’t afford a house like this!” she said, getting irritated with him.

  “Do you trust me, Carter?”

  “I …”

  Kyle put his finger to her lips silencing her.

  “You were hurt, angel. Very badly. You nearly died. But you survived a serious head injury.” Kyle took Carter’s hand and placed it on the back of her head softly. “Feel it?”

  Carter pushed her thick hair aside until she felt the evidence of her injury. She looked up at Kyle with confused eyes.

  Kyle took her hand from her wound and held it in his.

  Carter suddenly became serious. “What the hell happened to me? Who did this?”

  “He’s dead, honey.”

  “How? How did I let this happen?”

  “He caught you off-guard, baby,” Kyle said sadly. “We were all caught off guard by this.”

  Carter frowned. She didn’t like this one bit. She was surrounded by people she didn’t know, and her body was weak— she could feel it. She wouldn’t be able to defend herself if she had to. Subconsciously, she moved closer to Kyle, feeling a need for his protection. She needed to feel safe. “I-I can’t be caught off-guard Kyle.” She lowered her eyes. “My father would never approve of such carelessness.”

  Kyle cupped her face “It was an unexpected event, sweetheart. We all learned a lesson from it.”

  Carter raised her eyes to his. He was still being honest. Thank God.

  She swallowed then asked another question. “Is that woman back there my mother?” she whispered.

  Kyle hesitated for a moment, and then he nodded. “Yes,” he replied softly.

  Tears immediately spilled from Carter’s eyes. “But how?” she cried. She didn’t turn to look at the woman— she wasn’t ready for this.

  “There’s no need to be afraid of anyone here, angel. We all love you.” Kyle tucked her hair behind her ear.

  She wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. “I’m not afraid,” she lied firmly. She was scared shitless, but she didn’t want anyone to know it. She shook off what she could of her fear and continued to search for clarity. “I’m wearing a ring,” she continued. “These men keep telling me this is my house. Are—” She placed her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes “Am I your wife, Kyle? Did we get married?” she asked him meekly.

  Carter wasn’t opposed to the idea of being Kyle’s wife— she loved him. She could see how their love for one another could have easily become romantic. It may take her some time, but she was sure she’d remember those feelings eventually.

  An unreadable emotion flashed through Kyle’s eyes before he took her hand in his. “No, angel, you and I aren’t married. You’re engaged to my best friend— you two are very much in love.”

  Carter nodded then timidly glanced over her shoulder at the men still standing in a circle around them, as if ready to catch her if she decided to escape again. She locked eyes with the tall man with black hair, gray eyes, and godlike features. Lowering her eyes shyly and turning back to Kyle, she asked, “Is it him? I know those eyes. I just can’t—” Carter frowned as she tried to remember. “I can’t remember anything. None of this feels real.”

  “Well, you’re getting warmer. You know his eyes because they’re identical to your fiancé’s. That’s progress, Carter,” he encouraged.

  Carter shook her head. “That isn’t progress, Kyle,” she whispered. “I’m still engaged to someone I can’t remember. I’m trying. I really am. But you’re the only man— aside from my father— that I’ve ever truly loved.”

  Kyle’s dazzling smile lit up his handsome face, and he tugged her ear. “You’re killing me, Carter,” he said with a soft laugh. “I’m trying to be a good friend, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult.”

  Carter’s expression showed genuine confusion.

  Kyle sighed. “Things have changed, sweetheart.” He pulled her to him and spun her to face toward the enormous mansion. He sat back on his heels, his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his lap. “You forgot all about poor little ol’ me when you finally found your Bubby.”

  Carter looked back at him, shocked. She had never told him about her Bubby!

  Kyle chuckled and turned her head back toward the house. “That’s your house, Carter, and behind that house is your garden.”

  Carter opened her mouth to speak, but Kyle put his hand over her mouth and held up his phone. “Silence, gorgeous. I’m making a call.” Carter frowned, then bit his hand.

  “Oww, you little brat,” he said through a chuckle.

