They pull cords on walls that empty huge buckets above my head, filled will some vile things. Insects, even ones that bite, slim that smells so bad I can't help but vomit all over the place. Snakes crawl all over me, winding themselves around my legs, and the spiders have me screaming in fear. I hate spiders! More cold water, more insects, more shocks, and I feel like I'm dying, my body is getting weaker, but I still can't tell them what I don't know.
Prick One, remarks that I obviously don't care about my unborn baby at all. He tells me that I can go home right now if I just open my mouth and hand over the information. I could do that if I were stupid, but they aren't going to let me out of this place, no matter what I say or do. I'm angry with myself for not putting up more of a fight to get out of here. I'm angry with Draven for not fulfilling his promise to keep me safe. His enemies got to me so easily through one of his own men.
I feel my heartbeat pick up. Prick One has a gun to my head. So this is how I die. Not by the hands of my racist father, and the hundreds of beating he gave me over the years. Not by the hands of my abusive husband, by the hands of Draven's enemies. I wonder if they'll do what they promise and send my body parts to Draven to teach him a lesson. I wonder if my sister will ever be able to lay me to rest.
These monsters can tell me a thousand times that Draven doesn't care about me, but I won't believe it. Just as I didn't believe Stefano when he said Draven wanted this. I can't explain any of what I'm feeling for that man, but I know he'd never have ordered this.
“You have three-seconds to tell me what I want to know. Just give up, Marnie. You think Draven wouldn't have sold you out by now? You think if he were in your position he wouldn't have given up the information we desire? Just tell us what we want to know, and you can go home. You want that, don't you, Marnie? You want to go home?”
I'm going to die. My baby is going to die. These men will tell me anything, promise me anything to get me to rat Draven out. They won't let me go home no matter what I say. I may die here, Draven may lose the child he's come to love, but I won't be disloyal to him. He may not care about me, but I care about him. They'll tell him what they've done to me, and he'll kill them. No, he'll destroy them, and I'll be watching from the afterlife with a smile on my face.
“Go to hell!” I grit between my teeth. I've been through so much in my life; I've been beaten within an inch of my life more than once. Sure, this is the worst thing I've ever had to endure, but I once told myself that if I were to go out, I'd go out strong, and I mean to. “Do what you want to me, but I will never betray my man,” I scream to the heaven's, shock rippling through my body once more from the power of that cattle prod, and I honestly wish for death to come and take me.
Don't give up, Marnie. Never give up.
The sound of a gunshot in my foggy state is the only thing that's real. He shot me, and I'm dying. What the hell did I do to deserve this?
Chapter Six
Draven
Mr. Vidal!”
“Yeah. Mr. Vidal!” I snarl and step over Stefano's body. The traitorous son of a bitch! “What the fuck do you think...” The words die on my tongue as my eyes land on Marnie. She's tied to a damn furnace pipe, head hanging forward, insects, snakes, and God only knows what crawling all over her.
The sick feeling inside of me is not something I'm used to. I felt it only once, and that was when my father abducted my sister and almost killed her. I promised Marnie nothing would ever happen to her on my watch. I promised her that I'd never allow anyone to hurt her. I fucking failed her in the worst way.
I crouch down in front of Marnie, pressing two fingers to the side of her neck. Her pulse is strong. I'm surprised, Carlos and Louis are known for death by torture. They went behind my back, and they will pay dearly for it. I warned these old fucks what would happen if they went against me and took Marnie, now they'll face the consequences.
Marnie was supposed to be shopping with her sister and mine. I thought she'd be home now, relaxing like she promised she would be. I'm not blaming her for this, the motherfuckers head I just blew off when I walked through the door is to blame. He went against me, fell in with the old fucks who think they're in charge. No one is in charge but me. I think it's time I taught the council a lesson.
Marnie is soaking wet, her body is still jolting from what they've done to her, and I'm so angry I don't know what to do! I need to calm myself. Marnie is my priority right now. Marnie and the baby. I place my hand on Marnie's stomach, and I pray to God that the baby is still breathing in there.
If it weren't for Tony letting me know what the hell was going on here, I wouldn't have known until it was too late. Tony only knew because Tom called him to let him know that Stefano had taken off. Tony then checked and found the tracker in Marnie's phone was giving off the signal to say she was miles from home. Miles away and in a place, she shouldn't even know about, let alone be. A place Tony knew could only mean one thing. These men won't leave this room alive; I'll make sure of that.
“We told you this had to be done, Draven.”
I ignore Carlos. He can wait. I stroke Marnie's wet hair back from her face. “Marnie, can you hear me? Marnie?”
“I didn't tell them.” She mumbles. I take her face between my hands and lift her head. Her bloodshot eyes look right into mine. “My baby,” She sobs, and I can't bear it.
“It's okay, sweetheart.” I kiss her forehead. “Jake is going to get you out of here. Everything is going to be okay.” All she can do is nod her head. I turn to Jake. Like Tony, I know I can trust him through and through. Of the eight men I brought here with me, those two, I can trust the most. “Get her to the hospital and checked out, and make sure they're discrete. You tell them who she is to me, that she's carrying my baby.”
