Page 21 of Roman

Their eyes widened when I confirmed I was who they thought I was. The one with the clawed face pointed to the left, and I glanced at Aldo. “Watch them.”

I found the door, locating the light switch, and went down the stairs cautiously. The basement was damp and cold. Musty. Dirty from years of neglect.

It took me a moment to locate her. She was in a corner, a small bundle of misery on the floor. Chained there, like an animal. I knelt beside her, rolling her over, narrowing my eyes at the sight of her injuries. Her face was bruised and torn. Her neck showed signs of fingerprint-shaped bruises developing on it. Her lip was cut. She was ice-cold and unconscious, but she was breathing. I pulled off my coat, wrapping her in it. I left her for a moment, rushing up the stairs.

“Whoever has the fucking key, give it to me before I count to five.” I held out my hand. It took to three for the key to be dropped into my palm. I shot the asshole in the knee for taking so long and, ignoring his scream, raced back downstairs, unlocking the chain and gathering Effie into my arms. She roused a little, gasping and moaning. “Stay still,” I murmured. “You’re safe now.”

Upstairs, the men watched me as I set her on the sofa. It was disgusting but at least warmer than the fucking basement floor.

“Two million each and this is how you treat her?” I asked, my voice quiet and deadly calm.

“She fought us,” the one with the claw marks said. “She fell. It was her fault.”

I crouched in front of him. “She do that to your face?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Fought like a little tiger, did she?” I said, lowering my voice, sounding as if I were sharing a secret. “The little ones, they always fight, am I right?”

A sick grin split his face. “Yeah. They do. I like it.”

My bullet froze his face with that grin on it. A perfect hole in the center of his head that gave me a great deal of satisfaction.

I stood, eyeing the one who’d given me the key.

He was holding his knee, openly weeping like a little girl. “I didn’t know, man. That she was yours. I wouldn’t have touched her.”

“Is that a fact?” I asked.

“Look, just give me a hundred grand so I can hide somewhere. It was all his idea, you know. The two mil, and even this job. Not me.”

I rubbed my chin as if contemplating his words. He seemed to think he actually had a chance.

“One hundred,” I mused. “I’ll make it two for a little information.”

He nodded eagerly.

“Was it the Santini brothers?”

“Yes. They bought her from her sister. They said she was a virgin and not to touch her. I guess they lied.”

I stepped closer. “You know something I discovered today about the Santini boys?”

He waited, not speaking.

“They hire the dumbest fucks I’ve ever met.” I shot his other knee, and his mouth opened, a soundless scream frozen on his face as I bent closer. “And that two hundred grand? I lied too.”

He was dead before he hit the floor.

Aldo spoke. “Finished having fun now, Roman? We need to get out of here.”

I turned to lift Effie into my arms, startled to see her eyes open, the blue-violet color dull and vacant. She looked at me and the two men bleeding on the floor. A small whimper escaped her mouth.

I scooped her up, holding her tight. “Close your eyes, Little Tiger. You’ve seen enough for now.”

Her body slumped in my embrace.

“What are we doing with them?” Aldo asked.

“Leave them to rot. It’ll send a message.”

And I headed to the SUV.