AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I let it take me.
There’s an incessant tapping that I want to make stop. I expect to struggle to come to, but as I lift my head, my eyes open with renewed energy. It takes a moment to remember why.
Then, the panic floods in.
Where am I? Who did this? What is that tapping? What was I drugged with?
“Hello.”
I shriek in surprise and seek the source of the voice, finding a man leaning against a bare concrete wall with his arms crossed over his chest and a foot propped against it.
He chuckles darkly. “Scream all you want. No one will hear you.”
His face is cast in dim shadows due to the only source of light being a small lamp tucked into the corner of whatever room we’re in.
“What—” My throat is so dry that my voice is raspy and low. I clear my throat and try again, able to get the words out, albeit more like a whisper. “What am I doing here?”
“Please, excuse my manners.” The man steps into the light, but the only thing about him that’s recognizable is his voice; I feel like I’ve heard it before. “I would normally introduce myself, but you already know who I am. Don’t you, Katherine?”
I gape at the man who must be my abductor.Do Iknow him? What if the drug messed with my memory?
“I… I have no clue who you are,” I say shakily. My body doesn’t feel like a ton of lead anymore, but uttering those few words has me catching my breath.
“Is that how we’re going to play this, sweetheart?”
Play? What in the world is he talking about?
“I… don’t…” Before I can try to get the rest of the words out, he stalks over and slaps me across the face. My tongue swipes my stinging cheek as blood pools over my teeth. I let out what feels like a half-cough, half-sob, but it sounds like a cat heaving.
“Let’s try this again.” He drops the pleasantries, a sinister gleam in his eyes. “Who are you with?”
I force myself to take a gulp of air so I can get my words out coherently. My cheek is starting to throb and I’ll do anything to not get hit again. “Do you mean like a boyfriend or something?”Is he working with Lorenzo?
“I really wanted to do this the easy way, Ms. Appleton. But you’re proving to make that very difficult. I’m a busy man; I don’t have time to entertain your games.”
Games?
The man moves to the corner opposite the lamp, where he bends down and digs through a black bag I hadn’t noticed before. It doesn’t take me long to realize that he must be searching for something to use against me.
“Please! I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I wanted my plea to come out in a strong and convincing voice, but it’s so weak and low that I’m not sure he heard me. He stands a moment later, gripping a knife.
I’m pretty sure my eyeballs are about to pop out of my skull when he speaks, prowling towards me. “This should get you talking.”
“Iamtalking!” My tear ducts finally work, tears streaming down my face as my chest rattles with heaves. “I’ll tell you anything!” A sob erupts from my throat. “Please.”
“Tell me who you’re working with.”
Something that can’t be described as anything more than a gut feeling tells me not to mention Lorenzo. “I work at Valeri Financials!”
He slaps my other cheek and the iron taste of fresh blood fills my mouth. “Next time, it’s the knife.”
“I don’t know what you’re asking,” I choke out between sobs.
He laughs maniacally. “You don’t know what I’m asking? Please.Youwent into Marco’s office.Youwere inside of that hotel. Are youreallygoing to tell me you know nothing? I am not easily fooled by horseshit.”
I’m at a loss for words. I need to explain myself. I need to tell him that Lorenzo was a liar and that’s the only reason I cared, but everything in my gut begs me not to say that. I decide to give him a half-truth.
“I noticed weird things at the office,” I say lamely.
