Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
ROISIN
T he sound of keys jangling in the lock has me scrambling to squeeze myself into the corner of the bed, my heart racing as the Viper comes sauntering into the room once again.
The look in his eyes makes my skin crawl, and I have a really bad feeling about this. Dominic may have saved me last time, but he’s been gone for what must be hours now, even though I have no way of telling the time in this cell-like room.
The door closes ominously behind Vito Rossi, his goons staying on the other side. Not something that fills me with any reassurance. I know it’s ridiculous, because it really isn’t true, but somehow it still felt like there was safety in numbers. Even if it was just the vague hope that someone might object to whatever it is the Viper has planned for me. Because I sure as hell know there’s something.
He shrugs out of his jacket, making a show of folding it carefully, and my gut screams at me. “Well now, it looks like it’s just you and me, finally,” he says like we’re having a normal conversation even though there’s nothing remotely normal about what’s happening here. “This time, short of a catastrophe, I’ve made sure we won’t be interrupted, and as luck would have it, my meddling nephew is not here to change that.”
I press myself harder against the wall, wishing I could somehow melt into it and disappear. The Viper's eyes roam over me hungrily as he loosens his tie, his movements deliberate and unhurried.
"Please," I whisper, hating how weak and frightened I sound. "You don't have to do this."
He chuckles, a low, menacing sound that sends shivers down my spine. "Oh, I know I don’t have to. I just want to. I always get what I want. And right now, that’s you."
As he takes a step towards the bed, I frantically search the room for anything I might use as a weapon. But there's nothing–they've made sure of that. My fingers curl into fists, nails digging into my palms. If he thinks I'm going down without a fight, he's got another thing coming.
The Viper reaches over to grab my ankle, but I kick out hard, catching him in the chest. He stumbles back, surprise flashing across his face before it's replaced by cold fury.
"You’ll pay for that," he snarls, lunging for me again. “But luckily for you, my second favorite thing is subduing little bitches who are too big for their britches. I’m gonna love hearing you scream.”
I roll off the bed and dodge to the side, but I’m hampered by the size of the room. It’s not like there’s anywhere to go.
I strike out again, my fist connecting with his jaw with a satisfying crunch. He groans, clutching his face as he backs up a step. Pain radiates up my arm, but I still feel the victory, even though it’s small and not nearly enough. The thrill of the hit fades as he shakes off the shock, grinning at me through a bloody mouth.
"You've got spirit, I'll give you that," he spits out, his voice lined with amusement and menace. “It’s just gonna make this all the more fun. There’s nothing quite like fucking a tight little cunt while she’s fighting like a wildcat."
He lunges again, and this time, I'm not quick enough to evade him. He tackles me onto the bed, his weight pinning me down as I frantically struggle beneath him. His fingers wrap around my throat, squeezing tightly as I claw desperately at him while his free hand tears at my clothes.
The ominous ripping noise seems loud in the room despite all the other sounds. My panting and whimpering. The Viper grunting and cursing. It’s all my brain latches onto through the lack of oxygen, which is starting to make my lungs burn.
"Stop fighting," he growls into my ear as he paws at my partially covered breast, digging his fingers in hard enough to bruise. “It’ll only make things worse for you."
But I won't stop fighting. I won't ever just give in to this monster. This is about survival now.
Summoning every ounce of strength left in me, I manage to smash my knee between his legs with a force that makes him buckle in pain. He gasps and releases his grip on my neck for a second — long enough for me to suck in a much-needed breath, twist out from underneath him and scramble off the bed towards the other side of the room.
The moment is fleeting, though.
He recovers quicker than I'd expected, his hand snaking out to snag my ankle and yank me back towards him. Panic surges through me as I kick and thrash, but he’s solid and unyielding. He flips me onto the floor with a menacing grin. “I love a good struggle, sweetheart. It makes me hard.”
I know he's right, that every burst of resistance only fuels his excitement, and I can see the outline of his rigid cock pressing against his suit pants. But this is all I have left: my fear, my anger, my will to survive.
I kick out again, aiming for the same spot as before, but he manages to dodge it this time. Undeterred, I claw at his face, scratching and biting like a wild animal backed into a corner.
The Viper cries out in pain and surprise as I sink my teeth into his forearm, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth as I try to roll away from him, and struggle to my feet. But it doesn’t deter him for long. He grabs me bodily, then hurls me away from him with a growl of rage. I slam into the wall, then crumple onto the floor.
He straightens up, advancing towards me slowly, like a predator stalks its prey. The amusement has faded from his face now, replaced by an icy fury that is even scarier. Using my momentary disorientation, he drags down my leggings, and my fear is betrayed with a pitiful whimper as he kicks them aside and tries to force my legs apart, his fingers digging into my skin.
I buck and flail, kicking out and punching at anything and everything as I try my best to scramble away.
I see the backhander coming, but I can’t move my head far enough to avoid the blow. The ringing in my head is accompanied by the bloom of pain across my cheek and the viscous stickiness of a split lip as the fight leaches out of me and a lifetime of regrets plays before my eyes.
So this is it. This is the way I will finally step across the threshold of womanhood, at the hands of a rapist and murderer who gets his kicks from fear and force. I just pray I’m not left for my brothers to find the same way as Orla. Please God, spare them that. I’d beg for it, but I know if I do, it will just give the Viper more fodder for his depravity.
