by Olivia Deici
I grabbed my car keys.
“Reach me at this number.”
“Understood.”
“Don't lose that car, Shadow.”
“I'm trying.”
I ended the call and turned to go to Pop’s office.
“Roman, did something happen to Iza?”
I turned back to Cari. I didn't have time for this but Cari was like her sister, and she was visibly worried.
“I don't know, Cari. The guard outside her building is down. My backup security saw a car drive off and he's chasing it. I have to go to Izzy’s apartment and see if she's upstairs.”
“I'm going. I'll go and check.”
She had a frantic look on her face. Before I could deny her, Carlos did it for me.
“No, Cari. Stay here where you're safe. Everyone stay here. This might be bigger than just with Izzy.”
It was like a frenzy erupted. At the same time, Cari snapped at Carlos, and Pop was issuing orders.
“I can take care of myself and you're no one to tell me what I can't do or prevent me from leaving.”
“Fuck, Cari. Not now.”
Pop yelled to Raul. “Lock it down!.”
“I don't have time for this shit. Carlos, come with me. Marco and Diego, stay and help Pop.”
A fire was lit under my ass and in my chest. I'd never been so scared in my fucking life. Nothing was going to stop me from getting to Izzy.
Nothing.
Until I heard her words.
“And if you need a doctor?”
She choked them out, as if the possibility scared her. It scared the shit out of me, too. Hopefully she's home. Hopefully she just fell asleep.
Hopefully she's safe and my heart can beat again.
I looked at Carlos and I could tell he didn't like the idea. He looked at Cari.
“You fucking stay by my side, Caridad. You listen to everything I tell you and you follow it without question. Understand?”
Her nostrils flared but she nodded. I turned and began walking down the hallway.
“Where are you going?”
“Follow me, Los. Time to load up.”
We went to Pop’s office and grabbed supplies- guns, ammunition, knives. We put on Kevlars and grabbed an extra one for Cari.
“Let's go.”
I couldn't drive there fast enough. A million questions and fears raced through my mind as fast as my car was moving. We were quiet in the car. We couldn't waste the precious time, though, and needed to have a plan.
“When we get there, you go check on Ralph. I will go upstairs to her apartment.”
“And me?”
I looked at Cari in the rear view mirror.
“She’ll come with me. I'm not letting her out of my sight.”
“Alright.”
“And if she's not there?”
I look at Los from the corner of my eye.
“I'll call Shadow and find out where he is. We’ll go after her and pray…”
“Pray for what?”
I sighed. “Just pray, Carlos.”
Although it felt like hours, it had only been thirty minutes since I received Shadow’s phone call. As soon as I was next to Izzy’s car, I had a leg out even before I'd put the car in park. We didn't say a word, just got out of the car and went to do what we'd agreed to do. I went to Izzy’s door and opened it. It was unlocked and I thought my heart was going to fucking seize in my chest.
“Dez!”
Oh God.
I knew even without going upstairs that she wasn't here. She wouldn't have left him like this.
Dezi was panting and had lost a lot of blood. His tongue was out and resting on the floor. His breathing was labored. I took out the phone.
“D, get a vet and get down here ASAP. Izzy’s dog was shot. He doesn't have much time. I'll leave the clinic doors unlocked. It will be a good place for him to help Dezi.”
“What's going on, Bro?”
I heard him hustling.
“She's not here. She wouldn't have left Dezi to die.”
I heard steps behind me and saw Carlos and Cari.
“Ralph's dead.” He looked at Dezi. “Shot?”
I nodded, finding it hard to speak. After wasting precious seconds to gather my thoughts, I called Shadow.
“I lost him, Rome. Tell me she was upstairs.”
I ran a hand down my face. Fear was spreading in my chest. “No. She's not here.”
Everyone was silent for an infinitely long minute.
“I'm driving around to see if I spot the car. I took the plates and called a friend to run them. I'll call you when I have the name.”
“I'm going upstairs to check the video. Two of the motherfucking cameras were blown out. I'm going to check the recorded feeds.”
“Let me know what you find.”
“Ditto.”
I pocketed the phone and ran upstairs, leaving Cari to care for Dezi’s wound. I went to the monitor and began rewinding the recording. The multiple screens came up. I saw when the fucker killed Ralph and took out some of the cameras. I watched as Izzy walked Dezi.
And I sat there, my hands flexing with the urge to wrap them around his neck, as I watched the asshole grab Izzy from behind. He hadn't looked at the camera in all that time. When he pistol-whipped her and she fell to the ground, I saw red.
My phone rang and I accepted the call right as the motherfucker looked at the camera and smiled.
Giulio.
Fucking taunting me.
He had been the one stalking Izzy? Why?
The phone was on my ear as Shadow spoke. If I was surprised that Marcelo’s sidekick took Izzy, I was blown away by Shadow’s next words.
“It's registered to Giulio Valenti.”
My blood iced.
“Motherfucker.”
He was not only Izzy’s kidnapper, he was also her rapist.
“This is more serious than we thought, Shadow. I want all of your men on this. The best of the best. She's in a lot of danger.”
