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A savage grin spreads across my face. I’d like to see them try and break me.
* * *
The door opens after… Honestly, I have no clue how long. My legs ache from standing, and my head is pounding from my damn hangover.
“Finally, Marco.” I stretch my arms above my head as the door opens. “Let’s get on with this.”
“It’s not Marco.” Franco’s stupid face appears before me. “And you’re not going to be so cavalier once I’m done with you.” He grabs my shirt and yanks me out of the broom closet.
“Where are we going?” I look around for Marco, but he’s nowhere to be seen. Franco takes me into Maco’s basement, which is pretty much a cold, cement-covered room. A long pole stands in the middle of the room, from floor to ceiling. Franco pulls out a pair of handcuffs as he shoves me toward the pole.
“Are we getting freaky, Franco? Too bad I didn’t bring my own handcuffs.” I waggle my fingers. “They’re much fuzzier than the ones you have.”
Franco grabs my wrists and handcuffs me to the pole. Great. “You’re mine now, Viktor. I’m going to torture you over the next few days until you’re begging me to put you out of your misery. You can count on that.”
I crinkle my nose. “Has anyone ever told you how badly your breath stinks? You should really use mints more often.”
“Joke all you want, but you’re not making it out of here alive.” He slams his fist into my eye. I just laugh.
“Do that again! It tickles.”
Franco growls and hits me again. And again. And again. Each time, I laugh harder. “Fuck this.” Franco grabs a large metal pipe and points it at me. “Say goodnight, Viktor.”
He slams it into my stomach, and for the first time, the pain doesn’t make laugh. In fact, it really hurts. Like really fucking hurts.
Franco realizes this by my reaction, and he uses it to his advantage. I look up at the last second as he slams the pipe against my head.
Everything goes black.
CHAPTER19
Gemma
Istare at Franco in shock. “What do you mean you have Viktor?”
“I mean, I just picked him up from his bar where he was wasted.” Franco saunters into the living room and plops down onto the couch. Francesca makes a face and excuses herself from the room. Mom shifts the babies in her arms, frowning at Franco. “He’s on his way to LA now. I’m going to meet Marco there, and then I’m going to kill him.”
All I can do is stare.
Franco squirms in his seat. “Why do you not look happy, Gemma?”
“Because I’m not!” My outburst startles Franco and Mom. It also startles Lucia into crying, and Luca follows right after. “I don’t want you to kill Viktor.”
Franco scoffs and stands up, giving me look of pure derision. “You really are a lost cause, girl. I’m here with good news, and you don’t have the decency to even look happy.”
“That’s because I’m not happy.”
Mom sets Luca down, and he immediately waddles toward his toy giraffe on the ground. Lucia squirms in Mom’s arms, but Mom doesn’t let her go. “Gemma, thisisgood news.” She rests her hand on my arm. “Viktor hurt you, and now, he’s going to pay the consequences.”
I wrench away from her. “No. I told you before, Mom. I don’t want Viktor to die.”
“I’m not listening to this,” Franco mutters. “I’m off to LA. When I return, Viktor will be dead.” He shoots me a sneer before leaving the house.
I immediately go after him, but Mom stops me. “Gemma, wait. Where are you going?”
“If Viktor is being taken to LA to be killed, then I’m going after Franco, and I’m stopping this. I’m not going to let my husband die.”
And it’s at this moment I realize … I love Viktor.
