Devoted to the Enemy

Copyright © 2023 Nikki Rose. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination. Book design by Nikki Rose. First printing edition 2023. All rights reserved. Contents Title Page Copyright Venturi Mafia Reading Order Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 About the Author Connect with Nikki Other Books by Nikki Rose Venturi Mafia Reading OrderRendezvous with the Enemy (Venturi Mafia, #0.5) Free with newsletter subscription Willed to the Enemy (Venturi Mafia, #1) Bound to the Enemy (Venturi Mafia, #2) Devoted to the Enemy (Venturi Mafia, #3) Mia 'Teo, what happened?' 'Some guy just sideswiped my car.' 'Are you okay?' 'Yeah, but he—fuck.' There was a loud crashing sound, followed by something that sounded similar to a rock tumbler before the line went dead. 'Teo? Teo?' I yelled into the phone, but the line had disconnected. "Mia?" Gabe's voice snapped, bringing me back. We have to go, now." “Okay just let me call Mira and let her know what's going on.” I opened my phone's lock screen and started to scroll when Gabe jerked it out of my hand. “Gabe, what the hell?” I glared up at him, but my anger turned to shock as he pulled a gun from his pocket and pointed it at me. I stumbled backward, stuttering over my words. “What's going on? Where's Teo?” "You need to worry less about Teo and more about yourself. Even now you're so blinded by him that he's all you can think of. You're not even worried about the fact that I could shoot you right now and you'd be dead?" "Okay. I'm sorry. But I'm confused. What's going on?" "What's going on is you're going to quit asking stupid questions and walk out of here with me right now or I'm going to shoot you and anyone that gets in my way. Do you understand?" My eyes widened as I took in everything he was saying. I knew that Gabe had made mistakes in the past, but I had no idea that he had this in him. I held my hands up in front of me to try to show him that I wasn't a threat and hopefully calm him down. "I understand. Please don't hurt me or anyone else. I'll go." "Good. Now, come on." Gabe motioned toward the door with a slight jerk of the gun, and I moved. "Put your hands down and act natural. If I even think someone's suspicious, I'll start shooting." "Okay. Okay. I'm going." My heart pounded in my ears and my hands shook at my sides as I walked through the bustling house filled with caterers, florists, and a few early wedding guests. Gabe led me down the back stairs and through the downstairs pantry, toward the back door. "Mia, Mia!" Courtney called to me, and I held my breath as I turned to her with a forced smile. "Hey, Courtney. What's up?" I tried my best to keep my voice calm and even. "We're supposed to be meeting the photographer in five minutes at the front stairs. What are you doing?" "I just need to take care of something really quick. I'll be right there." I struggled to give her a convincing smile, but Courtney didn't seem to notice my nervousness, or if she did she may have excused it as wedding jitters. Courtney smiled. "Okay I'll see you there. I still can't believe you're getting married today." "I know." I smiled excitedly but inside my heart was breaking. I suspected that if Gabe had his way, I wouldn't be getting married at all. Gabe nudged me with the gun in his pocket, urging me to wrap up the conversation. "I better hurry so that I don't keep the photographer waiting too long." "Okay. See you there," Courtney said cheerfully as she hurried on her way, and Gabe led me out the back door. The vineyard was beautiful, set up with wooden chairs and gold ribbon that marked the aisle between two rows of grape vines. An elegant, understated arch of white and cream colored flowers stood on a small rise where Teo and I were supposed to say our vows in just under an hour. Gabe grabbed my arm and yanked me away to the side of the house where a black SUV waited. He opened the back door and shoved me inside, slamming the door shut before I had a chance to right myself. I waited until Gabe put some distance between us as he rounded the car to the driver side, and I grabbed for the door handle, but it was locked. I struggled with the latch, but it must have had child safety locks on it because the door wouldn't open. I screamed and banged on the window. Gabe tensed, looking back at me then around the yard to make sure no one heard anything just before hands stretched out from the third row of seating, covering my face with a rag that made my head spin. Just as I was about to lose consciousness I felt a sharp prick at the side of my neck and the world went dark. Teo One minute I was driving along, talking to Mia, heading toward my wedding with my whole life ahead