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She grimaces, and lines form around her downturned mouth. “That’s not true. If I were, then you wouldn’t still be in here. I’d have helped you escape already.”
I tilt my head to the side, studying her. “But I thought you said this place wasn’t as bad as I was making it out to be.”
Had I misunderstood her before and my compliance with Luca is misplaced?
“It’s not a bad place forme,” she says, her voice tinged with a hint of mischief. “But I realize that you’re not me, and nobody should have to stay where they don’t want to be. The only reason I’m not risking Luca’s wrath for you is because Jaxon told me what would happen if you left too soon.”
Luca previously mentioned that men would gladly kill me because of what I saw, but he refused to say anything further. Maybe Justine will be willing to elaborate for me. The more I know, the more I can take back control of my life.
“Yeah, the men from the alleyway… Wouldn’t want them to kill me,” I say without confidence, already failing at my subterfuge. And here I keep telling myself that I can win against Luca.Right.
Justine pulls out a battery-operated lamp and clicks it on, casting a warm glow in the previously dimly lit cell. Her hazel eyes stand out brighter than I’ve yet to see, and her dark red hair holds a stunning sheen as it falls in waves around her shoulders. “I should have brought this yesterday, but hopefully it will help now.”
“Luca mentioned last night that I’ve earned another freedom thanks to my cooperation with my phone,” I say. “Is all this part of that?”
She frowns, her eyes narrowing with displeasure. “No. I didn’t hear anything of the sort, and what a dick for making youearnwhat was stolen from you. I know I said you should cooperate to make things easier, but…I swear some days I don’t know whether I want to stab that man or praise him.”
A frown forms between my eyes as confusion clouds my thoughts. “Praise him? What could Luca Monroe possibly deservepraisefor?”
Justine offers me a saucy wink, her glossy lips curving upward. “That, my dear, you’re going to have to learn on your own. Just trust me when I say you’re safest here, and your continued cooperation will get you out of here. One way or another, even if I have to make sure of it myself.”
My new friend pulls a pillow from the cart next, followed by a toothbrush and paste, a comb with a hair tie wrapped around the handle, and more water bottles than I’ll probably drink since I’m not a fan of peeing in that godforsaken bucket.
“Can you think of anything else you might need to make this more…tolerable?” she asks, sincerity lacing her words. “I was specifically instructed not to let you leave and to get you to cooperate, but they never said I couldn’t bring presents.”
I’m liking Justine more and more as I get to know her. She’s wild—the complete opposite of my best friend Tori—but she has the confidence of my co-worker Sandi, which brings me comfort in a small way.
“If it’s not too much,” I hesitate, feeling a twinge of vulnerability. The odds of finding art supplies in this place are slim to none. “Never mind. No, this is all really great. Thank you so much.”
She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes on me, her gaze penetrating. “What do you want, Olivia? I’m not afraid to tell you no if it’s not possible. But more importantly, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for what you want. The worst that can happen is you don’t get it, and nothing has changed, but what if, and this applies to all things in life, you do get what you want and everything changes?”
Given her snarky attitude, I didn’t expect something profound to leave her lips, but damn, her words hit me like a punch to the gut.
Justine moves closer and places her hand on my shoulder, her touch both comforting and empowering. “Hope can always be found in the darkness. No matter how shitty things might be right now with losing your mom and ending up here, never give up. There is always something to focus on that can give you the strength to survive, and I’m going to expect nothing less than your best, Olivia Danes. You fight that fucker with all you have.”
Hope in the darkness…Considering I’ve been living in literal darkness for what feels like days, instead of the hours I’m sure it’s been, those words are exactly what I need to hear.
“You want me to fight back against Luca now?” I ask, because that goes against what she’s already told me to do to survive here.
She shakes her head and smirks, hazel eyes glinting with pride. “Not in the way you’re thinking. You need to fight in a way that only a woman knows how.”
A lump forms in my throat as I grasp her meaning. “I’m not sleeping with him.”
“And you don’t have to, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make him want you.” She waves a hand over my disheveled appearance. “Smeared makeup, tangled hair, dirtied sweatshirt, and jeans be damned, you’re stunning. Even better, you already have Luca wrapped around your finger. You just need to learn how to make him sing. Now, tell me what else you want that can bring a little sunshine to this pit of despair.”
I blink several times, struggling to comprehend what she’s said.Ihave Luca wrapped aroundmyfinger? I want to laugh, but the reality of my captivity weighs heavily on me. I’m locked down here, and he’s had his hands around my throat more than once, threatening my life. However, I don’t remind her of any of that.
“Painting is what I do when I’m overly stressed,” I confess, my voice filled with longing. “Even if it’s just a pencil and paper to sketch on, that would mean a lot to me.”
An art set was the last present my father gave me before he disappeared. I thought it was ridiculous at the time, but after he was gone…I found solace in the brush strokes and kept learning how to be better. Looking back on it now, I’m pretty sure my child-self was merely trying to be good enough for him to come back home. While I find that asinine now, I’m still grateful for the outlet and have no desire to give it up even though my father gave up on me.
“Oh, girl.” Justine embraces me tightly, her warmth and genuine care enveloping me. “You are too precious for this world. I’ll be back down with some more things soon.”
I hug her back, and I instinctively know that this dynamic woman is going to be my hope in this darkness. It doesn’t matter what Luca says or does. Even after only three interactions with her, I feel confident Justine is going to be someone I can trust, which gives me a confidence that just maybe I’ll survive this hellhole.
* * *
Hours have passed,and I find myself in a surprisingly content state. Seated on the mattress, I rest against the new pillow, my legs snugly wrapped in the blanket. The battery-operated lamp is on the cool floor beside me, casting a soft glow on the surroundings. With a pencil grasped between my fingers, I’ve immersed myself in the world of art, thanks to the items Justine returned with.
