by Bella J.
“I’m still out here.”
“I fucking know.” With the folded piece of paper in my hands, I opened my bedroom door, staring right at Lorik’s smug grin. “You could at least try to keep your fucking pants on.”
“Bro, when it comes to your sister, I have no control over when or where my pants will be on.”
“Good God, you need to get a fucking filter before I decide to shove my boot up your ass.”
“Hey,” he held his arms wide, “as long as me fucking your sister gets under your skin, I’ll use it.”
“You’re such an asshole.”
He shrugged. “I’ve been called much worse than that…in Italian, my man.”
I had to smother a laugh, thinking of my sister and her fiery temper being all up in Lorik’s ass most of the time.
As we walked by the door of Doe’s bedroom, I stopped, wondering whether I was making things more complicated than they already were. The better option was probably to walk past, to push every thought of her out of my head. But I didn’t. I slipped the paper beneath her door, and when I straightened, Lorik stared at me with a giant question mark on his forehead.
I glowered at him. “Do not say a single fucking word.”
“Uh-huh.”
I buttoned up my suit jacket while we walked down the stairs. “What did you tell Karina?”
“That we’re doing another run around town, keeping drugs off the street and shit like that.”
I rolled my eyes. “You make us sound like fucking vigilantes.”
“Well, it was either that, or telling her we’re on our way to meet up with some trigger-happy Russians, and we’ll probably get shot at with no more than a two percent survival rate.”
I stilled. “Yup, your version sounds much better.”
“Exactly.”
“So,” I grabbed the keys to my Audi, “let’s go get shot at by some Russian fuckers, shall we?”
All the way to Boston Harbor, we drove in silence. Lorik busied himself on his phone, communicating with Lucio regarding all the security measures that had been put in place. My mind was on Doe, and why this Russian asshole wanted her back so much. Surely a man as wealthy as he was could afford to buy himself a hundred other sex slaves. Fuck knew it seemed like the goddamn trade was flourishing. So, why go through all this trouble to come all this way, and to go so far as to kill an innocent girl just to get Doe back? Was it just pure infatuation? Obsession?
As we approached Boston Harbor, my blood started to simmer. Ever since the fateful night my father died, entering the harbor always brought with it an air of melancholy, a glum feeling of immense loss and tragedy. And I had a feeling that after tonight, it would be no different.
“They’re already here.” Lorik looked down at his phone. “Arrived on powerboats down at the marina.”
“How many?” I took a sharp turn to the left.
“Can’t be sure. Sly fuckers came in scattered.”
“Makes sense.”
We drove up to the warehouse where Lucio and the others waited. I glanced up at the roof, unable to see the snipers we had at the ready. It gave us that little extra security of knowing we had ghosts watching our back.
I parked the car and got out, Lucio joining us. “You’re ten minutes late.”
“Just making an entrance, cousin. I believe our guests are already here.”
“Yup.” He pointed toward the warehouse behind us. “They’re in there.” And then he pointed to two other warehouses across from us, and one to the right. “They’re also in there, and there.”
“Clever fuckers, aren’t they?”
Lucio lifted a shoulder. “At least we know where they are. Plus, we have eyes on the roof as well.”
“Okay,” I straightened my sleeves, “let’s get this massacre started.”
I went to stand right in the middle of the three warehouses, making myself the easiest fucking target ever by holding my arms out wide. “We’re here. So, come on out so we can get this over with. I have a delicious home-cooked meal waiting for me, and I’m fucking starving.”
Four men came walking out of the warehouse on the right. From the corner of my eye, I saw Lorik with his elbow firmly placed on the roof of the car, his gun already aimed. Lucio was two steps behind me when more men surfaced from the warehouses across from us. One of those men was the fucker with the big mouth who barked out orders the other night.
“Mr. Valenti. You’re late.”
I smirked. “You can’t rush greatness.”
Lucio snorted behind me.
