Page 20 of The Mafia’s Fiancee

Chapter 8

Emma

“None of them are working?” I asked of Krista slotting the keys against the lock on the cuffs. They didn’t open the metal band on my wrist. I had to hope one of them would open the shackle at my ankle.

“I’m trying.”

I nodded, shoving at the one on my arm and eyeing the other end of the thick chain. It was secured to the bedpost, and I doubted I had the strength to make that stalk of wood wiggle, much less crack

“I mean it, sis. I can’t picture you being stuck with Antonio. I saw him a little bit at the party, before they drugged me so much I passed out.” She shook her head, making her waves fall into her face.

I didn’t need to see her expression to know it was one of stark fear.

“He was talking about how he’d tame you. How you’d break you into submission and pass you around...” She glanced up at me, sneering with disgust. “Like you’re some thing to share. Not a person to treasure.”

“There’s no love in an arranged marriage.”

“But you think you’ll find it with Luke? The bouncer who moonlights as a fighter?”

I nodded, switching my ring back to its rightful place on my left hand. Glittering light reflected on the ruby’s face as I held out my hand. “I know I’ve found it with Luke.”

“Wait. What—” She stilled with the key, then shook her head to snap herself out of the stupor. Working the next key against the hole, she narrowed her eyes at me, multitasking through her shock. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

“He proposed.”

Her jaw dropped, but she glanced down to put the next key against the hole. “He proposed? When you were already promised to someone else?”

“Promised without my consent,” I argued.

“But, Emma. That agreement was made years and years ago.”

“Without my consent.” This was Luke’s biggest argument, and I’d roll with it.

“But they don’t need it. They’ve never needed it.” She lowered her focus again. “You think that would work? Luke swooping in to propose before Antonio and your dad make an official announcement otherwise?” She huffed a dark laugh. “Em, he’s planning to come here. Tonight. To rape you and force you to marry him now. Not later.”

I shook my head. “I refuse to let that happen.”

“He’ll force you! You won’t have a say in it happening or not.”

Panic rose within me, but I refused to let it control me. “Then I’ll have to work harder”— gritted my teeth with more force to slide the cuff over my raw skin—“to get out of here.”

She gasped. With a little harder push and slight twist of the key, the pressure shifted around my ankle. With a pair of loud thuds, the halves of the concave metal fell to the floor.

I was free—partly. My ankle was no longer bound. “Finally.” I exhaled a deep breath of relief as I crouched down to rub the sore skin. I hadn’t gotten as far in trying to slide off the ankle cuff so there wasn’t much raw flesh and bleeding. The area was swollen, though, and I wished for ice or a cold compress.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

Krista stood, frowning with worry.

“Thank you,” I repeated a third time as I pulled her in for a tight hug. “Thank you.” I pressed a kiss to her cheek before she reared back.

“But what about this one?” She lifted my hand, admiring the ruby on my finger with a slight smile before she furrowed her brow at the cuff.

“Halfway there. Maybe we can try the keys again?”

She shook her head. “You saw me. I tried them all.” With a sour grimace, she turned toward the bed to start unraveling the long chain that had been looped around the post to keep me secure. “Not to mention, this is pure insanity. Crazy talk. You realize that, right? We’re both insane to think and plan about running and defying them.”

“I will be defying them. Not you. As soon as I get out of here, you need to hide.” I couldn’t stand the thought of her being caught and punished for helping me.