by Haley Stuart
She slowly reaches into her pockets and retrieves a small phone, handing it to me with shaking hands. I unlock the screen and go to the call log. There is nothing but random numbers. I am about to give up when I come across a number that looks familiar. Mine. More than a month ago. I press the number to see the date the call is made. The day I’ve buried my father.
I can feel my rage pooling and grow more and more angry. This fucking bitch. I look up from the screen, and before I know it, the phone is flying across the room and shatters against the wall. I am up out of my seat, screaming before I can comprehend anything else.
“You fucking helped her escape! You helped her get away from me! What the fuck did you do?” I am shouting at such a close vicinity.
I hear shuffling behind me and turn to see Stefano moving, trying to get to me. I walk close to him, and my foot lashes out, connecting with his face and stomach. I can hear Elise’s cousin scream and beg me to stop, but I keep going until he can barely move on the floor beneath me. There is blood pooling beneath him from his nose and split lip. I ought to shove his face in it. Drown him in his own blood.
Then I turn back to the dumb bitch that has helped my wife escape.
“Where the fuck is she?” I ask.
She doesn’t respond. She is sobbing continuously, and it is irritating the fuck out of me. I yank her hair back and force her to look at her husband. A shot fires through the room, and she screams as Stefano grunts in pain, holding his arm. I motion for Romelo to fire a shot that will harm but not kill the man.
“I don’t know!” she shouts. She is lying. I can tell by the frantic movements she is making.
I have lifted my hand to tell Romelo to fire another shot when she jumps from the seat.
“Wait, wait! Please.” She is sobbing in her hands. She falls to the floor on her knees. “She called me from a phone in Colorado a few weeks ago.” I can feel my blood boiling beneath my skin. I have to fight so hard to keep my rage suppressed.
“How did she get there?”
“I … I helped her escape. She didn’t deserve to be with a monster like you! Elise is kind and loving, and you’re killing her! You’re breaking her into nothing but a shell of her former self! She can’t live like th—”
I press the gun into her shoulder. The space that is right underneath the bone. She gasps aloud and begins whimpering, but it does nothing but fuel my anger. I pull the trigger without hesitation. The fire echoes throughout the chamber, and I can hear Stefano shout a string of curse words. Elise’s cousin sits in front of me screaming in agony, and I watch, mesmerized, as the blood soaks her shirt. I take my thumb and push it deeper into the wound.
“I’m a monster?” I laugh, truly finding amusement in her choice of words. “You just awoke the demon sleeping within me. You obviously don’t know whom exactly you are dealing with. And now because of you, she may not live at all.”
She is biting her lip in pain. I have had it with these people. I want my wife back. Now.
“I will fucking mutilate your husband and make you watch as I paint the walls with his dead carcass. What else aren’t you telling me?”
Her eyes widen in terror as she finally realizes whom she has crossed. I don’t know why the fuck she has even bothered to help Elise out, knowing who her husband is.
“She moves every two weeks to a different location. The next time she moves will be two days from now. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! P-please!”
Her words have no effect on me. If anything, this little stunt helps set my decision on these filthy people.
“Sir.” Romelo’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. I look up. Stefano is holding his shoulder in pain, but the look in his eyes shows that he is hurt by his wife’s actions and infuriated by the fact that I’ve shot her. It is just a flesh wound. Nothing that will kill her. I stand and walk away from them both, turning before we exit.
“Do not cross me again. I will kill all of you, including Elise.”
I let Nicolai and Romelo exit before I turn and look at Elise’s cousin.
“Do not contact her again. It is clear that you can’t be trusted with the little bit of freedom you did have.” I make sure to slam the door behind me.
We leave the house with a new directive and a fresh, new trail to find that traitorous bitch. Just like her whole family. Something needs to be done about them. All of them.
“Set up a perimeter around Colorado. I want everything nearest any pay phone tracked. I want the phones tapped and wired. I want hotel tickets monitored. Any that’s been there or checked in at the beginning of the twelve days from Friday and any after.”