“Boss.” Marnie doesn't move as two of my men wipe away the bugs and snakes so that Jake can lift her out of here.
I wait till Marnie is out of the room before rounding on the two oldest members of the Vidal council. I don't give a shit what their position is, what they believe their right to be; no one is above me. I look at the men who should really have listened when I told the council that Marnie was off limits. How fucking stupid were they to go behind my back? “I told you to stay away from her.”
“She needed testing, Draven. You bring this stranger into the family, claiming the child she's carrying is yours, and you do nothing to prove it.”
I cock my head at Carlos. “Prove it? Since when does the Don prove anything to you?”
“We've been taking care of this family, enforcing the rules for longer than you have been alive. You tell us about this woman and child, and then you refuse if the baby is a boy to allow us to raise him in the way of the family,”
“So you take its mother and torture her? I told you old bastards that no son of mine would be raised by you.”
“As you weren't. This is why you're so defiant!”
I raise my eyebrow. “You should have listened to me, Carlos.” I've slit his fucking throat in one clean cut before he could even blink. I won't be dictated to, and it's time these old fuckers learned that I am the Don, and my word is law!
I don't need to prove the baby Marnie is carrying is mine, and there is no way on this earth if she is to bare me a son that I'll allow that child to be taken from her. My mother fought almost to the death to make sure I was never taken away from her. Being raised in the way of the elders means punishment, belittlement, beatings that don’t bear thinking about, and being forced to kill by the age of fourteen to prove your strength. My mother did the best she could for me, and that was to raise me herself. Yes, I'm probably not as evil as most Don's would be having been raised by these fuckers, but I'm not a man you mess with either. I'll make sure my son is raised the way I was because I will never put my son through medieval fucking torture just to prove he's a man. There are better ways, believe me.
Carlos' body drops to my feet, eyes wide, and his hands around his throat as though it would have saved him.
&nbs
p; Louis looks at me with wide eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if he pissed his pants right now. I've known this man my whole life. I know what he's capable of. He'd torture a child if it were for the good of the family, but what he should never have done is stand by and watch the torture of my woman. “You killed an elder, Draven, and there will be consequences.”
“You still don't get it, do you? There is no one above me! I give the orders to put spouses through loyalty tests. Never once a pregnant woman! My woman!” I'm face to face with the man I once saw as an uncle. “Your own test of loyalty was proven here today, and you failed old man.”
I hold my hand out. Tony knows what I want without even asking. He usually does. He hands me the canister of gasoline, Louis looks at me and nods his head. He knows what's coming, and he'll take it like a man.
“On your knees,” I tell him. There is no resistance. He knows I could give him a quick execution like Carlos, but he also knows I thought more of him. I thought he was one man I could count on. I've never been more wrong. Men like Stefano come and go. A little money flashed at them, and they'll turn on you in a heartbeat, but men like Louis... “Any last words?” I pour the gasoline over his head, and he gulps at the cold invasion.
“I believed in you if nothing else.” He tells me. “I did what I thought was right for you. She's the most loyal one yet. Nothing that was done to her would have her betray you. Nothing. Remember that.”
I flick the lighter in my hand and drop it in his lap while walking backward. I've known many an idiot set themselves alight by standing too close. I don't take my eyes off him as he burns. His screams do nothing for me. I have no heart for the disloyal.
“Contain it.” I tell no one in particular.
“Boss.” Someone replies.
I walk away without another word, Tony following because he knows exactly where I need to be now. With Marnie. Right after I wash this blood off of me.
* * *
When I arrived at the hospital, the doctor, one I know and is discrete enough, informed that Marnie was okay, and the baby would be just fine. She has some physical bruising, and she'll be in some pain for a few days, but the main thing is there is no lasting damage. I'm not so sure about mentally, however.
I haven't been able to go in and see Marnie yet, she's sleeping, and I need to get my head around this. I've got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that won't go away. If I lose Marnie and the baby because of this... I don't know what I'll do, but it won't be good.
“I don't mean to be a prick, but I told you this would happen.”
“I should have listened.” I scrub my hands over my tired face and shift in my seat outside of Marnie's room.
“How long have we been friends, Draven?”
“A long time.” Longer than I can remember sometimes. Of all the men who work for me, Tony is the one I can count on for anything, no matter what.
“Yes, you're the Don, but I like to think you're my friend before my boss.” I look at him and nod. “We can’t change what Carlos and Louis did to Marnie, but we can protect her from here on in.”
“And we will because I will kill the whole damn council if they so much as say one wrong word!”
Tony clasps my shoulder. “And you'd have every right, my friend. Marnie has a good heart, a pure soul. No matter what those assholes did to her, no matter how scared and confused she was, she said not one word against you, Draven.”
I'm proud of Marnie for that, but I would have understood if she had told them what they wanted to here just so the torture would stop. Bigger men have done just that in the past. There's something extraordinary about a woman who can hold her tongue during something like that.