“And apparently there’s nothing wrong with your Italian ego, Mr. Valenti.” The big-mouth motherfucker scowled at me.
I smoothed my hand down my suit jacket. “I’m sorry. It seems that you know who I am, but I have no clue who you are. What should I call you?”
He smoothed his hand through his light blond hair. “You can call me the fucking president, for all I care.”
“Russian fucker it is, then.”
The ugly bastard glared my way before leaning to the side and looking past me. “I don’t see the girl.”
I removed my sunglasses and placed them in my pocket, acting as cool as a Sunday afternoon stroll. “You don’t see her because she’s not here.”
His eyebrows knitted together. “But is that not the reason for our little get-together? For you to hand over the girl?”
“Yeah, about that,” I placed my hands in my pants pockets, “I contemplated your offer, you know, the one where I give you the girl in exchange for you to not go around killing people on my streets. But then you went and killed an innocent little waitress anyway.” I shrugged. “So, I came to the conclusion that whether I give you the girl or not, you’ll be trying to put a bullet in my skull either way.”
For a long time, his scrutinizing gaze remained on me while he tapped his lips with the pair of folded sunglasses he had in his hands.
I took a step forward, leaning closer. “Are you having trouble understanding? You look confused.”
He snorted. “I see you’re a funny man.”
“No. I just get sarcastic whenever I’m annoyed by cocksuckers like yourself.”
“You know,” he stepped closer, “for a man in your position, you’re really fucking cocky.”
“A man in my position?”
“Yeah, a man who is pretty much fucked because he couldn’t keep his hands off another man’s merchandise.”
Instantly, I lost my cool Sunday afternoon drive demeanor, suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to shove my gun down this fucker’s throat. I stepped right up to him, our chests inches apart in an ultimate showdown of who had the biggest balls. “You know, around here, we don’t refer to women as merchandise. They have a pulse. Breathe the same air as us, so we like to treat them with this thing called respect.” I tilted my head to the side, my deadly glare pinned on him. “So, I suggest you crawl back into whatever cave you came from and fuck out of my city.”
He smiled. “Not without the girl.”
“Why? Why does your boss want her back so badly when he buys and sells hundreds of other women? Why her?”
The Russian fucker shrugged. “He likes her a lot.”
“Then I suggest he find someone else he likes, because he’s not getting her back,” I leaned closer to his face, “ever.”
Animosity and hostility roiled the atmosphere around us. It was toxic, the foreshadowing of ultimate carnage and mayhem. Even the hot, humid summer night air seemed to add to the lethal anticipation of it all. The weapons hidden behind my back started to tempt me, urging me to make the first move and put a bullet in this asshole’s brain. But I kept my cool, while my instincts remained on high alert.
“You have no idea who you’re fucking with, Valenti, so I’ll give you one last chance to hand over the girl.”
“I don’t give a shit who your boss is, but he’s not getting what he wants, because she is no longer his.” I bit my bottom lip, searching his face before saying, “She’s mine
now.”
For a few more seconds, we glared at each other like two hungry predators with the urge to tear each other the fuck apart.
An evil grin spread along his ugly face when he took a few steps back. Lucio and I both knew what was about to happen next, and before I could reach for my guns, Lucio pulled me down to the ground, shouting, “Take them down, now!”
Bullets started flying while Lucio and I ran for cover. The deafening sound of gunshots echoed through the summer air, shattering the beauty of a picture-perfect sunset.
Lucio and I managed to reach one of our SUVs and took cover behind it. “You hurt?” Lucio only gave a quick glance my way before pulling out his guns.
“I’m fine.” I had my weapons already in my hands, leaning around the car to try to get a better look. But then I noticed Lorik wasn’t standing by my car anymore. “Where the fuck is Lorik?”
Lucio moved in next to me. “He was right there a few seconds ago.”
“Well, he’s not there now. Fuck.”