“I'll have them find a phone for the fucker and trace it. I'm going to keep sweeping the streets. I'll call back with updates.”
I hung up and was jogging to my car.
“Yo, Roman!”
“I don't have time now, Carlos. I'll call you in a bit and update you. Take care of things here.”
“Al and Rey?”
I nodded. He was asking whether to involve the cops. Since Ralph was a legit security hire and was now dead, I didn't worry about fall-out for the family.
Turning on my car, I revved and peeled out of the parking lot. I headed towards the only person I thought would have any current information of value as to Valenti’s whereabouts.
It was high time Marcelo found out about his sister.
Chapter 47
Izzy
I was groggy as I awoke. Slowly, my head began to clear. I was lying on a hard cold floor.
Cement?
Goddamn, my cheek hurt. It was throbbing and it had brought on one of my beloved migraines.
Just fucking great.
I touched my cheek, finding that the hit broke my skin. I briefly wondered if I had a concussion. I couldn't remember whether my head hit the floor; I'd already passed out from the hit to my face.
I carefully opened my eyes and tried to focus. The metallic and pungent smells of machinery and grease assaulted me at once.
I was in a warehouse, and there weren't any windows. Blessedly, and frighteningly, there were no lights, so it was easier to open my eyes than I'd thought.
Yea. Definitely a warehouse. Shelving, machines, and tools surrounded me, but nothing easily in reach.
I heard a switch and the brightest damn light of my life fired overhead causing me to yelp out in pain. My migraines made me highly sensitive to light and noise.
“Something's never change. Still have migraines, Izabella?”
I was covering my eyes with my hands.
“I'm sure I didn't make it any better with the slap to yo
ur face.” He paused a moment. “Sorry.”
He didn't sound the least bit.
“Did you think you'd forever elude me, puttana? Then when I finally find you, you begin playing whore to a Cuban?”
I felt the air blocked in front of my face and managed to open my eyes into slits. We were practically nose-to-nose. I hastily moved back. He grabbed my hair making me cry out. Pulling up, he dragged me to my knees.
“His dick better than mine, Izabella? Did you forget how good I made you feel that night?”
I felt the ire rise in me.
His lips were next to my ear a moment later.
“I made you scream and beg. Remember, Izabella? You loved every moment of it.”
His accent was still there, but his English was better than I remembered. I guess he had stayed in the US after I left.
“Didn't you?”
I didn't answer him, trying not to poke the beast.
“DIDN’T YOU!”
I opened my eyes, head throbbing and all, and looked at him.
“No, you sick fuck! You raped me!”
He slapped me twice and I fell back onto the cold floor again.
“You wanted it. You know you did.” He exhaled. “What am I going to do with you, Izabella? I'm not certain I want such a hostile bride. And you're no longer young.” He paused, and my breath caught.
“Let me go or-”
He hunched down on the floor and got in my face. I felt spittle on my cheek as he spat his words.
“Or what? Your boyfriend is going to make me pay? Please, Izabella. He's a pretty boy whose pockets are lined by his Papi’s money. I think I'll keep you as my whore for a while since you didn't mind playing one for that bastard. Even though you're older, it looks like your body is still nice and tight. Muscles, not cunt. Not sure about that yet. If he loosened you up too much, you're useless to me. I'll either sell you or kill you.”
He smiled cruelly at me. I wanted to curl up and cry, ignore what was happening.
I wanted to go to sleep and pretend that when I woke up again, I'd be home with Roman next to me and Dezi curled at our feet on the bed.
But I couldn't.
The reality was that no one knew where I was. No one would come and rescue me.
I had to rescue myself.
“Miserabili pezzo di merda.”
The moment I said it I knew I'd pay for that comment.
He punched me.
He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down hard on the cement floor. He hovered above me and through the slit of my eyes, I saw him smile.
“Still pathetically weak.”
I had to force myself to open my eyes more despite my photophobia. It hurt like a bitch, but so would anything done to me by this asshole.
I forced myself to remain calm and wait as he straddled my hips.
Feeling his hands start at my thighs, I wanted to vomit. He touched me like he had then, like he owned me.
“You finally see that it's inevitable. Just lie there, because you're not going to prevent what's coming, Izabella. Non mi rompere i coglioni.”
He began kissing my neck and sliding my dress up. He harshly grabbed and squeezed my left breast. Slowly, he slid down my form so that he could kiss my chest.
“Ow!”
He bit my breast through my bra. I saw him smile and I was surprised I didn't see blood running down from his mouth.
“That's only a peck, puttana. Wait until I get to the good stuff.”
He went to kiss my mouth and I turned my face. He slapped me three times, splitting my lip. He grabbed my cheeks and squeezed them until I squealed. It hurt the open wound on my cheek. He jerked my head back center.
“Don't you think of defying me, Izabella.”
He kissed me hard, hurting the tear at my lips. He moaned as if he liked the taste of my blood.
Bile was crawling up my esophagus and reaching my mouth. I gagged, which earned me another slap.
I tried not to let the daze overpower me. He’d been hitting my head and face hard. Add to that the slap from his gun and me possibly hitting my head on the fall, and it was affecting my thinking.
