5. Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Sienna
The floorboard creaks under my weight. I stop, holding my breath, waiting for Dante to come out and stop me. But nothing happens.
I’m not sure which bedroom is his and I have no intention in finding that out but if I knew, it would help me plan better. Prepare better.
I need a weapon, I realize. Since I’ve been locked away in Dante’s strange room and the guest room for the past twenty-four hours, I haven’t had time to explore the house but I did spot the kitchen on the way to the back door. The kitchen will have knives. It’s better than having nothing.
I keep my footsteps light as I make my way to the kitchen.
Right on the counter is a butcher block filled with knives.
I grab the largest one. If Dante finds me with this, there’s a good chance he’ll still overpower me but I have to try to fight.
I can’t just give up. My mother would be disappointed in me otherwise.
My mom. Is she even alive? I have no idea and until I know, I won’t stop fighting.
My legs are aching as I tiptoe to the front door.
The tension in my body is enough to knock anyone over but I’m holding strong.
Dante left the door unlocked. I’m not sure if it was an accident or a test but either way, I’m taking this chance.
I don’t have time to find my clothes that Dante took from me.
Fully naked but that doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is escape.
This time, I notice the lock on the front door. In my desperation last time, I didn’t see it, which prevented me from opening it and escaping.
I turn the lock. The sound is a lot louder than I want it to be in the large, echoey foyer. I hold still, waiting, but Dante doesn’t show up.
I ease the door open and step outside. The moment I do, I drop to my knees and let out a quiet sob. Am I really free?
It can’t be this easy but I’m not going to question it.
I need to get back to my mom. I have no money.
No phone. Nothing to call for help. Not a taxi.
It’s the middle of the night so no one is awake.
The last thing I want is to go to Dante’s neighbor.
What if they know what Dante does and will lead me right back to him?
What if he hears me knocking on their door?
No. I need to get far away from Dante’s house and fast.
Despite being barefoot, I run down the street, putting distance between me and Dante.
Surely I can disappear into darkness. I don’t stop running for what feels like minutes.
I was never one for doing much running. My preferred form of workout was always Pilates.
Now I’m regretting not doing more cardio. My lungs are burning.
Eventually, I have to stop and catch my breath. Looking around, I see that I’m still in the same neighborhood. I just need to get to a phone, call my mom, and tell her I’m all right. Then hopefully someone will come save me.
Will Gabriel? He wanted to marry me off to Dante to begin with but Dante deliberately went against that and kidnapped me instead. Luciana will surely send someone. Her husband, perhaps. That’s who I need. Someone to keep me safe.
I start jogging again – pushing my body to not stop – until I reach the outskirts of the city. Businesses all closed up for the night. But one of them will have a phone I can use.
I need the police. Breaking into a store will call them if that store has security. Being in jail would be better than being with Dante.
As soon as I think that, I’m hit with the memory of him using that vibrator on me. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I can still feel the tingles in my body.
Pushing that memory aside, I approach a jewelry store. They’ll definitely have security in place to call for the police. I pick up a rock from a flowerbed outside the store and smash it into the window. It instantly breaks and the loud, piercing sound of an alarm sounds out.
I wait outside. The police. Please come.
And they do. A few minutes later, a police car drives up to the store. He slowly gets out, eying me over.
“Put your weapon down,” he orders.
It’s then that I remember I have a knife in my hand. I set it on the ground and raise my hands in surrender.
“Please,” I gasp. “I need help. I needed to call the police. I was kidnapped. Please. I need help.”
His eyes sweep over my naked body in a way I don’t like. It’s part disgust on his face and part… lust? I’ve seen enough movies to know what that look is. And right now, this man feels just as dangerous as Dante.
“I’m going to need to arrest you for destruction of property,” he explains.
“I told you. I needed the police. I was kidnapped.”
He tilts his head to the side as he slowly approaches. I take a step back. “Are you on drugs?”
All the air leaves my body. I look like a crazy woman, naked with my knife, rambling on about being kidnapped. And I did just commit a crime by throwing a rock through the window of a jewelry store.
“No,” I say. “Please. Just help me. Take me to the police station. I need a phone call. I need help.”
“I’ll take you to the police station after I arrest you. After you do something for me first.”
I frown. His tone of voice is troubling. Dark and low. Dangerous.
“What?” I whisper.
“You can use your imagination.” His eyes lower down to my breasts again. “Just give me a favor and I’ll help you.”