“Shit.” Lucio searched left and right, as far as he could see without getting his head blown off. “I don’t see him.”
I glanced up at the roof, spotting the snipers who managed to push the Russians back inside the warehouse. “I need to get over there. Cover me.” Without giving Lucio time to respond, I ran. I fucking bolted across the asphalt to the other side where my vehicle was parked.
Bullets were raining down like a fucking storm of ammo, but I was too preoccupied with getting to Lorik. Something was wrong. I could feel it.
Lucio aimed at the warehouse, shooting back, clearing a path for me. As I rounded my Audi, I froze the second I saw the scene in front of me.
Lorik, leaning against the car, breathing rapidly while he clutched the side of his chest…blood pouring through his fingers.
Jesus Christ. Lorik had been shot.
“Lucio!” I screamed through the noise of gunfire. “Fuck!” Crouching down, I tried to look over his wound. “Jesus, Lorik.”
“I’m fine. Just a little graze.” He could hardly speak.
“Shut up, would you? You have a fucking hole in your chest.”
“No, really,” he tried to sit up straight then winced, “I’m okay. You go on and kill some Russian fuckers.”
“No way, man. Can you imagine how in how many ways Karina would try to kill me while swearing at me in two different languages if you had to fucking die?”
Lorik tried to laugh but then groaned out of pain instead.
Lucio all but slammed into me. “Fuck. You okay, bro?”
I scowled at him. “Does he fucking look okay?”
Lucio ignored me then waved over a few of our men who stood close by. “Get him to the hospital ASAP. Ask for Dr. Ramirez. He’ll know what to do. Take Antonio’s car.”
Lorik cringed and let out heavy breaths as they picked him up and pulled him into the car.
Lucio looked my way. “When this car moves, we need to run for cover.”
I nodded, readying myself to bolt towards the nearest building. But then the gunfire ceased and an eerie silence followed. Lucio and I stared at each other in question, wondering what the fuck was going on.
I gestured toward Lucio, telling him I was going to stand up. He shook his head in protest, but I ignored him. I stood slowly, first peeking over the roof of the car as the engine started.
And there he was, the ugly Russian fuck standing in the open with his arms held wide, two tiny red dots appearing, one on his head forehead, the other on his chest.
Our rooftop ghosts had him pinned.
The car drove off, and I prayed to God Lorik would be okay. My heart was racing with adrenaline, my mind one giant maze of f-bombs.
I held up my gun and aimed it at the Russian, who stood still, the red sniper marks still on him.
Lucio came in next to me, his gun aimed and ready. My gaze swept the surrounding area, bodies piled everywhere. I had to give it to Lucio, he knew what he was doing. This fucking plan was so well executed, even I was astonished. Lucio had men come out of fucking nowhere, like ghosts, and he was prepared for everything. These fuckers didn’t stand a chance. Pity Lorik ended up in the crossfire. Jesus, I hoped he was okay.
“You want to put an end to this one?” Lucio’s eyes were on the Russian like a fucking hawk.
As much as I’d have liked to see the fucker bleed to death, we needed him. “No. Cuff him, gag him, do whatever, then take him back to the house.”
The guy smiled. “I know what you’re thinking, Valenti. But you might as well just kill me now because I’m not talking.”
With Lucio’s back covered by the snipers, he rushed forward, grabbed the guy, and slammed him face first onto the asphalt. “Yeah, we’ll see about that. My cousin here has a taste for weird, sadistic shit.”
I shot Lucio a warning glare, and he smirked.
“Let your guys take him to the house and secure him in the bunker room. You and I need to get to the hospital.”
Lucio nodded then proceeded to drag our little Russian friend to an SUV.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Dr. Ramirez, my heart about to claw its way out of my chest from worry. Lorik had to be okay. Losing one of my men wasn’t an option. And that was what my annoying brother-in-law-to-be was…one of my men. Family.
