Marco’s POV.
I smirk as I watch the gorgeous woman on the stage turn into a deer stuck in headlights. I can see the rapid rising panic as her chest heaves and she looks around for a way out. I stand up and button up my penguin suit jacket.
Then Gino and Luciano both stand as well. We are known as The Three Devil’s. We hold this charity event because even though we are one-percenters. We hate seeing women and children being abused, so we help where we can.
Seeing Raven on the stage, she is ready to run. I look at Gino and see the playful glint in his brown eyes and then I look at Luciano as he winks that boyish charm her way.
Gino is thirty years old, the same age as me. He is the president of The Hell Hound’s MC. He is known as Rogue. With his fiery red hair that matches his temper. A temper he reserves for our enemies. He is what you would call unhinged, and it has taken a lot of hard work for Gino to reign in that temper.
Luciano, known as Beast, is the youngest of our trio. He is twenty-eight and is the president of The Angels Of Death MC. With his blonde hair and blue eyes. Luciano has that boyish charm, but underneath all those tattoos, piercings, and flirtatious banter, he is the soft to mine and Gino’s rough, actually he is shy.
Then there is me, Marco, known as Blade. I am the president of Lucifer’s Rejects MC. To some I appear aloof, unapproachable with my grey eyes and shoulder-length brown hair. But I am the opposite. I appear cold and unfeeling, but deep down in my heart, I am anything but.
I keep my eyes locked on miss Raven as she staggers back and that slimeball Delaney steady’s her by gripping her elbow.
When I saw the auction list two weeks ago, I was surprised that Delaney would have the nerve to auction a night with his top performer, especially for a charity auction for victims who are escaping Domestic Abuse. I swear the man has a brain like Swiss cheese.
I don’t know why he thought it would be in good taste to have her up there, but what Delaney does, he does it for his own selfish gain.
There are things we know about Delaney Pritchard that rub me and my partners the wrong way.
I watch as Raven struggles in Delaney’s hold and he whispers something to her and her beautiful green eyes widen as she looks at Delaney in pure fear and he smiles softly at her.
She blinks rapidly, and I know she is fighting tears. What did he say to her? She slowly and mechanically nods her head. Before she snaps back into the facade and steps forward to the microphone with a beautiful practiced smile on her face.
“Wow, well, I was not expecting that. Thank you, gentlemen. Your donation will surely help a lot of people in need. Shall we discuss this arrangement in private?” She says, and she doesn’t look like moments ago she was ready to flee. Gino chuckles, and Luciano smirks at her.
I look at both of them and they both nod slightly.
“Yes, let’s.” I say as I walk forward with Luciano and Gino behind me. I walk up to the podium and offer her my hand and she hesitates at first when Delaney grabs her upper arm and I see the flash of fear in her eyes.
“Of course, Del, I will fill you in with what we agree on.” She says behind clenched teeth and I look at Delaney and he nods and releases her. She takes my hand in hers and I tighten my grip on her as I help her down the steps and we walk away as the people here all applaud us.
I walk, not letting her go, with Gino and Luciano behind us. We arrive at the elevators and slide the room key into the slot. The elevator doors open and we all step inside. The doors slide shut, and she wobbles on her feet.
“It’s ok, steady now.” I say to her, and she nods her head and is fighting back the tears. But I see that resolve harden. Who the hell is this woman?
The elevator opens into the Penthouse suite. We follow her out into the living room with the floor to ceiling windows giving a stunning view of LA. She walks towards the window and places her hand on the cool glass and sighs.
“Let’s get down to business.” She says and I blink at her as Luciano moves to sit on the sectional and Gino is off making drinks for us. Luciano leans back on the sofa with his legs apart as he removes his tie and unbuttons the top buttons of his shirt.
“What’s your real name? I’m Luciano Beast Gonzaga, the man with the red hair he is Gino Rogue Brazza. And the big guy with the ponytail he is Marco Blade Vella.” Luciano says and Gino and I both nod our heads in greeting.
Raven looks from me to him. She looks stunned by his voice. I chuckle because Luciano is soft-spoken and quiet. He is not what he looks like behind his armour.
“My name is Raven, that is my real name.” She says and I can tell she is lying, but no matter. I will find out what she is hiding.
“Ok then Raven, what did Delaney say to you that made you look scared to death?” Gino asks and she looks from Luciano to Gino and she looks away, her little hands balled tight into fists.
“Nothing that concerns any of you. So a week with me? Tell me, gentlemen, what does that look like to you?” She says as she fights emotion. She is all business. And Gino and I move to sit next to Luciano. Gino holds out a drink to Raven and she takes it with a small thanks and drains it and places the glass down. Well, she can drink, that’s for sure, as well as other things.
“You spend the week with us, we go on dates and do coupley s**t together. But you will be required to live with us for that week. So no work. While you are with us. You will not sleep with any other man or woman.” I tell her, and she looks ready to blow when she calms her temper.
“You can’t expect me to put my life on hold for a week. I have other commitments. I have a dog, season tickets to the Cowboys, and three best guy friends that can’t go a day without being in my space.” She says, and I chuckle and shake my head.
“For a week they can wait. Especially for nine billion dollars.” I say lazily as I sip my bourbon and she looks at me like she is willing me to spontaneously combust.
“Oh, I get it. You want a w***e? The girlfriend experience? Well, hate to break it to you, but I’m not a damn whore.” She spits her fire and Gino chuckles.
“Really? Well, tell me Raven Knights what it is you do for a living again? Oh, that’s right, you f**k men and women for money. So by definition, you, my dear, are a whore.” He says and I glare at him and so does Luciano.
“What, just stating the facts.” He says with a shrug and Raven cusses in rapid Italian and my eyes widen as she looks like a fire breathing little Italian dragon. Gino and Luciano notice it, too.
No, it … It can’t be. Can it? She is not the woman we have been assigned to find and return to her father. Right? s**t!
Michaela Leanne Ricci. f**k if she is. We are in more trouble than I would care to admit. But I can’t deny this pull to her. None of us can.
The urge to love and protect her even from the men that hunt her. We are not good men, but looking at her right now. All I see is a vulnerable and frightened woman. A lioness who is ready to tear us all apart out of fear.
“f**k you! Better yet, why not shove the nine billion up your ass and get off on it that way? I didn’t agree to this. The agreement was one night, one f*****g dinner, and nothing else. So sorry Devil’s I’m out, I’m not doing it. Find someone else. f**k you all.” She storms past and I move to grab her when she spins and stops to glare up at me and I see the tears streaming down her cheeks. She is terrified, heart broken and simply lost. My heart cracks and I do what I never do to victims because that is what she is deep inside. A victim.
A victim of the cruel game her father played with her all her life. I know she is Michaela. The missing princess of Don Alfonso Ricci.
I pull her into my chest and wrap my arms around her as she breaks down.