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My hushed voice came out in gasps. “Please, no more. No more, I beg you.”
But my pleas fell on deaf ears. He wasn’t even affected by what was going on in the next room. He continued holding me tightly in his arms, forcing me to watch.
As a girl I had never had to go through real physical pain. But I had never been subjected to mental torture like this either. I tried to shut my brain off. But it wouldn’t let me, as if it had a morbid interest in what was going to happen next.
A couple of minutes later, I realized that he was speaking into the intercom again. And suddenly he flicked the switch again and the large viewing window turned blank.
I turned my head toward him. “Is…is it over?”
“Yes. It’s over.”
CHAPTER 22
MARCO
It was over for her now, but not for the guy in the other room.
But she didn’t need to see the rest of it. She’d seen enough for tonight. She’d seen enough over the last week to last her a lifetime.
I was not showing her mercy. I was treating her as a Made Man should treat a woman in this world. They hadn’t been brought up to witness death, but she had already seen her sister get shot at her own wedding and others get killed on the same day.
Her legs gave way under her when I let go of her and she slumped, her knees hitting the floor. Crying was a waste of time in our world. We each had our jobs to do, and we got on with it.
After taking Juliana back to my bedroom, I returned to the garage block, taking over the torture of Cornelio and letting all my anger out. Each moan from him made my blood pump faster, each scream from him was music to my ears, and each cut to his skin was like a new triumph being bestowed upon me.
JULIANA
The next morning, I woke up in Marco’s bedroom.
As usual, Marco was already up and gone.
It had been getting dark when we entered the garage yesterday. It was morning now, judging by the light coming through the windows. My memories of the previous evening felt hazy as I thought back to what had happened after the viewing window went blank…
As the window went blank and Cornelio disappeared from my sight, I knew I should try to run to him, should try one last attempt at saving him, but my legs no longer were able to hold me up.
I felt the frozen concrete floor against my calves as my legs gave way. The wetness from my tears hit the back of my hands.
After I could cry no more, Marco picked me up. I cowered from him, afraid of him and what he might do next.
But his touch was gentle, and he cradled me in his arms and whispered in my ear that everything was going to be alright now. As if anything could ever be okay again.
But I didn’t have the strength to argue with him. I didn’t have the strength to fight him anymore. I didn’t have the strength to even cry anymore.
I let him carry me back to the bedroom, his arms around me suddenly making me feel safe.
“What happens to Jake now?” I whispered. I had to know.
He put me down by the bed, and as I stood, he undressed me, pulling my top over my arms and head. “We send him back to L.A.”
My breath came out in a rush of relief. He took off the rest of my clothes.
He gently pushed at my shoulders to make me sit down on the side of his bed. He held out to me a glass of water and a small white tablet resting on the palm of his hand.
“Wh-What is it?” I asked him, fearing that he wanted to drug me.
“A sedative. It will help you sleep.”
I shook my head very slightly at him. “I don’t want it. Please don’t make me take it,” I whispered.
