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“Oh my God.” I open my arms to receive him. “Thank God, Marty.” I shake uncontrollably. “I thought this was it for me. It’s been hell.”
He pulls away from the hug and eyes me. Is he judging my performance? I don’t know, but he has to buy it. I cry into his arms and hug him tight. “I’m sorry I ran from everything. I just wanted out. I didn’t know I needed your protection, Marty.”
“Alright, Ellie. It’s alright, I got you.” He pats my back. “Just don’t go pulling anymore tricks again, alright? I need you in my sights if I’m going to protect you out here. This world our pop reared us into is a tough one.”
Paul walks up to us. I disengage from my brother to slap him across the face, not having to fake the emotion behind my glare.
His head whips, and a smirk forms.
My brother laughs.
“You’re a real piece of shit for selling me to the Valentinos. I did everything you asked to keep me out of this.”
“Alright, alright.” Marty grabs my arm to pull me back. “Now that all the bad blood is out, can we kumbaya, please? I have something of a hundred kilos in that house I’d like to repackage and resell. Not to mention, an entire family to wipe from the playing field.” He snaps his fingers, getting his crew’s attention. “See this woman in the black dress? Most of you know her, but for the newbies that don’t, this is my sister, Ellie. Not a hand is laid on her.”
Jackpot.
I keep my glare squared at Paul as I stomp past him, some of Marty’s boys following me like they’re going to protect me. I just needed to put some space between me and my brother, get a lay of the land without anyone noticing.
“C’mon down, if you want, Ellie. See what happens to the pricks who think they can mess with the Rigianos. This ain’t no Shadow crew any longer, you pricks,” Marty yells and laughs. “You just fell into the Loophole.”
I stuff my heels back on and follow my brother into the ratty building. My eyes widen at the golden swirls along the walls like the inside of a hotel. Floodlights are new and bright overhead, and the hallway red carpet gives an air of royalty.
“It’s like Putin’s hideaway.” Marty cackles as he touches the walls.
I eye the burly man at his side – Tony the Keg. I remember him from a long time ago. Pushing thoughts of the past away, I focus my mind on getting a weapon and worming access to Donny. If my brother stays oblivious enough to my motives, he might lead me straight to him.
We make a right into a massive room dimly lit like a movie theater, with a circle of doors in the center. This is the auction room, has to be. It looks almost identical to the one from the movie Taken.
“I was thinking, since it’s going to take my guys a bit to load the cars, maybe we’ll let the Valentinos get a glimpse of what it feels like to be auctioned? For our entertainment, huh?” Marty laughs and hits Tony on the shoulder to see if he had the same enthusiasm.
My brother is a sick man.
“Only instead of bids, we’ll vote on which body part they’ll have to part with next. We should start with the Scar. That old dog has been pissing us off since the dawn of time,” Marty keeps yapping.
Every muscle in my body tenses. I’ve grown fond of Scar, and the thought of him being tortured doubles the pit in my belly. I need to get Donny and his crew out.
I break off from my brother and peruse the room. One of the men carrying a bag of cocaine eyes me, but I stare right back and stand my ground.
“Who’s this one?” he asks his friend.
“Loophole’s sister. Keep moving.” The guy literally kicks him forward.
I let out a shaky breath and move toward one of the doors. I open and shut it behind me.
My skin crawls when I look around the booth to see a numerical keypad, an ashtray, and two huge ass-prints on the only seat. It looks like a high-tech confessional.
This is where they would’ve bid on me. I shiver again.
There’s a large glass pane in front of me that shows nothing but a pitch-black room. I wonder if the glass is fogged and look around for more clues. There’s a switch near the chair, and I flick it. An amber light flashes on overhead and my heart skips a beat.
Donny.
My throat dries. Donny’s on his knees with blood leaking from his head and nose. Scar is there too, and Vinny. They’re all shirtless and look like they’d been prodded with an electrical rod. Those burns are unforgiving and deep. How did this all happen in a few minutes?
My hands are plastered against the glass. I think of punching it so he knows he’s not alone, but what sense would that make? The glass is definitely one-way. Besides, I have to stay silent as a cat if I’m going to break him free. Somehow…
I hear my brother’s unmistakable voice despite being muffled. He’s stomping around the room, and I freeze. Nerves get the better of me. I’m not built for this.