No sooner have the words gone out of my mouth than Romelo and Nicolai taken action. I hope Elise enjoys her time away from me, because just like her wishing I were dead, well, when I am done with her, she’ll be wishing she were.
Chapter 14
Elise
“I’m leaving for the week, Frank!” I shout across the room. My boss, Frank, looks at me and, with a sad smile, makes his way over.
“Sad to see you go, Elise.” He hands me my check and a slip of paper. “This is your referral. You work harder than anyone I’ve ever had before. You said you were moving to Nevada, right? Well, go to a restaurant called Forks and ask for Robin. Give him this letter, and the job is surely yours.” He smiles a smile full of kindness. I will really miss him.
But I can’t afford to get attached to anyone. Luca can be on my trail even at this very moment. That is why I can’t stay in one place for very long.
When I’ve first run off, the planning and the waiting have been all worth it. Ari has wired me the money to keep me afloat, and I’ve made sure to move every two weeks so I can’t get too comfortable. There is no time to stay in one place. If Luca picks up even a fraction of my trail, he will find me quicker than I can plan an escape.
That is why when I first move to a different area, I will scan the area and come up with multiple escape routes just in case. The first week of my runaway has been scary. In all honesty, I’ve thought Luca has died, because his injuries are so bad. So I’ve had a mini heart attack when I’ve seen him. Luca has come meters from catching me. After I’ve pawned my wedding ring, he has come to the pawnshop within minutes. I have been across the street, eating, when I see him pull up. Lucky for me, he is too angry about the ring being in the window to think to search the area, and I’ve gotten away.
Me landing that job waitressing is pure luck. Lucky for me the man that owns the joint is kind and doesn’t need an explanation as to my strange moving patterns. But somehow, he understands I am in trouble and has helped me out by giving me this job. It keeps my mind busy and helps me earn some extra cash. I need to stop contacting Ari, because pretty soon, the phone calls and money-wiring will add up and Luca will catch the pattern. I hate myself each time I get Ari involved in this mess, but until I am stable enough to keep Luca off my trail, I need her.
I have made sure to keep my moving patterns random so Luca can’t detect them. And I think I have done a pretty good job as of late. But it is time for me to go so that Luca doesn’t catch me. I need to have a whole day to cover my trail and disappear off the radar from this area before I leave.
I give Frank a hug and grab my coat before leaving the small diner for good. I can’t believe I have eluded Luca this long, but it is heavenly and peaceful. And I love it. Even though I am paranoid, the fact that I don’t have to be scared of him being in a bad mood and taking it out on me has done wonders for me. This must be the freedom people talk about. Not living in fear, but pure joy, because you have no psycho killer as a husband.
I walk with my head down, as I always do. I don’t know if Luca has people on the lookout for me or not. I don’t want to risk it and get caught because I am being careless. But Luca will have to give up eventually on finding me, and I will be free.
I finally reach the hotel room I have rented out, and unlocked the door. It is a medium-size room with a small kitchen and bathroom and an
area for the bed. It is big enough for me and has enough space so I don’t need to crowd anything in. It is not like I have a lot of luggage, anyways. When I’ve escaped from Luca, I’ve run with nothing more than my violin case and the contents of it. I have had taken my violin out the night of the concert and put things I will need for survival. That has been my only hole of escape. I have taken a change of clothes and the tools I need to escape.
I take the little bit of clothing that I do have and stuff them in the empty case. Tomorrow is going to be spent covering my tracks here, and when Friday comes, I will move. This time, I will be going to Nevada. I have a map that I drop a coin onto so I will just get there randomly and not have a plan. It is the only way I can move around without having a pattern. Even subconsciously.
After I pack everything up, I decide to take a shower. I strip my clothes and stop in front of the mirror, looking at the scar that will be forever inscribed into my skin. I run my fingers over the skin. It is smooth and flat. The scabbing is gone, so now all that remains is lightened skin that spells out Luca. Every time I look at it, my hatred for Luca brews even stronger.