  The asshole knew she hated when he put his hand over her mouth to shut her up.

  “Hey, Bubby,” Kyle said in a teasing tone. “You will not believe who’s sitting in your big-ass yard with me and pretty much everybody right n— . Well, I guess he’s on his way.” Kyle said when the call was abruptly cut off.

  Carter turned to him quickly. “What! Why would you do that?” she said, panic in her voice. She didn’t know this guy— it’d been nineteen years since she’d last seen Bubby, and they’d been kids! Hell, she didn’t even know his name!

  “He’s your fiancé, Carter. You need to see him.”

  “Kyle, I don’t even know his name. I can’t see him! It’s been nineteen years!”

  “It has not, Carter. He proposed to you a day before your head injury— a week ago. He’s been by your side every single day. I’m surprised he fell asleep— he hasn’t slept since that day. He’s been taking care of you.”

  “But Kyle, I can’t! Just take me away from here and tell Bubby I’m sorry, but I can’t marry him.”

  “Enough, Carter!” Kyle said sharply. “Listen, honey. Listen to him… and remember.”

  “Carter!”

  His voice sent shockwaves through her entire body, and her head snapped toward the house. She couldn’t see him, but she knew his voice. It was the brightest light guiding her out of her pit of darkness. Carter gasped. “H-his voice. Kyle, I know his voice!”

  She remembered it— she even remembered dreaming about it. She had dreamt he would talk to her about his dreams and his plans for their life together while she slept. She’d dreamt that he’d gone on and on about how many sons she was going to give him— and he’d told her not to argue with him because he was always right.

  “Carter!”

  When she heard him call her name again, she shot up from the ground. As if an invisible force pushed her toward him, Carter began to walk quickly toward the house.

  “Carter! Baby … I’m so sorry!” he yelled.

  She looked in every direction, desperately searching for the man whose voice made her heart pound rapidly in her chest, and then— her eyes fell upon a tall, absolutely gorgeous man with golden blond hair and the most incredibly stunning, stormy gray eyes running eagerly toward her. She knew him. She was sure she knew him!

  Remember!

  She clenched her jaw tightly a
s she concentrated, focused, and tried with everything she had to remember where it was she’d seen him-

  Carter gasped and abruptly stopped moving as every single memory she’d lost flooded her mind.

  She remembered! She remembered Hope Garden, where she’d first seen him. She remembered Benny’s bar, where she’d first kissed him. She remembered the beach, the beach house, the penthouse— and most importantly, she remembered their home and the beautiful garden. The garden where they’d spent their first day together, where he’d first kissed her, where he’d asked her to be his wife.

  Tears filled Carter’s eyes, and she ran as fast as her tired body would allow to her Nathan. Nathan! His name was Nathan!

  “Oh, my God,” she cried. “Nathan!” she screamed his name, running to him as fast as she could.

  Nathan sped up, too, and when they finally reached each other, he picked her up in his arms. Carter wrapped her legs around his waist as they hugged each other close. She held on to him with every bit of strength she had. How could she have forgotten this feeling? How could she have forgotten him?

  “Oh, thank God. You scared me to death, baby. I’m so sorry I fell asleep. I’m so—”

  Carter pressed her lips to his, silencing his apology.

  Once their lips parted, she held his face in her hands. “I told you I’d come back to you, Bubby,” she whispered against his lips. “I love you so much,” Carter said just before she captured his lips in another passionate kiss. It felt like she hadn’t kissed him in a lifetime, and she poured every ounce of her love for him into that kiss.

  “мое красивое Роуз, I’ve missed you so much,” Nathan said. “I love you so much, baby.”

  3

  The Morning After

  Carter smoothed the wrinkles from her pink spaghetti strap shirt, straightened up her matching pink sweatpants, and picked up her brush to brush out her freshly pressed hair. Her hair had been a tangled mess when she took it out of the braid, but now it was restored back to the state she preferred it. She ran her hands down her body noticing she’d lost a little weight. She silently promised herself she’d put that weight back on by devoting extra time to eating full bags of Doritos.