She shook her head slowly, worry clouding her expression. “These men are monsters. I won’t let you walk around them like this.”
“They won’t hurt me. They’re too scared of my father.”
“Your father will punishyouif they touch you. Maybe he’ll punish them too, but you will get the brunt of it.”
“I must save him, Flavia. It’s all I can think about. Imust do it before it is too late.”
“I will get the key for you. Promise me you won’t go near the guards like this. Stay away from them.”
“I don’t want you to risk the baby’s or your life for me.”
“Your father won’t kill me until his son is born. He needs an heir to appear stronger. I always knew my death was a likely result of this marriage.”
“Flavia—”
“You took care of me when your father tried to beat me into submission at the beginning of our marriage. You were a child, but you risked everything. It’s my turn to give back. This is my choice.”
I gave a small nod, even if I still worried about the consequences. I didn’t want her or the baby to get hurt. “Promise me you’ll come with us. Promise me you’ll run away.”
She sighed. “I’m in no state to run. I…” She gave me a resigned smile. “Don’t worry about me, okay?”
I didn’t agree, but I decided not to argue with her for now.
I returned to my room and changed into my usual clothes. That night, Flavia came over to my room and handed me a bundle with keys. There were the keys to Nestore’s cell, the frontgates, and almost every door in the house on it. The front door and gates also operated with fingerprints, but the system broke down on occasion, so Father and the guards always had physical keys on hand just in case. I gave her a wide-eyed look as she hovered in front of me in a skimpy nightgown. “Your father fell asleep afterward. Hurry. Now’s your best bet to make it out of here.”
I slipped out of bed and put on sneakers and a cardigan. I didn’t want to waste time getting dressed. I only owned dresses, so there was nothing good for an escape.
“You should hurry. Take a car. But the keys to them are in the guard rooms.”
Father never drove a car himself after he became Underboss.
“Maybe we’ll escape on foot and then try to hitchhike.”
Flavia nodded, but her eyes reflected sorrow and fear.
I touched her belly. “Be safe, you two, okay?”
“As safe as we can be. Find happiness.”
Happiness… what a wonderful concept. I stuffed some money and the keys into a bag and hurried away, not looking back at Flavia.
My pulse pounded in my ears as I rushed down the stairs to the basement. When Nestore spotted me, he pushed to his feet. He had the slightest limp from his last beating, and my heart sank, worrying about how we’d get out of here if he couldn’t run.
“Amelia, what—”
I pulled out the keys and picked the one for the lock in front of me, then opened Nestore’s cell. For a moment, trepidation flashed across his face. The sound of the lock being turned usually meant pain, so his reaction made sense and filled me with a new resolve. We needed to get out of here before my father killed Nestore.
“We’re running away,” I whispered as I swung open the door. For the first time in two years, no bars were between us. Nestorestepped closer, then over the threshold into the corridor. He let out a deep breath as he peered down at me. I had forgotten how tall Nestore was. Standing in front of me, he towered over me.
His entire face morphed into wonder as he looked left, then right in the corridor.
“You risk too much for me,” he said eventually.
“Not just for you. I’m doing this for me.”
The truth of the matter was that I would have never run away if it weren’t for Nestore. I wouldn’t have been brave enough for myself.
Nestore held out his hand. “Come on. I know this place by heart.” I put my hand in his, and he closed his fingers around mine. We had this one chance to make it out of here alive, and we had to take it.