I step into the shower and let the warm spray wash away the week’s stress.
Living like this isn’t healthy. Always looking over my shoulder, afraid that Luca may be there. I am constantly paranoid of someone being too nice to me. Or someone that is angry at me.
I even grow nervous when someone stops me to ask directions. I can’t even answer them, because I think I have been caught.
I step back into my room after my shower and lie down in my bed. This has never been the life I have envisioned for myself, but it is necessary to get away from that crazy man I have had been forced to marry. My life has never been happy until this point that I am at now. My father has never showered me the affection I’ve craved, and my whole life has been used for his power and his gain. Eventually, my thoughts run me ragged, and I let sleep take me.
I don’t know what it is that wakes me in the middle of the night, but something isn’t right. My eyes shoot open, and immediately I try to sit up in bed, but something holds me down. No, not something, someone. My heart explodes in my chest as a deep chuckle reverberates throughout the room.
“If you move, I will cut your throat where you lie.”
My blood freezes in my veins. Luca is lying behind me in the bed. As if to prove his point, I feel the cold press of the steel against my throat. He is holding me down with one hand, while the other is wrapped around my side, holding the knife. How? How has he found me? I have been so careful. I don’t leave any clues!
His hands roam under my shirt. “I missed your skin.”
He leans in so I can feel his warm breath tickle my ear.
“You thought you could run away from me? Me. The capo.” I can feel his hands thread through my hair, and he jerks roughly on it, yanking me at an uncomfortable angle. I gasp aloud from the pain.
“And you were foolish enough as to drag your naive cousin into it.”
My heart jumps as I take in the meaning of his words. “I … I swear if you touched Ari—”
He cuts me off and begins laughing, as if he really finds my words funny. “What? You’re going to kill me? You better be glad I didn’t shoot you in your sleep.”
I bite my jaw in pain as his grip on my hair tightens. All this time, I have thought I am doing good. I’ve thought I really have a chance. But Luca has caught me. Easy.
He yanks me out of the bed, and I cry out in pain. It is time for me to put the training and escape plans into action. I drop my body, the weight catching him off guard.
Both of our bodies drop to the floor, and my hand shoots out, the palm nailing him in the chin. I hear him cry out in pain, and I take off across the room, making sure to grab my case, which I have set by the door. I yank the door open and take off up the hallway, or at least I try. Hands reach out and snatch me before I am good out the door. My violin case clatters to the floor, everything spilling out of it down the hall.
The hands that are holding me on either side of me force me to kneel in front of the dark doorway that has once been my room. I struggle and cry out in frustration. My eyes are burning from the newly emerging tears as I realize I have been caught. That it is over. These men work for Luca. One I recognize as Nicolai, and the other because I have seen him around the house all the time as if he were Luca’s shadow. Luca emerges, looking as scary as he has the day he has lost his father.
His cold gray eyes pin me to my spot, making me afraid to move an inch. He is rubbing his chin and watching me with a wicked gleam in his eyes. One that I have never seen before. Luca has always kept his expressions unreadable, but now he doesn’t care at all, and I am seeing everything. My heart rate speeds up, as if sensing danger. Luca squats in front of me and reaches out slowly. Out of nowhere, his hand connects with the back of my head, smashing my face into the carpet.
I cry out and lie there in pain, but not before he yanks me back up. I have seen Luca angry before, but the look on his face now is something I have never hoped to encounter. I can taste the metallic tang as blood fills my mouth from my now-split lip.
“Let me explain something to you in case you haven’t realized the severity of this situation. You almost killed me—”
I can feel the hatred I have brewed up for Luca and smile in his face before interrupting him. “Good.” I then emphasize my claim and spit at his feet.
A muscle in his jaw clenches. Before I know what is going on, my face is being smashed back into the carpet. I don’t even have time to get a grip of my surroundings. His hand wraps around my throat, and he squeezes.
