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“Maximo,” I shout.
He stops.
“I need to use your phone,” I say, panting heavily.
He stares at me a moment, and I think he’s going to say no. He’s going to revert back to the slave talk and say I don’t get such privileges.
Instead, he pulls out his phone and hands it to me.
“I need to go patrol outside for a bit. I’ll make sure to buy you your own phone after I get done with my patrol. I’m sure Matteo meant for you to have a phone but hasn’t gotten around to getting you one yet,” he says.
Even Maximo thinks highly of Matteo. Matteo has fooled everyone, his trusty employees included.
“Thank you, Maximo,” I say. I don’t tell him that the new phone won’t be necessary because I won’t be staying. I need to warn Nina and then get out of here as fast as I can.
When Maximo has walked outside, I pull up the keyboard and begin typing the number I memorized that Nina gave me for emergencies only. I wait impatiently, pacing back and forth in the hallway hoping that Nina answers. If she answers, she’s still alive.
I hear the phone click over, “Nin—”
The phone is snatched out of my hand, and Matteo speaks, “I have Eden. I’ve had her for the past year. If you want to save her, I suggest you and Arlo get to Italy. Fast.”
“No,” I shout, hoping she hears me before he hangs up the phone.
“She won’t come. You won’t get her.”
He shakes his head, and I swear I see tears in his menacing eyes.
“Nina will come. She loves you. She will do anything to protect you,” Matteo says.
He’s right. And I hate him for it.
“You won’t hurt her. You promised. You won’t turn her over to Enrico. You can’t.”
He swallows. “I’m sorry.”
I back up, sick and tired of his apologies.
“If you do this, we are done. I won’t forgive you for this. I’ll run. And I’ll take our baby with me. You’ll never get to see her.”
“If that is what you think is for the best, then I will let you go. You won’t have to run; I won’t come after you or our daughter. You can be free.”
I narrow my eyes, not understanding him. He’s fought so hard to get me back only to let me go now? It doesn’t make sense.
“When this is all over, I’ll let you go.”
I see the syringe in his hand too late. I feel the sting, and then my eyes grow heavy. If this fucks up our baby, I’ll kill him. He catches me in his arms, and the last thing I remember is him saying, “This is for the best. It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
He could have said those words. Or my brain may have imagined them because I was too desperate to hold onto the thought that he still loves me and we can be a happy family someday. He could have said those words. He could have been protecting me. Or he could not have given a fuck at all.
22
Nina
She’s been gone a year. And I did nothing. I didn’t even know she was gone.
I don’t know why Matteo took Eden. The only thought I can come up with is because he is pissed at me and looking for revenge. He wants to hurt Arlo and me for what we did to him.
He’s had Eden this whole time. Tortured her. Raped her. And now he might kill her if we don’t do exactly what he wants.
