"Are you... a Mafia boss?" Liao Ping's voice trembled like a leaf in a storm.
"Indeed. And I'm the kind of Mafia boss who plans to tear a little fox like you apart the moment we reach Italy!" Kaisen made a sharp, tearing gesture with his hands. Liao Ping swallowed hard, her throat tight with fear. She had heard stories—Mafia members were cold-blooded, killing without a second thought. If they could do that to enemies, what would they do to a girl who had dared to swindle their leader? She cursed her luck; of all the marks in the world, she had picked the one she couldn't outrun.
"Surprised?" Kaisen chuckled softly, his fingers idly twirling a strand of her hair.
"Yes... because you don't look like one. You're too handsome! I thought Mafia bosses had giant grizzly beards and scars.
You look more like a prince," she blurted out, her silver tongue working overtime to charm him into mercy. Kaisen shook his head. Even in the face of death, this girl was still trying to play him.
"Really?"
"Really!" she nodded vigorously. Kaisen reached out, pinching her cheek before draping his large white dress shirt over her shoulders. They were preparing for descent.
"I'll accept the compliment because it's true," he said with a cocky tilt of his head.
"But don't think for a second you're escaping. I never go back on my word, little fox. You are going to be my prey."
Liao Ping pouted inwardly but kept her face looking pitiful. She knew he meant every word. She clumsily buttoned the oversized shirt over her bikini; it was so large it reached her knees, making her look even smaller beside his towering frame.
As they stepped off the jet, a fleet of black SUVs and a line of armed men stood waiting. Liao Ping stared in awe. If she weren't a captive, she would have found the luxury of it all quite intoxicating.
"Ahem!" Kaisen cleared his throat sharply when he noticed some of his men staring at Liao Ping's bare legs. He shielded her, ushering her into the lead car. As the sun set over the Italian landscape, Liao Ping's stomach let out a loud, traitorous growl.
"Hungry?" Kaisen asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes! My stomach is screaming loud enough to explode this car, and you're still asking?" she snapped back. Kaisen actually laughed.
"Fine. We'll get to the villa soon. I'll let you eat your fill before I put you on the chopping block."