“You tried to fucking kill me, you dragged your family into it, and you ran away from me.” He squeezes even harder, as if emphasizing his point. I try to struggle, but Luca is too strong for me.
“L-luca …,” I try to squeak out.
“Save your fucking begging. You’re going to need it.”
The last thing I register is my face being forced toward the carpet. Then nothing.
* * * * *
My head is hammering as I slowly regain consciousness. My throat feels dry, and my mouth feels as though cotton balls have been shoved in it. The events of Luca catching me come rushing back to me. I don’t bother moving just in case Luca is around. I just move my eyes so I can see the room I am in. My heart jumps as I take in the room.
I have never seen it before. The bed is massive, with a red canopy draped over it, black mahogany on all four corners holding up the frame. But that is not what shocks me. The walls are a deep red, and in front of the bed, elevated on four columns, is a cage. A big cage.
I look to the left of the bed, and there are a long table and metal chairs, and on the walls are all kinds of tools I have never seen before. There are even cuffs attached to the wall. I don’t wait around for Luca to appear out of nowhere. It is obvious this room is designed for some kind of torture.
I sit up quickly, ignoring the spinning room, and make way for the door, only to be yanked back roughly by my throat. Wait, what? After a coughing fit, I sit up slowly and look to the frame of the bed. There is a chain. The chain leads all the way to the fucking collar strapped around my throat.
Repeated gasps fill the entire chamber as I break into a full-blown panic attack. I immediately wrap my hands around the chain and yank with all the force I can put into it. It doesn’t budge.
“You’re not going to break that with your dainty hands, baby.”
I jump and follow the sound of Luca’s voice to see him stepping into the room from a dark door. I look beyond him and see stairs and a dark corridor. Wherever he has me must be underground or something.
I slowly lower my hands and feel my body vibrating. I am shaking in fear. Literally.
Luca’s tall frame enters the room, and he looks devastatingly handsome as ever. He is not wearing a shirt, so all his tattoos are visible. Some have names and dates, others have detailed pictures, and there is a quote under his rib I
can’t make out in this lighting. His pitch-black hair is untamed on his head in wild curls, and his flawless face is watching me. How much easier life will be if he were at least unattractive. Then I won’t be betrayed by my body all the time in his presence.
He walks even closer to me, going as slow as he likes, never taking those steel-colored eyes off me.
“Do you like it?” he says as he gestures to the room around me. “I had it especially renovated for you.” He doesn’t come to the bed, only walks to the wall filled with all kinds of strange implements.
“Of course, I got brand-new tools for you. Wouldn’t want to use the same tools I used for interrogations on my lovely wife.” He pauses and comes to the bed.
“You are still my wife, Elise.”
He reaches in the back pocket of his jeans and pulls out that damn ring I have pawned all those weeks ago. He reached out and slowly takes ahold of my shaking hand, slowly pushing the ring back into place. His eyes move up, and he reaches out, trailing a finger around the collar latched around my neck.
“Can’t have you running off anymore. Do you like your new jewelry?” He loops a finger underneath between the collar and my skin and pulled me closer to him.
“I had it especially made just for you. Real diamonds, baby. You wouldn’t imagine how much it cost me.” He smiles, but it is not at all kind.
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Luca is so calm, so nonchalant right now. And right before he knocks me out, he tells me I will need my begging. His attitude is making me even more terrified.
His eyes drop to the choice of clothing he has decided to make me wear. Just a lacy white pair of bra and panties. I can see the moment his pupils dilate the adrenaline of something fueling his system.
“Damn, you are so sexy, baby.” He traces his name on my side slowly, as if mesmerized by the skin.
“So tell me, when you ran from me, wrecked my car, told me you hoped I died, did you at all bother to think of the consequences your actions would entail? Or did you think you could actually get away with it?” He is watching me with that calculated gaze.