Bought by The Mafia Boss

Chapter 3

He had an English accent so when he turned to his companions and spoke in perfect Italian, I knew I looked as shocked as the four boys had been by his unexpected arrival. "Get rid of these four. Permanently." He said and I was suddenly finding myself in an unusual situation that made me grateful I minored in Italian during college. However, I refrained from letting them know I understood what he said; I had no idea who this man was and he scared me.

Except I was also confused by the level of terror that rippled through my four assailants upon understanding his words. Did they not have a place to go that was warm in this weather? Or maybe this was their home and suddenly they were homeless? I didn't know but I was now even more afraid by the ferocity from this man.

The tallest one regained some control and spat at him. "You aren't our boss." He sneered and my rescuer chuckled softly.

Returning to that beautiful English accent, he spoke. "I believe that the rules concerning women don't differ despite that minor detail." He gave a subtle nod and the two large men stepped out from behind him and wrapped a hand around the arms of each of the four boys. They cursed and screamed at the dark haired man that now stood staring oddly soft at me. Any remnant of vengeance had slid from his face and eyes, and those orange flames burned gently towards me.

Yet, I was still afraid.

He didn't step towards me, and instead spoke. "If you'd like, I can show you to the loo to help get you cleaned up?" I crinkled my brows at him and tilted my head.

"To the what?" I asked.

He gently chuckled. "A bathroom as you Americans like to say." He softly replied but I remained still, untrusting despite him saving me. "They won't be back." His deep voice penetrated my heart and for whatever reason, whether fear for myself or gratitude for saving me, I found my feet slowly moving me towards him.

"Thank you." I whispered as I came to stand in front of this man. He towered over my short frame, but made me feel confident along with being a little intimidated.

"What's your name?" He inquired of me and he pushed open the doors to allow me to pass through. I didn't respond as we silently shuffled through the ballroom and exited into the corridor. He guided me to the right and down past several portraits and then turned the white iron handle of a door that led into a bathroom.

It was a single bathroom with just one toilet and one sink but it was exquisite. Just like the majority of this mansion, it was made of completely white marble and the sink faucet was another dragon head that spit out the water. I stepped into the bathroom and as I turned around to shut the door, he followed me in.

Fear rippled through my body and I froze. His eyes studied me for a moment and then he spoke without moving. "It's going to sting to clean up that cut lip and bloodied nose; I'm coming in to help." Once again, without any control I nodded an ok and stepped farther into the bathroom to allow him entrance.

The door slipped close behind him and we walked towards the sink. He gathered up a washcloth and ran some really hot water on it before adding a bit of soap. I gently slid onto the counter space next to the sink and closed my eyes as he pressed the cloth against my split lip.

I winced and took in a sharp breath, he had been right. It really did sting. I could feel tears slowly welling up in my eyes and I did my best to bite them back. His powerful voice distracted me from the pain. "I understand you being hesitant to tell me your name. So what if we use aliases?" He asked and I blinked back the tears, opening my eyes to look at him.

He turned on the sink and rinsed the blood out of the washcloth. "Then I'm Jane." I answered and I saw one eyebrow flicker in amusement.

"That's an extremely original alias." He replied and turned the sink off before pressing the cloth against my swollen lip again. His eyes studied them as his large hands continued to gently clean the blood from my mouth.

"You didn't say it had to be creative." I replied and his lips twitched from my response.

"Oliver. My name is Oliver Hunt." He answered and I let the name roll over in my head. It seemed a little too specific to be an alias, but maybe he was getting creative, unlike myself. He stopped pressing the cloth against my lips and his hand hovered as those bright brown eyes shifted up to meet mine. There was a tension between us, not one that you ran from. No, it pulled me closer to this complete stranger despite my fear.

"Who were they?" I asked him as he brushed a strand of hair from my cheek.

He licked his lips and curtly shook his head. "Four foolish boys who obviously had no respect for women."

I watched his face as a small amount of anger rippled across it. "What did you say to the two scary guys?" I pretended to have not understood, testing his honesty.

He smirked at my last couple words. "That they were about to be removed, permanently. That's why I know that they won't be back." He placed both hands against the edge of the sink and leaned towards me, sending a ripple of heat through my body and another wave of fear. Yet, he had been honest.

"And why did those two men listen to you?" I asked and his lip twitched again, amused by my question.

"Well, because I am their boss. Who's guest are you anyway?" He asked and pushed himself off of the counter and offered two hands to help me down. Using one hand, he guided me in front of the mirror and then stood behind me. He leaned forward so his hot breath was against my neck. "Barely noticeable." His whisper sent chills down my spine; chills that I hadn't felt for a man in such a long time; maybe ever. Was this fear or desire?

"Thank you, again." I answered back and his intense eyes studied mine. "My friend Liliana and her father Marcus Johnson invited me." Answering his question last and Oliver's eyes flickered for a moment before recognition settled in them.

"Yes, I know who Marcus is. Lately it's been his daughter instead of his wife that comes to these parties, yes?" His dark brows furrowed as I turned around to face him and he offered me an arm to guide me out of the bathroom.

"She passed away a few years back." I answered as he opened the door for me and the two men who'd disappeared with the boys were now waiting outside. We stepped into the hallway and very slowly started making our way back to the dance hall. My hand sat in the crook of his elbow and I couldn't help but be entranced by the chiseled muscles that rippled below his suit coat.

"My condolences. I had wondered why Marcus disappeared for a year."

"Disappeared?" I replied, confusion crashing through me as we stepped towards the door that would take us back into the ballroom.

"Yes. His attendance dropped from coming almost always to suddenly not attending ever for over a year. I inquired from his boss, but he was quite cryptic in his answer." Oliver answered and stopped before reaching for the door handle. "Why is it that you have never joined them before tonight?"

I smiled softly at him and his eyebrows fluttered upwards, mesmerized for a moment. "My work had me quite a distance away, but I was able to surprise Lily for the holidays. She had already committed to coming with her father and asked me to join."

"Well, I think this has turned into the best party yet." He whispered and stepped towards me. "And purple is my new favorite color." Then like the breeze on a summer night, he turned and whisked back into the room leaving me standing alone as the two men followed after him.