Chapter 19
Doe
I sat on the bed and stared at the piece of paper that had been slipped underneath the door. I knew it was him. I heard his voice down the hall. And when he stopped outside my room, I knew it was his shadow I saw underneath the door.
I felt him. Even with the door and distance between us, I could feel him, as if his darkness was trying to reach out to me. I felt its hunger for me, its need to devour me. Like I said, I wasn’t naïve enough to think I had qualities. But through the years, living with cruel, vindictive, sadistic men, I’d learned to distinguish between the demons and the true devil. But with him—Antonio—it was different.
Especially after what happened earlier. The music. The way he held me. Danced with me. He allowed me to bury my head in his chest, allowed me to take from him the comfort I needed. Why would a man who seemed to be so dark give a woman like me even a moment of light?
Sometimes I saw the true power and malevolence of the devil in his eyes, but other times I saw something different, softer. He showed me kindness, compassion. Those were qualities a man of true evil didn’t have. And why, if he was truly a cruel man, why was I drawn to him? After his touch had set my body on fire, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. About how I wanted him to touch me like that again.
But the white piece of paper that now lay by the door scared me. I didn’t want to know what was written inside, in fear it might hurt me. Sticks and stones my body could heal from, but words, even written ones, could shatter a woman’s heart.
The sun had already set, the moonlight casting the most beautiful colors of blue and gray through the room. I refused to close the curtains. For too long, I was denied the beauty of a sunrise and the majestic pearl white hue of a full moon. Most people took its splendor for granted, never noticing its true magnificence. But for someone like me who could only dream about seeing another sunrise or full moon, it was exquisite.
But it wasn’t the moon which now held my attention, it was the folded piece of paper on the floor.
Something was wrong, I could feel it.
Earlier, when Karina brought me my dinner—a simple chicken and avocado salad as she called it—I picked up on her unease. Her eyes, which usually beamed with happiness, were clouded with concern. Was it for her love or her brother? It wasn’t my place to ask, so I simply thanked her for the food, and she left. Usually, she would try to stir up conversation with me, try to persuade me to join them in the dining room or outside in the garden. But I wasn’t ready. For someone who had been confined to small cells and cages, with nothing but a steel bucket to piss in, being offered unlimited open spaces was too overwhelming all at once. It was already difficult for me
to adjust to having such a large bedroom all to myself. And earlier, when I was summoned to Antonio’s office, led by Karina, I had to fight the urge to collapse to the ground and cower in a corner. Too much space was almost as bad as too little.
I clutched the pillow closer to my chest, wearing the same floral dress Antonio had chosen for me. Because he liked it, I chose to wear it as often as I could.
I leaned to the side, still holding the pillow while my head lay on another. Somehow, I had to force myself to gather the courage to read the letter he had pushed underneath the door.
Pushing myself back up, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I had no clue how long I’d been here, how long it had been since they found me. But so far, no one had tried to hurt me. No one had given me a reason to think I should be afraid. Unfortunately, fear had been beaten and raped into me. It wasn’t something I could just switch off.
My eyes flicked over to the paper, and I pulled my hands through my hair, dragging the strands over my left shoulder. Then I got up, but stood still for a few seconds, feeling awkward, hesitant, until finally I rushed across the room, grabbed the piece of paper, and bolted back to the bed.
Grabbing the pillow and clutching it tight once again, the paper felt like it weighed a ton in my palm.
I let out a breath, my heart about to claw its way up my throat. As my heartbeat echoed between my ears, I opened the letter.
I won’t let him take you…
But what if he’s not the devil you should fear?
I sucked in a breath when I read his words. Any normal woman in my position would read the threat hidden within those words loud and clear. But not me. I wasn’t normal. I was broken. Damaged. Ruined. So instead, I felt relief flood through my veins and the faint flicker of excitement in the pit of my stomach.
Relief because he had given his word he would not let Master V take me. Excitement because if Antonio was the devil I should have feared, that meant I might have found a devil I wanted to fear.