Chapter 2
The thought of my sister getting involved with one of Angelo Brambilla’s enemies makes me want to vomit. Anyone connected to his world can’t be good.
After days in confinement, I understood that they wanted Amber to get close to a powerful man and lure him into a trap.
I was certain there was no way she could pull it off. My sister was far too inexperienced, and the man would surely realize it was all a setup.
And then, a few days ago, one of my captors, the protector, came to tell me that yes, Amber had done a good job, and now it was only a matter of time before it all came to an end.
The end of what?
I don’t allow myself to panic. Instead, I hold on to my hatred for that son of a bitch—for using my sister as bait, turning her into a prostitute just to achieve his goal.
And what’s that compared to what he has planned for you two? Don’t forget what you heard that first day, a voice inside warns me.
If I ever walk free again, I deserve an Oscar for best actress. I’ve been pretending to be captivated by my main jailer. The man seems to be falling for me, and day by day, I win small privileges.
Today, he promised to let me speak to my sister on the phone. It’s hard to stay calm, to keep my heartbeat under control.
“I need a little privacy,” I ask, my voice dripping with honey as he hands me the device.
“Five minutes, my girl. Then I’ll have to come back, or it’ll be too risky for both of us.”
“Nothing’s risky for you, Fiorello. They’re all afraid of you.”
“You make me vain, Elodie. You’re good for my ego.”
“I’m not saying anything but the truth. With you around, I don’t feel afraid.”
He steps closer and touches my cheek reverently.
“And you don’t need to be, principessa. I’ll get you out of here. No one will hurt you.”
“I trust you. Now, please, I need to hear my sister’s voice.”
He leaves after kissing my forehead, and I can barely believe he’s foolish enough to think I could ever want him.
Yes, he’s handsome, no doubt, but above all, he’s one of my captors, and I will never forgive him for that.
I quickly tap the screen, dialing Amber’s old number, not the one Fiorello told me the Sicilians gave her but the previous one.
Yes, I’ve discovered they’re Sicilian, not just Italian[2]. Now I know I’ve been kidnapped by the Mob.
I’m so nervous that I mistype the number three times; only on the fourth try do I get it right.
I nearly scream in frustration when the call goes straight to voicemail. Seconds later, the door swings open again.
Fiorello stops in front of me, studying me.
Something is wrong, though I can’t quite tell what.
“I’m sorry for this, my love, but I had to test if you were telling the truth.”
“What?”
“I wanted to know if you could be trusted,” he says, showing me another phone. “So I tapped that one to see if you’d call the police.”
I do my best not to show the hatred burning inside me. I keep my face neutral when, in truth, if I had a knife, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on him for playing with my feelings like that.
He deceived me. The bastard played me, and when a tear slips down my cheek, it’s not an act—it’s pure frustration.
“Don’t cry, beautiful Elodie. Your sister is safe.”
I want to kill him, but more than that, I want to survive. So instead of spitting every curse I know and kicking him in the balls, I let the bastard pull me into his arms and comfort me.
“I feel so protected when you hold me like this, Fiorello. Promise me you’ll never hurt me.”
“I’d rather lose a limb than hurt you, bella. I have plans for us, and I promise that, soon, we’ll be free together.”
“How could that be possible? I don’t want you taking risks because of me.”
“Don’t trouble your pretty little head. Now that I know I can trust you, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make you happy, Elodie. You’re mine.”
I don’t belong to any man, you idiot. I am the mistress of my own destiny, and the moment I get out of here, you’ll never lay eyes on me again.
“I can’t wait to start a new life by your side,” I say.
“Yes, think about that, angel. Our future, with lots of children. I’ve got it all planned out for us.”
He rocks me gently back and forth against him, as if comforting a child, and I let him, because right now, only my body is here. My mind is already running to my sister.
I lost faith in God many years ago, but now I try to make Him hear me, silently begging Him to protect Amber from that LeBlanc guy.