38. Chapter Thirty-Eight
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
T iffany, Italy
I was bound, helpless, and surrounded by the chilling darkness of the abandoned warehouse. Roger, the man I had once considered a nice grandpa, stood before me, his eyes filled with a mix of regret and determination. He took a step closer, his voice laced with a sinister undertone.
I struggled against my bonds, trying to release myself. I wouldn’t let him hurt my baby; the future of the Bratva. If I fucked it up, it would end up with my head on a platter.
Only if the poison didn’t succeed, one of my voices whispered into my mind. I shook it off, but it wasn’t wrong. I’d never failed before, except that one time with Tommy, her ex. I could take Roger out, and be back home before anyone noticed I was missing.
“Tiffany,” he began, his tone low and calculated, “you see, I’ve reached a point where I can no longer deny my true family. Blood, they say, is thicker than any alliance, any friendship.”
I struggled harder against my restraints, but they held firm, my gaze locked onto Roger’s. His confession had shaken me to the core, and I needed answers. My stomach lurched into my throat, and I tried to clear it before opening it up and speaking to him. I needed to find out his plans, along with the answers I sought.
“The Don, he’s more than just the head of the Italian mafia,” Roger continued, a twisted smile playing at the corners of his lips. “He’s my brother, my flesh and blood. And when he offered me a choice - to deliver you back to the Italians as penance, or face the consequences of betrayal - I chose to honor my family.”
I stilled. “Fuck you!” I spat at his feet. “What do you know of family when you’re risking the only one you’ve ever known.”
He looked at me in surprise.
“The Italians are my family.”
I shook my head. “No, the Bratva is, and you are going to die for your sins.” I went back to trying to get out of my bonds. No way did I need Viktor and his men storming in here, and shooting me, because I was in the way.
Fear and anger coursed through my veins as Roger’s words sank in. The man who had once fought alongside Viktor and me was now our adversary, bound by a loyalty I could never understand.
“You and Viktor,” Roger said, circling me like a predator, “you’re both pawns in a much larger game. The darkness you’ve embraced, the manipulation, the violence - it’s all part of a grander scheme.”
I met Roger’s gaze with defiance, my heart pounding with a desperate need to escape. His monologue revealed a twisted sense of duty to a family I had no part in, and I knew I couldn’t let him live any longer. He was a threat to my reign. He was a threat to my child’s rule. He had to go. Family ties or not. Cutting off a snake’s head was the best way to kill it, in my opinion.
“Know this, Tiffany,” Roger whispered, his voice dropping to an unsettling hush as he leaned close to me, “your fate is sealed, but Viktor’s... Viktor’s is a different story. Blood may be thicker, but loyalty can be a treacherous mistress. And when the time comes, I’ll have to make a choice that could change everything.”
I gulped.
With those ominous words, Roger turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving me bound and alone, my mind racing with the revelation of the dark forces at play.
As I struggled against my restraints, I knew that I had to find a way out, not just to escape Roger’s grasp, but to confront the shadows that had consumed me, and chart a new path, one defined by my own choices, and the pursuit of redemption.
???
I didn’t know how much time had passed, but my arms grew tired and I was starting to feel hungry. Where was my man? He should be here already to rescue me. I heard the sound of footsteps from far away. Someone was coming. I didn’t have the energy in me to fight any longer. Should I tell them I’m pregnant? I didn’t want to put my baby at risk, but I feared I might not have a choice.
Roger came back with someone who looked a little bit like him in tow.
“Here she is, fratello .”
The man, who I could only assume was the Don, grunted. His lecherous gaze wove around my curvy body and I shuddered from the assault.
“You have to let me go.” I didn’t know who did my bindings, but they were damn good and deserved a raise.
The Don chuckled. “Sorry, no can do.”
He walked around me. I tried to swing my head back so I could see what he was doing, but my body didn’t twist that way.
“What a delicious neck,” he groaned before placing a kiss on my shoulder.
I shuddered. Gross, why the fuck were men like this? I didn’t want to kiss the Don. He was too old for me. And yet, he wanted me so he took me. Now, I needed to figure out what he was going to do to me before I lost my life.
“Should I report back?” Roger asked.
“No, they will be onto you by now. You must stay here.”
I could see the sadness in his hunched shoulders at his brother’s behest. Roger had made a big mistake. He’d trusted someone and it was the wrong person. Now, he would die for it.
“Let me go,” I gritted through my teeth. I batted my eyelashes. I used every trick in my repertoire to no avail. I was going to have to take these men out with a butter knife. If I found one. I was certain there could be one on the property.
Oh shit.
I shouldn’t be distracted in my head when I have a lot going on right in front of me. Without another word, the Don straightened and headed out the door. He never once looked back and I thought that was pretty weird, but I had other things to worry about. I still hadn’t gotten an answer out of Roger, as to what they planned on doing with me.
