Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Susanna
The basement is cold and gross and smelly. I know I’ve been rude before but I don’t think I deserve any of this. To be kidnapped. To be treated like a pawn in a game. It’s all bullshit.
With all of my might, I try to reach the small window high on the wall but I just can’t. I wouldn’t be able to fit through anyway.
With nothing else to do, I slump onto the disgusting mattress and wait.
Maybe I can convince Gabriel to let me go.
I’ll do whatever it takes. Gabriel is a handsome man.
Dark hair and a strong jaw and broad shoulders.
He rivals Luca in terms of looks. I could seduce him into letting me go…
even though I’ve never seduced anyone before.
But I’ll learn. For the sake of my life, I’ll learn.
The door opens and footsteps descend down the stairs. I brace myself for Gabriel but it’s not Gabriel I see.
No. It’s two men I’ve never laid eyes on before. One is short – shorter than I am – and the other has a scar over his right eye. While they look drastically different, there’s one thing they have in common: they’re both looking at me like they want to eat me.
Or kill me.
I’m not sure which.
I stand upright, making myself appear as tall as I can, though I’m not sure what good that’s going to do me. “Who are you?”
They share a smirk that makes me want to slap them.
“We’re friends of Gabriel,” Scar Eye says.
“And?”
“And we wanted to meet the woman he kidnapped.”
“So, he told you about me.”
“We work with Gabriel,” the short man says. “Of course he told us. And I have to say… you are beautiful. Like an goddess.”
“I’m not that tall. You’re just short.”
That makes his face turn beet red, and even more red after Scar Eye laughs at what I just said. “I am not that short,” he grumbles.
“You are,” I snap back. “Now, stop talking to me and leave me alone. Or help me out of here.”
“We’re not going to help you,” Scar Eye says. “We don’t want to get on Gabriel’s bad side.”
A shiver runs down me. “Why not? Is Gabriel scary when he’s angry?”
Scar Eye shrugs. “Let’s just say you don’t want to be on the receiving end of his anger. He likes to cut people up into tiny pieces when he’s done with them.”
The hand. Of course.
“He sent a hand to my house yesterday. Who did it belong to?”
He waves a dismissive hand. “Just some hitman Luca Moretti sent to kill him. Gabriel made quick work of him.”
I let out a sigh. At least it’s not someone I know. “Why do you work for Gabriel if you’re afraid of him?”
“Because who else are we gonna work for?” the short one asks. “He pays us well enough and we need jobs.”
“If I could pay you more, would you let me out of here?”
Scar Eye chuckles. “She wants to bargain, Chip. What do you think of that?”
Chip, the short one, laughs too. The sound makes me angrier but there’s nothing I can do about it. Not if I want to save my own life. Who knows what these men will do to me if I upset them even more? “I think she’s delusional. She doesn’t have money.”
“I have a lot of it. My family is rich. I can get you the money if you just let me go.”
“But once you’re gone,” Scar Eye says, “then who do we know you’ll pay us?”
Because I won’t. I’ll send Alek after them and have him kill them both. Of course, I can’t say this. “You can take me to my house. My mom will get you the money. That will guarantee you’ll get it. Just help me escape.”
The two men think on it for just a moment before they shake their heads.
“Nope,” Chip says. “We won’t risk Gabriel’s wrath. Not for any money in this world. Sorry, sweetheart, you’re on your own. You’re Gabriel’s now.”
It’s then that I notice that neither one of them has gotten closer to me during our talk.
They remain by the stairs, almost as if they’re afraid of getting too close to me.
Will Gabriel hurt them if they touch me?
But why does that matter? I could be raped and still be useful to Gabriel. I don’t get it.
“I’m not Gabriel’s,” I snap.
Chip huffs. “You are. He allowed us to come see you but other than that…”
“Is that why you won’t come closer? Gabriel doesn’t want you to touch me, is that it?” They’re silence confirms it for me. “But why does he care? I’m nothing to him but a pawn in his game.”
Scar Eyes shrugs. “You’ll have to ask him. Chip, we should get going. Gabriel won’t want us talking to her for too long. He doesn’t want her getting any ideas of being too comfortable.”
“Too comfortable?” I scoff. “Look around. This place is disgusting.”
“This is what you deserve,” Chip says. “A woman like you… one who thinks she’s better than everyone else. You deserve this.”
“Why, because I called you short? You are short. I was just stating the obvious. And I know I’m better than you two. For one, I am not a kidnapper. So that instantly makes me better. You don’t have a high horse to stand on.”
Chip rushes forward before Scar Eye grabs his am and wrenches him back.
“Don’t,” Scar Eye warns. “Gabriel will kill you otherwise. Let’s just go. She’s trying to get under your skin.”
“But you just heard her!”
“I did and it’s true, you are short. So let’s go.” He practically pushes Chip up the stairs. Once they’re gone, I can breathe again.
