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“That’s where you’re wrong, flower, nobody’s coming for you.” He slammed the door behind him, and the lock clicked into place.
Hearing him say nobody was coming for me was worse than the gut punch I received, and I knew I shouldn’t second guess it, but I was beginning to…
He called me flower, and the only ones to call me that were my father, grandfather, and grandmother.
* * *
Days passed and they left me alone. They sent another brute in with food for me, but he had obviously been ordered to steer clear since he opened the door just enough to kick whatever they’d concocted across the floor.
“That’ll stay there until you eat it all up.” I was sick of being spoken to like a child, treated like one as well. “That’s if you can reach.” He laughed, and as usual, left me alone. I preferred it that way but that was when the thoughts crept in, the doubt, the hurt.
I knelt on the floor as I reached for the bowl that homed a slice of stale bread and a minuscule lump of cheese. I held whatever there was of it between my trembling fingers as I sunk onto the concrete, the stone somewhat comfier than the bed they’d given me.
Thankfully, I couldn’t see the rest of me but if my fingers were anything to go by, I must have been a mess, dried blood crusted beneath my nails, my hair knotted, and luckily I could only feel how swollen my eye was. I didn’t fancy seeing the state my face was in. I didn’t want to think of what Lorenzo might think of me when he arrived.
I heard the lock click once more and I jumped to my feet, the chain clanged against the bedframe as I hurried back to my usual place. My feet were throbbing, sore and cut open, they’d taken my sneakers and belt, obviously they believed I could use those as a weapon against them.
As the door opened slowly, I watched with widened eyes. They were too quiet for the original brutes, but it was quieter in general this afternoon, there was no hushed voice, no gossiping and none of the usual laughter.
I could have buried my head in the mattress, but I sat strong. I trained my sunken gaze on the door as someone new stepped inside.
But it was someone I knew all too well.
I recognised his well-worn boots, his sandy blonde hair, his emerald, green eyes that widened at the sight of me, and finally, the family crest that stuck out the open neck of his shirt.
“Chad!” I cried with happiness as I jumped to my feet. I tried to run to him, but the chains forced me back instantly as they sliced my skin.
“Ana, what have they done to you?!” His face fell with worry as he reached me in two strides.
He pulled me into his arms as I cried into his shirt. He stroked my hair and while I felt relief, I also felt devastation it wasn’t Lorenzo that stormed through that door.
“Ana, talk to me.” He held me at arm’s length as he ran his thumb across the bruise on my cheek. I winced beneath his touch. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, you shouldn’t have had to go through this.” His eyes roamed over the rest of me and landed on the bruise that peeked out the bottom of my tank. “Show me,” he ordered; his eyes darkened with rage.
“Chad, please take me home,” I pleaded. “I want to go home.”
“Tell me what you fucking know!”I slammed my fists against the chair the unlucky man was strapped to.
“I know nothing!” He trembled as saliva trickled from the corner of his mouth. He was a fucking mess. “I got paid, but I never saw his face, that’s all!”
“What were you paid to do?! I want to fucking hear it!” I pressed my knife to his neck.
“I got paid to run you off the road. I only agreed because I needed the money… I didn’t know what their plans were, but they offered me a hefty sum.” He thrashed in his chair as the restraints cut into his wrists, drawing blood. “Please, I’m sorry!” His screams fuelled my fire as I trailed the tip of my blade from his neck to his hand where I stabbed it through the centre of his palm. His gut-wrenching screams were music to my ears.
“You’re sorry?” I laughed as I brought my face to his. “Sorry doesn’t help me find my wife, does it?” I ripped my blade from his hand as the blood seeped from it rapidly.
“I didn’t know who they were. They told me what I had to do, and I did it.”
“I think our little friend is about to spew up his guts.” Red laughed from behind me, spinning his blade between his fingers.
“A little blood too much for you, is it?” I tapped my palm twice on his cheek as he let out a sob, one that pleased me, one that made me feel as though I could walk on water. “Scared?”
“Yes! Please, let me go!” he cried. Victor watched the man beg in delight. A sinister smirk graced his lips, and I knew it was only a matter of time until he snapped.
“Funny. I bet that’s what my daughter’s been asking since she was ripped from our fucking lives.” Victor rose from his seat menacingly. His eyes narrowed as he gripped the man’s sniveling face between his fingers and dug his others into the knife-shaped hole I’d made. “Do you think whoever paid you is treating her with the respect she deserves?! Do you fucking think they’re listening to her?!” he roared as he backhanded the man’s snot-ridden face. His family ring cracked painfully across our captive’s cheek as his vomit now decorated the floor.
“I’m sorry!” he sobbed. Vomit clung to his facial hair.
“Sorry?” Wow! I forgive you.” Victor smiled as he clapped his blood-stained hands together with an almighty thud.