“Why am I here, Roger?” I spat out, trying to control the fear bubbling inside of me.
Roger stopped his pacing and took a deep breath, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. “Tiffany, you’re leverage. It’s as simple as that.”
My heart pounded in my chest. “Leverage for what?”
“For the Italians,” he responded, taking a moment to run a hand through his slicked-back hair. “You know what your new family did, don’t you? The chaos they’ve caused?”
I frowned, unsure of where he was heading. “What are you talking about?”
Roger sighed, as if regretting the words he was about to utter. “The late Don’s wife. She was carrying a child... Alexie’s child. The Don held the Bratva responsible for her death, and now he wants retribution.”
Cold dread settled in my stomach. I’d heard whispers of Alexie’s reckless actions from the guards, when they thought they were alone, but hadn’t known the extent of the consequences. “And what do the Italians want?”
“They want what they’re owed, Tiffany. Money, territory, power. But above all, they want someone to pay for what was taken from them.” Roger paused, his gaze fixed on me. “They believe the Bratva owes them a life for a life.”
Swallowing hard, I tried to wrap my mind around the gravity of the situation. “So they’re going to use me to get what they want from Viktor.”
Roger nodded. “Exactly. The Don believes that Viktor will bend to his will, if your life hangs in the balance.”
I could feel the weight of Roger’s words crushing down on me, but I refused to break. “And what if he doesn’t give them what they want?”
A dark look passed over Roger’s face. “Then you become the next casualty in this war, Tiffany.”
Determination burned within me. “If you think Viktor will let anything happen to me, you’re gravely mistaken.”
Roger chuckled bitterly. “Oh, I have no doubt that Viktor will move heaven and earth to save you. The question is, will it be enough?”
As Roger’s words hung heavy in the stifling air of the undisclosed location, my mind raced like a caged animal, desperate for freedom. I knew that my life hung in the balance, that I was nothing more than a pawn in the dangerous game between the Bratva and the Italians, but I refused to accept this grim fate.
The ropes binding my wrists and ankles dug into my skin, a constant reminder of my vulnerability. Roger’s betrayal cut deep, but it also ignited a spark of determination within me. I couldn’t allow myself to become a casualty of this ruthless power struggle.
Roger, his attention momentarily elsewhere, checked his phone, likely sending a message to his Italian allies. It was a fleeting moment, but it was all I needed. My years as a serial killer had honed my instincts, my ability to seize opportunity in the darkest of circumstances.
I began to subtly work on the ropes again, shifting my wrists back and forth in a slow, deliberate rhythm. Sweat formed on my brow as I fought to maintain my composure, to hide the fact that I was attempting to free myself.
The seconds stretched into eternity as I continued to work at the knots. My heart thundered in my chest, and my every nerve was on edge. I couldn’t afford to fail; failure meant death.
Finally, after what felt like a long time, the ropes around my wrists gave way. I stifled a triumphant gasp, my heart pounding in my chest. Now came the delicate part; freeing my ankles, without alerting Roger.
I steadied my breathing, a skill I’d honed over years of remaining calm in the face of danger. Slowly and methodically, I wriggled my ankles, silently thanking whatever stroke of luck had made Roger underestimate me.
And then, with one last, careful tug, the ropes around my ankles slipped free. I had done it. I was no longer bound, no longer helpless.
But the room was still fraught with danger. Roger was just a few feet away, and the door was the only exit. I needed a plan, a way to make my escape without him realizing what had transpired.
I glanced around, searching for anything that could help me. My eyes settled on a small table nearby, adorned with an assortment of items. Among them, a heavy glass vase caught my attention.
With every ounce of strength and determination, I lifted the vase and held it high above my head. In that moment, my heart raced, and my mind was a whirlwind of chaos and adrenaline. I was ready to fight for my life.
And then, with a swift and decisive motion, I brought the vase crashing down onto the floor. The shattering sound filled the room, a cacophony of chaos that drew Roger’s attention in an instant.
I didn’t hesitate. I lunged for the door, my bare feet padding silently against the cold floor. Roger turned toward the noise, confusion and anger flickering across his face as he realized what had happened.
But it was too late. I burst through the door and into the corridor beyond, my heart pounding with the exhilaration of escape. I knew I had to move quickly, to vanish into the shadows and evade capture.
As I raced down the dimly lit corridor, I couldn’t help but think that Roger’s betrayal might just be the catalyst for my survival. My past as a serial killer had taught me to be cunning, resourceful, and unrelenting. And now, I was determined to use those skills to ensure that I would not become a pawn in someone else’s deadly game.
My escape had begun, and I was ready to fight for my freedom, no matter the cost.