I just had to keep waiting. He kept moving his knees further down my sides.
Patience.
Patience, Izzy.
Purposefully, I placed my hands over the juncture of my thighs. His head snapped up to meet my eyes.
“Trying to cover yourself up isn't going to help you.”
He moved further down my sides and used both his hands to hold mine down above my head.
It was now or never.
I brought my knee up hard and hit his dick. I kneed him twice more for good measure and he howled. He moved his hands to go around my throat, and I brought my hands up. With all of my strength, I clasped my hands and brought it down hard on his nose.
“Fucking bitch!”
He fell to the side. Blood was running down his face, and the harsh air he was breathing caused blood to splatter on the floor.
“Troia!”
I hurriedly got up, kicked my heels off, and grabbed one. I saw a pair of doors and ran there. Light filtered in from the bottom, telling me that the outside was near.
I don't know how he recovered from his injuries, but I was suddenly hauled back and slammed down on the floor.
I saw stars.
I held the shoe in my hand and with force, I brought the heel down on the back of his neck. He fell back a bit, allowing me to get up and run again.
“BITCH. I'm going to kill you, Izabella!”
I ran for my life. Reaching the doors, I turned the handle and found it locked. I cried out in frustration. In a moment of weakness, I leaned my forehead on the door and gave into tears.
There was nowhere to go and hide in here. He'd find me anyway.
His hands appeared next to my head. I heard his breath next to my ear from his exertion.
“Do you think I'm a moron, un deficiente?” He laughed and roughly turned me around. I needed to catch him off-guard again.
I slipped down to the floor and he looked down in shock, and I crawled around him. I wasn't fast enough.
He kicked my leg.
“Fuck!”
He laughed at my outburst.
“It hurts, doesn't it, puttana?”
I rose quickly to my feet, ran back to put distance between us, and took a defensive stance. He laughed.
“Take a stupid bitch defense class? Not going to work, Izabella. But I'll tell you what, you do know how to warm a man up with foreplay.”
He came towards me. The distance did what I wanted it to. His hurried steps gave his body the momentum I needed. He stupidly reached for me and I took his arm and threw him down on the floor.
I'd winded him.
I didn't take what I did for granted. My eyes roamed the room for a weapon so that I could knock him out or kill him, and find a way to escape.
I ran towards a metal tool and when I grasped it, I was tackled to the ground. He flipped me over.
“You're going to pay for every bruise you gave me, Izabella. Fucking little slut.”
I swung my arm up to hit him in the head and he blocked me. He grabbed the tool and it clanged on the floor as he threw it across the room.
I looked at him and I knew that I would need to act swiftly and use surprise as a weapon as much as my martial arts training. He was over me, and I wrapped my legs around his hips and tugged him closer.
“Oh, don't worry. I'm going to fuck you.” His smug laugh pissed me off.
I brought him closer, and in one movement, I brought my legs up and triangulated them around his shoulders with his head and one arm between my triangulated legs. This wasn’t easy- he was a large man. I wouldn’t give up, though. I blocked his other arm as it swung up to me, and the arm I had trapped in the triangle of my thighs, I threw it across his chest. I applied pressure as he moaned through my jiu-jitsu triangular chokehold, waiting for him to pass out. His movements slowed until they stopped. Once I was
sure he was out cold, I disengaged myself and stood.
I wasn't going to give him another chance to get me. I grabbed another metal wrench and I swung it to the back of his head.
Bastard.
I figured the key to door was on him so I looked there first. Once I touched the warm metal in his pocket, I ran to the door. There were five damn keys to try and wouldn't you know it was the last one. My shaking hands didn't make things any easier.
I shouted in excitement when the door opened, only to reveal another room. I was so frustrated! I wanted to give in and collapse on the floor, crying.
I ran to the next door and tried all the keys with my shaking hands and aching body, but none of them worked.
“You have got to be kidding me!”
Could God throw me a bone? If I didn't get out of here, I was going to die here.
I thought of Roman and fresh tears fell down my eyes. I hastily wiped them away before steeling myself. Feeling sorry for myself would not help me now.
I looked up and high on the wall was a window. I would need to stack a few things to reach it. I began moving plastic storage boxes and chairs. I grabbed an extra long metal wrench with me to break it open. Slowly, I climbed up. Right as I reached the top, the reverberation of a gunshot surrounded me.
Stunned, I stopped.
All of a sudden, I lost feeling in my right leg. I looked down, and right as I did, everything started to come up as if gravity lost its hold on the objects in the room and they rose upwards. It wasn't until I slammed down on the unyielding floor that I realized gravity hadn't lost its hold.
I had.
The pain in my body numbed even my tongue and vocal cords as my voice-box refused to emit anything other than a tiny moan. Before my eyes and mind fully closed on me, I assessed my status.
The back of my head was sticky.
My legs were numb.
The pain in my body that I'd been feeling, though, was numbing and fading, which was both a blessing and alarming.
As my brain began shutting down, I thought about the good and bad points of being a doctor. I’d saved many lives, which of course, was good. Part of being a doctor, though, was knowing when someone was broken beyond repair- too ill to be healed.