“What kind of favor?” I ask, even though I know deep down. This man wants to touch me. Hurt me.
He lunges for me and instinct takes over. I pick up the knife and hold it out before me. The officer runs right into my knife. It plunges into his stomach. With a gasp, I step back, pulling the knife out of him. He stumbles back, clutching at his stomach with a confused frown.
“You…” He drops to his knees, turning paler by the second.
“I’m sorry,” I squeak out. “I told you I needed help.” The officer falls over, still clinging to his stomach. He reaches for his gun and I take cover behind his car.
That’s when I hear him calling for backup. Oh no. There’s a chance I’ll be killed for stabbing an officer. I need to call my mom or Luciana for help. Now.
I take a chance and run into the jewelry store.
“Hey!” the officer shouts.
I ignore him and go straight to the phone on the back counter. My fingers punch in my mother’s cell number but it only rings and rings and rings. Squeezing my eyes shut, I push back my tears. Now is not the time to cry. Just because she’s not answering, doesn’t mean she’s hurt.
I call Luciana next. Thankfully, she answers. “Luci?” I breathe out.
“Sienna, is that you?”
“Yes. I need help. Dante Zaneli kidnapped me. Is my mom alive?”
“I… yes,” she answers after a beat. “She’s alive. She’s at the hospital. Last I heard, she was in surgery. No one has told me if she’s ok or anything.”
I clutch the phone tighter. “Which hospital?”
She tells me the name. “Sienna, are you ok?”
“I need help. I’m going to the hospital to see my mom. Please, send your husband to help me. I accidently stabbed a police officer.”
“What?”
“I need to go. I can’t stay here.” I hang up and run out of the store. That’s when I see the police officer… dead.
He bled out from the stab wound. I just killed someone.
I should be freaked out but… this man wanted to hurt me. I could tell. I don’t feel bad for defending myself.
That realization is a scary one. I should feel empathy. I should feel ashamed, like God might punish me. But after everything I’ve been through, I don’t feel any guilt. I was just fighting like I promised myself I would.
Knowing where to go, I run off into the night. I can hear sirens in the distance. The backup the officer ordered.
I move in the opposite direction of the sirens and don’t stop until I see the large hospital sign before my very eyes. The hospital Luciana told me my mother is at.
My mother isn’t dead.
I throw the knife into a trashcan outside before going in. I don’t need hospital staff thinking I’m crazy.
But when I step into the hospital, a security guard immediately comes over to me.
“Are you ok, miss?” he asks. “Do you need… help?”
I know I must look crazy. “Clothes,” I whisper. “I need clothes. I was kidnapped.”
Slowly, he nods and motions at a nurse to come over, who slowly approaches me.
“Are you ok?” she asks in a kind voice. It makes me want to cry but I still hold it together. Not until I see my mom.
“I need clothes. I need help. I was kidnapped. My mother was shot and was brought to this hospital. I need to see her.”
“Ok. I’ll get you a gown you can put on until we find you some clothes. How does that sound?”
I nod.
The nurse shares a glance with the security guard. They probably think I’m on drugs as well.
“Where is my mom?” I ask.
“What’s her name?”
“Henrietta Lanza.”
“I’ll check that for you.” The nurse motions for me to follow her. “Let’s get you into a hospital room. I’ll get you that gown. Have you looked over.”
“I’m not injured.”
“Ok. But I’d still like to make sure you’re all right.” She brings me to a room and hands me a gown. “You can change into this.”
“Please. Just check on my mom’s name before you look me over. Please.”
She must sense the desperation in my voice because she nods. “Ok. I’ll do that.” She leaves the room, shutting the door behind her. I open it a crack just to make sure it’s not locked.
She returns a few minutes later. “I just checked. We do have a Henrietta Lanza here. She just got out of surgery and is on the fifth floor. Room 506.”
“Thank you. I need to go see her.”
“I would like to look you over first, if that’s ok? Make sure you’re fine. It’s protocol.”
“I am not on drugs,” I snap. “A man kidnapped me and shot my mom. I just want to see her.”
“Understood. I can call the police for you.”
“No. Just let me see my mom. Please!” I scream, louder than I ever have before.
The nurse raises her hands in surrender. “Ok. Ok.”
I brush past her out of the room and head straight to the elevator. That’s when I notice the security guard coming towards me. To stop me.
I run into the elevator and slam the button. The door closes before he can catch me.