Chapter 45 – Alana
Chapter
Forty-Five
ALANA
Ihave no idea how long we’ve been in this dark and filthy basement.
As well as knowing Rafe’s name, I found out the other one is Gian.
They’ve fed us and kept us hydrated, allowing us toilet breaks on the bucket.
Embarrassing and humiliating, but nothing we won’t survive.
And apart from having to endure their lewd comments about me and Gian’s wandering hands, they haven’t followed through on any of their threats. Yet.
Mercifully, they haven’t laid a finger on Lucia, and I am eternally grateful.
She has been incredible. So brave and strong.
I keep on telling her that Alejandro will find us soon and take us home.
Gian and Rafe laugh every time I say it.
Occasionally Gian slaps me for being “so annoying,” but it doesn’t deter me.
It’s the only hope we have, and I cling to it hard enough for both of us.
Lucia and I are still tied up. I have scoured the room to look for something to use as a weapon, or to cut our ties, and while there is a knife nearby, the two men never leave us alone. One of them is always watching us.
“What time did he say he’d be here?” Gian says impatiently and I sense the tension seeping into the room.
“He’ll be here soon. Chill,” Rafe replies.
I watch the two of them. They’re edgy. Nervous. Their boss must be making an appearance. Maybe I will finally get some answers.
I don’t know how much longer we wait until the door at the top of the stairs opens, letting natural light flood the basement. I see the outline of a figure stepping into the shadows.
I hear a familiar voice breaking through the silence. “I hope my men have been treating you both well, ladies.”
My heart feels like it stops beating in my chest. It feels as though all of the air is being sucked from the room. Surely my eyes and ears are deceiving me. I’m tired, stressed, I must be imagining it. This can’t be true, not this kind of betrayal. “You?” I stammer. “You’re behind this?”
“Yes. Me,” he replies with a wide smile, proud of himself.
“But why? I don’t…” I shake my head. This makes no sense at all. “How could you do this?”
“Quite easily actually, princesa,” he sneers.