Ruth Lee (TAMING THE MAFIA PRINCESS )

Ruth Lee's POV

"What was that supposed to mean?" I froze, the chill night air dancing across my face. My already erratic heartbeat soared with the implication as I swung to Frank. He leaned against the car, his hand on the open door, his features as unbending as granite. His dark eyes, so warm thus far, now lay as chilled and impenetrable as stone, and for one fleeing moment, I could not tell if it was a result of the cold or of what he had just said.

You heard me," he said, low, but firmly. He didn't budge, didn't even blink-just stood there, awaiting the digestion of this bomb he'd just dropped.

"You know where my family is?" My voice wavered despite my attempt to sound steady. My father and Peter had vanished without a trace, leaving nothing but questions and a gaping void in my life. And now, this man — this frustrating, cryptic man — claimed to have the answers I'd been desperate for?

Frank's lips twitched, but it wasn't quite a smile. "I do. But this isn't the place to discuss it. Get back in the car."

My feet didn't budge. "So, what?" I snapped. "You're using my family as bait now? Dropping their name just to get me to do what you want? That's low, even for you.

Frank's jaw flexed, and he took a step closer. "If you think this is some kind of game, you're dead wrong, Ruth. We're both in danger. You're alive because of me, but that won't mean anything if we don't leave. Now.".

I crossed my arms, refusing to back down. "And I'm supposed to just trust you? After all this time, after everything you've kept from me? Why now, Frank? Why tell me this now?"

His eyes softened for a flicker of a second. "Because I didn't want to drag you into this more than you already are. But the people after us? They aren't playing around. If we stay here, we're both dead." He leaned over, his fingers brushing against my elbow. "Get in the car, Ruth. Please.

That one word, spoken so softly, hit me harder than his preceding commands. I hesitated, my mind racing. Anger, frustration, overwhelming exhaustion-warred inside me. But deep inside, beneath it all, a part of me wanted to believe him.

Wordless, I turned and slid back into the passenger seat. Frank followed suit, shutting his door with a decisive click. The engine roared to life again, and we were back on the road, the silence between us thick and heavy.

The car barreled down the deserted highway, and I stared out at the blur of trees and streetlights, my reflection ghostly in the window. My chest ached with the weight of everything unsaid, but the words spilled out anyway. "How long?" I asked quietly.

Frank didn't look at me. "How long, what?"

"How long have you known where they are?" My voice cracked, and I hated myself for it.

He let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Not long. And even now, it's…complicated. It is not like I had a GPS on them, Ruth. But I know of people who can help. People in Milan."

Milan. The name sent a jolt through me though I wasn't sure if it was hope or dread. "And them? Are they people we should trust?"

"More than anyone else," he said firmly. "But we'll have to tread carefully. They're not exactly… warm and fuzzy."

I let out a humorless laugh. "Sounds familiar."

Frank glanced at me then, his expression unreadable. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

I blinked, startled. "What?"

For everything. For dragging you into this, for not telling you sooner. For… for all of it." His hands were tight on the steering wheel, his knuckles white. "You didn't deserve any of this.

For a moment, I was at a loss as to what to say. The sincerity in his voice was disarming, and I felt the walls I'd built around my heart start to crack. But before I could answer, the car suddenly bucked-a loud thud echoing beneath us.

"What the hell was that?" I exclaimed, clutching the seat as Frank swerved to keep control.

"Hold on," he muttered, staring down the road. The car reduced speed, and he veered onto the shoulder.

"Is it a flat?" I asked, my heart racing.

"Stay here," he said, even as he unbuckled his seatbelt. He reached for a flashlight from the glove compartment and stepped out, leaving me alone in the eerie twilight of the car.

I watched him through the windshield, the beam of the flashlight cutting through the darkness. He crouched near the rear tire, peering at something. But then he froze, his body going rigid.

"Frank?" I called out, my voice trembling.

He didn't say anything. He straightened up, his eyes toward the woods lining the road. The flashlight swung upward, casting its light in a weak circle through the thick trees, and that's when I saw it—a shadow, barely there, unmistakably human, slipping between the trunks.

Frank was back at the car in seconds, yanking the door open. "We've got company," he said, his voice tight. "Get in the back and stay down."

"What? Who—

"Now, Ruth!" he yelled, and the urgency in his voice had me scrambling into the backseat.

He reached under his seat, pulled out a gun, tucked it into his jacket, and slammed his door shut. The car roared back to life, and we peeled onto the road, tires screeching.

"Who was it?" I demanded, my heart pounding.

Don't know," he said, his eyes darting between the rearview mirror and the road ahead. "But whoever they are, they're not friendly."

I huddled into the seat, trying to make myself as small as possible. My mind was going a mile a minute, a hundred questions swirling like a maelstrom. But above all, one kept rising to the surface: What the hell had I gotten myself into?

Headlights from another car appeared behind us, closing in fast. Frank's grip on the wheel tightened, and I could see the tension in his jaw.

"Hold on," he said grimly.

The next few minutes were a blur of sharp turns, screeching tires, and the adrenaline-fueled fear that we wouldn't make it out alive. The car behind us was relentless; whoever was driving the thing was obviously determined to catch us.

Frank, what do they want?" I yelled over the din of the motor.

"To kill us," he replied matter-of-factly. "Or worse."

"Worse?" My stomach roiled at the insinuation.

"Trust me, you don't want to know.

Just when all hope seemed lost, Frank veered sharply onto a narrow dirt road. The car jounced and bucked; the rough terrain shook my teeth loose. I clung to the seat, praying the vehicle wouldn't flip.

"They'll catch us!" I cried.

Not if I can help it," Frank growled. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the gun, shoving it into my hands. "If they get close, aim and shoot. Don't hesitate."

My hands shook as I stared at the weapon. "I… I've never…

"You can do this, Ruth," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos around us. "I'll get us out of here, but I need you to be ready."

Before I could respond, the car behind us appeared again, its headlights glaring like twin suns. I tightened my hold on the gun, my heart racing with a shaky breath.

"Frank," I whispered; fear was clawing at my throat.

"I know," he said. "Just hold on."