But something changes. A loud banging sound echoes through the room, followed by shouts outside in the main suite. The Viper freezes, his head whipping towards the door. For a moment, hope flares in my chest. Could it be Dominic returning? Or perhaps the police have finally found this place?
The shouts grow louder, more urgent. There's the sound of a commotion, raised voices, and an insistent hammering on the door. I flinch instinctively, curling in on myself.
"Boss!" a voice yells from the other side. "We've got a situation! Tommaso’s body was just thrown from a vehicle out front!"
The Viper curses violently, his face contorting with rage. He glares at me, clearly torn between his desire to finish what he started and the need to deal with this new incident.
"This isn't over," he snarls, pointing a finger at me. "I'll be back to finish what we started."
He snatches up his jacket and storms towards the door, pausing only to adjust himself and wipe the blood from his mouth.
As it slams shut behind him, I slump against the wall, my body trembling with a mixture of relief and lingering fear. The reprieve is welcome, but I know it's only temporary. He'll be back, and next time, I know he won’t be interrupted. He’ll make sure of it. I’ve already had two lucky escapes. I’m not stupid enough to think there’ll be a third.
I force myself to my feet, wincing at the pain in my ribs where I hit the wall. The commotion outside continues — raised voices, hurried footsteps, the occasional bark of orders. Whatever's happening has thrown things into chaos.
Following is an eerie stillness and a silence begging to be torn apart with sound. But none comes.
I don’t know how long I sit there listening. Waiting. But after a while, it occurs to me that I’m sitting here battered, torn, and half naked. My trembling limbs suddenly don’t want to move though, and all I can do is gingerly reach over to pull the sheet from the bed and wrap it around me.
That’s how Dominic finds me seconds or eons later.
"Christ, not again," he mutters, rushing to my side, his expression one of bitter fury as he takes in my battered state.
"Are you alright? Did Vito...?"
I shake my head weakly, clutching the sheet tighter around me. "No. Whatever happened outside stopped him.”
Dominic's jaw clenches, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "I'm going to murder that bastard," he growls.
"What happened out there?" I ask, my voice hoarse from the Viper's earlier chokehold.
"Later," Dominic says curtly. "I need to move you. Now."
He helps me to my feet, steadying me as I sway. The adrenaline is long gone, leaving me shaky and sore. Dominic shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders, providing an extra layer of protection.
"Can you walk?" he asks, his tone softening slightly.
I nod, though I'm not entirely sure. Everything hurts, and my head is spinning. But I’m happy to be leaving this place.
Dominic wraps an arm around my waist, supporting most of my weight as we exit the room.
We make our way through a maze of corridors, though Dominic clearly knows exactly where he's going. If my head wasn’t such a mess, I’d try and make sense of where I am, in case it’s helpful later on, but as it is, every shadow makes me flinch, and I’m expecting the Viper to leap out at any moment. But we encounter no one.
“I’m taking you somewhere he won’t find you,” Dominic reassures me. Or tries to. I want to beg him to take me home, but as much as he’s helped me, I know that won’t happen. It’s clear there’s a deep fracture in La Cosa Nostra, and that’s the kind of knowledge that’s dangerous to the outside world. Even more dangerous in the hands of an opposing faction, like the Irish Mob.
“Away from this compound?” I still ask the question, a sliver of vain hope igniting, even though I know in my gut it’s useless.
Dominic throws me a wry look. “I’m afraid that’s beyond my remit, but I’ll find you a room he won’t get access to.”
I’m not sure how likely that is. As consigliere, Vito Rossi must surely have access to the entire compound, and I don’t doubt he has men loyal enough to disclose my whereabouts. But I simply nod my acceptance. It’s all I’m capable of right now.
Whatever Dominic’s motivation for protecting me, it will never stretch towards freedom. I know too much, and that makes me a liability.
It’s all too much to contemplate right now, so I’ll settle for a modicum of safety, since I know it’s the best I can hope for.
We finally reach a small, nondescript door at the end of a long hallway. Dominic pulls out a key and unlocks it, ushering me inside quickly. The room is sparse but clean, with a simple bed, a couch, and an attached bathroom. It's a far cry from the opulent cell I was in before, but somehow it feels safer.
"This is one of the rooms reserved for domestic staff," Dominic explains as he helps me sit on the bed. "Vito doesn't have access here, and I'll make sure it stays that way."
I nod gratefully, too exhausted to speak. Dominic disappears into the bathroom and returns with a damp cloth and a first aid kit. He kneels in front of me, gently cleaning the cuts and bruises on my face.
"I'm sorry," he says softly, his eyes filled with regret. "I honestly believed Vito would heed Mika’s warnings. I should have known better after…" He trails off as if realizing he was about to reveal more than he should.
"It's not your fault," I reply, wincing as he dabs at a particularly tender spot. "You can't be everywhere at once."
Dominic's jaw clenches. "No, but I can make damn sure it doesn't happen again."
“Not short of killing him,” I murmur with a hint of sarcasm, despite everything.
“That could be arranged,” he mutters so quietly I wonder if I actually heard him right.
Did Dominic Romano really just condone the murder of his boss, the consigliere, and one of the most powerful figures in La Cosa Nostra? Or did the Viper hit me harder than I thought?