“If she chooses to leave,” I look Tony in the eye. “No one is to stop her. She's been through enough, and I wouldn't blame her for wanting to get as far away from me, from this shit show, and everything that surrounds it.”
“She won't leave you, Draven. Marnie has every right to be angry, just let her get it out there so she can move on. Take care of her, and I'll deal with the aftermath of Carlos and Louis.”
“You're a good man, Tony.” I clasp his shoulder and squeeze. “Make sure everyone knows to be Coley's tomorrow night, and I mean everyone. It's time I made everyone understand just how serious I am when it comes to Marnie. I won't have anyone thinking I'm weak; that's when the wolves descend.”
“You are far from weak, Draven. Give Marnie my love.” I nod and watch him leave. It's time for me to speak with Marnie.
Chapter Seven
Marnie
I haven't looked at Draven yet. I can't seem to bring myself to do so. To be honest, I feel empty inside right now. Those men tortured me for being with Draven, and for information, I had no knowledge of.
I should have listened to people when they said what kind of life I'd be walking into. I shouldn't have been so naïve as to think bad things wouldn't happen to me if I were with Draven. I could have lost my baby today. I could have died!
All those promises Draven made meant nothing because he couldn't keep them. I want to hate him for it, but I don't. I don't blame him for what happened either. I don't believe he wanted anything to happen to me, and definitely not our baby.
I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. Do I walk away from Draven or do I try to put this behind me and make things work between us?
I heard Draven and Tony talking earlier. The doctor hadn't closed the door properly, and I could hear their conversation. They mentioned the names of the men who hurt me, and I got the feeling they weren't working for the enemy. I won't know for sure if they were Draven's men until I hear it from Draven himself. Deep down though, I know it's true.
How would I ever be able to trust the men who work for Draven after this when I couldn't even trust my driver? Stefano made sure my bodyguard was out of the way so that I couldn't call for help, and Tom would have helped me had he been there.
Tom is always near me wherever I go, so how was Stefano able to give him the slip so easily?
My head is banging, and my whole body hurts. Some of the nerves in my legs and hand are still shaking. The doctor said they'd settle down, but it's normal after the way I was shocked. I tap my fingertips together because they're tingling, so are my toes. I lay my hands on my belly and close my eyes, and a tear falls.
I'll move on from this day, the way I have everything in my life. However, right now, I just feel so hopeless. What the hell have I let myself in for with this man?
How stupid could I have been to trust a Mafia Don?
I thought I knew better than the gossips. I thought all the things I'd heard about Draven Vidal were exaggerated to scare people like me. I know Draven is a bad man, but I thought there was good in him somewhere. I thought maybe after he was so good to me this past week, that we'd formed a friendship.
I never dreamed this would happen to me. I'm a good person; I've never done anything bad. I always put everyone before myself, so why did this happen to me?
I don't look at Draven when he sits down in the chair beside the bed I'm lying in. I haven't looked at him once since he came into the room. I'm trying not to cry out loud because I don't want to look weak in Draven's eyes, even though I feel it right now.
Draven gently takes my hand in his. I don't pull away because somewhere inside of me, I feel a strange sense of comfort from his touch.
Does that make me some kind of sadist?
“Marnie, we need to talk.”
I shake my head slightly. “You let them hurt me.” I swallow back a sob and look at him through bloodshot eyes.
I swallow back another sob at the devastated look on his face. “Marnie, I did not allow them to hurt you. I had no idea they would do this.”
“Didn't you? Who were they, Draven?”
Draven blows out a deep breath. “The men who did this to you were elder members of the family council. I won't lie to you; it was put to me that your loyalty to me, and the family had to be tested the same way it is with a
nyone who gets close to the Don.” My eyes widen. Draven shakes his head. “Listen to me. I did not agree to it, Marnie. I would not have done that, especially while you're pregnant.”
But he would have agreed if I wasn't pregnant? Charming!
“Each of those me, including Stefano is dead. No one will live should they hurt you.”
I stare at him as anger rises in his eyes. He closes them and breathes deeply as if breathing away that anger. Something inside tells me that Draven has been affected by what his men did to me, and by what could have happened to our baby a little more than he's used to with others.
I realize that I'm not angry with him even slightly, I'm angry with the situation I found myself in, and the fact I felt so weak not being able to get myself out of it.
Draven kept his promise about what he would do to anyone who ever hurt me. I don't know, and I don't want to know yet what he did to those men, but I know they will have died in terrible ways. The Don isn't likely to just slap you around a little.
I want to believe this won't happen again, but I don't know whom I can really trust. I should go back to Brooke's and wash my hand of this whole thing. So why then, am I clutching Draven's hand in mine?
“They made me think they were the enemy, and that they wanted to hurt you. They kept asking me for information because they thought I would tell them anything at all to make them stop. I didn't tell them anything. I didn't betray you, Draven.”
He strokes my hair back from my forehead. “I know you didn't.”
“Then they said they would keep me alive long enough for the baby to be born, then they'd sell it on the black market.”
Vidal!: Snakes Henchmen MC Page 7