Chapter 4
Harlow
My head throbbed as my eyes fluttered open.
There was a bright fluorescent light and a scent that made my stomach churn.
A shiver ran down my spine as I pulled my arms down to ease the ache in my head, but I couldn’t move.
My arms were chained. Cold metal dug into my skin, and everything hit me all at once.
We were taken. I woke up briefly in the van, but Xavier knocked me out again.
How long had it been? Where did he take us?
My eyes snapped open, and I jerked my body to see Lizzy half-naked and chained next to me.
The blood from her head injury dried and flaked on her eerily pale skin. What did he do to her?
I glanced around the room, but I didn’t see anyone and the area didn’t look familiar.
Wherever he took us wasn’t back to the original place.
We were in a warehouse…the docks. Vincenzo mentioned having a warehouse he would use for his trades with the other families if Caterina didn’t ambush him.
Was Xavier that na?ve to bring us here? Or did he know the first place Caterina would look was where we were before?
Caterina probably assumed Vincenzo got me and took me back to his home.
My wife was smarter than that, and Xavier wasn’t the smartest tool in the shed.
Somehow, some way, Caterina would track us down and make him pay for taking us and killing Caterina’s men.
I had to keep us both alive long enough for Caterina and Luca to find us.
From what I knew about Luca, he would make anyone who harmed Lizzy pay, and Xavier would regret taking us.
I would do everything in my power to keep her safe, even if it meant getting harmed in the process.
Lizzy stirred awake, the sound of metal on metal scraping against itself.
Her body physically recoiled as she pulled herself up.
She began to panic. I knew that would be the worst thing she could do, but I couldn’t blame her.
Lizzy was free for five years, fell in love, and healed.
This life was a part of her past, and because of me, it was now her present and future. She would be a target because of me.
Her eyes met mine and she instantly broke. “No. No. No!” The chains tugged and rattled which would alert Xavier to us being awake. I needed her to breathe.
“Lizzy, listen to me. I need you to take a deep breath.” I demonstrated breathing for her, and she followed suit. “There you go. It’s okay. I’m going to get you out of here, I promise.”
I would get her out of here, even if it cost me my life. Lizzy had a life ahead of her, but if she got back in Vincenzo’s grasp, he would kill her—but she would suffer before he made sure she was dead this time.
“H-Harlow, I-I’m s-sorry.”
“Hey, none of that. We’re going to be okay. Just take deep breaths.”
Her breathing was faulty, and I knew she was on the verge of shattering.
I couldn’t blame her, of course, because this was terrifying.
The only reason I was calm was because I was focused on her safety.
When I got out of here, I knew it would be different, but I wasn’t focusing on the future.
I was solely focused on finding a way for us to escape.
Hell, I wanted Lizzy to be safe. I could handle this because I knew I wouldn’t die.
Vincenzo would torture and rape me for leaving, but he wouldn’t kill me.
I would live a life of misery, but I would live, nonetheless.
Lizzy would experience misery once more, and then death.
There were heavy footsteps before the door slammed open, and Xavier walked in with a grin spread across his lips. “Look at my girl. Comfortable?”
“I was until you showed up.”
He trudged towards me with a wicked glint in his eyes before he brought his hand down for a punishing blow. Blood poured down my nose and into my mouth. “I know a way that can keep that mouth occupied, or maybe I should just have your friend?”
“No,” I hissed, blood splattering. He wouldn’t hurt her. I refused.
His lips curled, and I watched the possibilities dance in his eyes. Nothing he did to me would compare to how I would feel if he hurt Lizzy in front of me. I would do anything for her, and if it meant taking whatever Xavier threw at me, then so fucking be it.
Xavier’s hand trailed up my thigh, and his thumb dug into the bullet wound on my hip.
Pain screamed through my body as my body jerked, but he held me down.
“You listen to me. I won’t hesitate to have her while you watch.
Her death will be your fault.” I clenched my teeth so hard, I thought they would shatter. “What do you say?”
I glared at him. “Yes, sir.”
“Good girl. Now be good. I’ll be back soon and then we can have some real fun. Vincenzo said you were mine until he came for you. Let’s not waste any time.”