PTE

family's Italian villa, the warm sunlight

re him, her sparkling blue eye

ic to his ears. "You are destined for greatness.

s, drinking in the adoration an

urity wash over him, like a baby so

happen." he went on his knees, shedding tears

stretched her hands to him, a

and, her image began to fade away, li

is bed, his chest heaving with emotion. He rubb

a mantra. He threw off the covers and got out of bed, his

spered, his voice barely audi

o reality. "Who is it?" Antonio called

e. The jet is ready for takeoff," Vi

napped to the wal

by 2:00 PM. A curse escaped his li

es, and the whole day is gone," he muttered

* *

he tarmac, awaiting the arriva

t felt like the hundredth time, hi

er hand gently caressing his bac

er a glance, bu

he distance, and Antonio's eyes

and couldn't hide his awe, mu

ng hair cascading down her b

her little curves, and Antonio's eyes were drawn

, trying to snap ou

was looking for an escape route. She shut the car door and without he

Antonio muttered,

to her, scooping her

, but Antonio held her firm,

uffled against Antonio's back. She bit his s

harp pain the bite caused, str

to a seat, securing her wrists a

bra?" Antonio asked, his

p at him. "You do

id nothing. He slapped a piece of

in the jet's bar. A figure he recognized. He

u doing here?" he ask

"I send you to retrieve a simple girl, and you can't even manage that withou

s father's words cut deep. He clenched his fis

my job and not monitor

his seat, as he slamm

at me?" he thundered, his vo

hing. "Don, Don, please. We need to get to Italy

deep breath, composing himself. "Hmmm," he muttere

ntense as Donatello turned an

s retreating back, his anger and frus

e jet, as she sat strapped to

a seemed impossible. She was trapped, at the mercy of

ntonio's, and for a moment, she thought she saw a fl

eplaced by his usual

across from Luciana, ca

"The whole 'damsel in distress' thing really suits

as she made a loud, indig

eyebrow, getting

wn curing on his face. He reached out

cing in pain. "I nee

lightly, and he nodded as he unb

she was walking uncomfortably, and as he looked down her

got to the toilet door. "or you riff raffs are scared I

keted his hand as he waited

iana quickly reached into her

or a signal, her heart raci

pened the camera app, trying to take a video of

ond, Antonio burst into the bathroom, l

rled, snatching the ph

he phone on the counter, the scree

ll be gone." Antonio warned, he moved closer to her, his face red like

st her ribcage as she nodded. She could feel her palm

he know a