I slump onto the mattress, all the fight leaving me.
I have nothing left. It took everything inside of me to stand up for myself just now.
Normally, in the past, speaking my mind was nothing.
It was easy. Simple. But now, it’s the hardest thing in the world because my life depends on it. I was in a bubble before.
Now, that bubble is completely popped and I have no way out of this except to rely on myself.
Nina
I head back over to my mom’s house to check in on her and Susanna about the creepy hand that was delivered to them. Luca got the tests back, revealing it was the hitman he and Alek had sent after Gabriel, which tells us that the hand was Gabriel’s work.
Mom answers right away, ushering me inside.
“How are you?” I ask.
“Actually, it’s been pretty nice this morning. Quiet. Susanna has kept to her room for once. I think she’s upset about her birthday being ruined. I’ve been giving her space since she doesn’t like it when I bother her.”
“I should check in on her. You haven’t spoken to her all day?”
“No. Dinner is almost ready. I was going to get her. You know Susanna. When she’s in a mood, it’s hard to talk to her. I thought it was better to leave her alone.”
“Mom, you just received a severed hand in the mail yesterday. You didn’t think to talk about it with Susanna?”
She gives me a pointed look. “You know your sister. It’s easier just to give her space. We don’t always get along. I love my daughter but sometimes she’s exhausting.”
“I get it,” I admit. Susanna can be tiring. Always up in arms over something. Creating drama where there doesn’t need to be any. “But I’ll go check on her. Things have been better between us lately so maybe she’ll talk to me.”
“Thank you, Nina. You always make me proud.”
I smile, even though it’s tight. I’m the good daughter whereas Susanna is the problem one. She won’t like it when she hears how much I make our mom proud. I know she wants to make her proud too and yet continues to fail at it.
I knock on her bedroom door and wait for a reply but I get nothing. “Susanna, it’s me. I know your upset over your birthday being ruined yesterday. I get it. But we can talk. We can throw you the best birthday party later this week. Luca has money. I can buy you the best party planner there is.”
Still… no response. Usually Susanna can’t ignore me for long. She always has to talk. Always has to say something.
I knock more firmly. “Susanna.”
Nothing.
Something in my gut tells me that this isn’t normal. I open her door only to see that she’s not even in her room. Her window is open but that’s not unusual. She’s a hot sleeper.
“Mom?” I ask, going back to her in the kitchen, where she’s busy putting dinner together. “Susanna isn’t even in her room. Where is she?”
Mom frowns. “That girl left? God, Susanna. Where did she go? Why is she always causing issues for me?”
“Did she go out to a club? Or… I know she doesn’t have a boyfriend. I have no idea where she’d go. To Alek’s maybe?” She likes to use his private pool all the time.
I call Alek and he answers right away but when I ask him if Susanna is at his house, he tells me she’s not.
“Is everything ok?” he asks.
“We just can’t find Susanna. She’s not in her room and usually if she’s not here, then she’s at your house.”
“Did she sneak out? That girl is going to get herself in trouble, I swear.”
“After Gabriel sent that hand, maybe you should go out looking for her, just to be on the safe side. I would hate for something to happen to her.”
“I will and when I find her, I’ll make sure she’s given a scolding and knows not to leave at a strenuous time like this.”
After we hang up, I turn back to my mom. “Did she leave a note?” We spend time looking around the kitchen and living room but there’s nothing.
“Typical Susanna,” Mom mutters. “Always giving me a headache because of her antics.”
My gut flares with nerves. Something is not right.
I know it. If there’s anyone I know as well as myself, it’s my sister.
She would sometimes sneak out when we were younger but she’d always come back home.
And she’s been trying to act more mature lately ever since I almost died a couple of years ago. She hasn’t really been reckless.
“Mom, I think something is wrong.”
She stops pacing around the kitchen. “What? What do you mean?”
“Gabriel sent that hand to your house. We all assumed it was a threat for Luca but… he sent that hand here. Not to Luca’s house.”
Mom’s eyes widen. “You don’t think…”
“I think you haven’t seen Susanna all day. And you don’t have any guards around this place. How hard would it have been for someone to sneak in and…” I can’t say the words. They hurt too much to even think.
“No,” Mom breathes out, slumping onto a chair. “No. Susanna has not been kidnapped. She’s most likely out somewhere, pouting over her ruined birthday.”
“She could be and I hope she is. But… that hand was no coincidence. It was sent here for a reason. I’m worried she’s been taken, Mom. That…” I have to force the words out. They need to be said. “That Gabriel took her as revenge against Luca.”
“But Luca doesn’t care for your sister.”
“But does Gabriel know that? She’s an easier target than I am. I’m too well guarded by Luca. Who better to strike than Susanna?”
“If you’re right about this then… my daughter is gone.” She breaks into tears and I wrap my arms around her, holding her so tight, I can feel her heartbeat.