Every breath is painful, but I force the air into my lungs.
Augusto holds a device out to me. “Unlock it and call your father.”
I stare at my phone, which I only use to call Masaki and my guards and play games on. I don’t have Father’s number and never contact him.
They’ll kill me if they realize I’m of no use to them.
The thought sends a fresh wave of fear through me, and I press my lips tightly together, refusing to speak.
The man who tackled me and dislocated my shoulder steps toward me and says, “Augusto, the fucker had his hands on my sister.” He shoots me a merciless glare. “I feel it’s only fair I get the first chance to make him talk.”
No. God, his sister must be Gianna. He probably thinks I wanted to hurt her at the club, instead of trying to help her.
Augusto nods at Gianna’s brother before tossing my phone at another man. “I’m going to make a couple of calls. Stay with Enzo, Raffaele.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Enzo,” Augusto says, then he waits for Gianna’s brother to meet his eyes. “Don’t kill him.”
Kuso.
As Augusto stalks toward the entrance, Enzo advances on me. Instinct has me swinging around and running for my life, but a moment later, Enzo’s much bigger body plows into myback, and I hit the ground so hard, I hiccup and searing pain engulfs me.
I twist my body and begin to hit and claw at Gianna’s brother.
I was trying to help her!
One blow after the other, his fist slams into my face, and mercifully, I pass out.
Chapter 6
Yuki
Lying on the cold, hard concrete, I try to get shallow breaths past the agonizing pain in my chest.
My padded shirt feels like it’s crushing my broken ribs to dust.
How long has it been?
Two days? Three?
Whenever I’m left alone, I try to find a way out of the hangar, but all the doors are locked, and there are no windows.
A while ago, I heard cars and muted voices, and soon after, the sound of the private jet’s engines. As I listened to the aircraft take off, hope poured into my heart.
Did they leave?
My hope is short-lived, though. The heavy doors of the hangar roll open, and I suppress a whimper and begin to struggle to climb to my feet. My left arm is useless, and my body is weak from the torture and not getting anything to eat. They’ve only given me two bottles of water, but luckily, I’ve had some privacy when they allow me to use the restroom.
A dizzy spell makes my head feel woozy, and I shake it to try to clear my mind as I sway on my unstable legs.
“Let me know the instant the private jet lands in New York,” I hear Augusto say.
“Will do, boss,” Raffaele replies.
Just hearing Augusto’s voice makes panic bleed through my soul, and my heartbeat instantly speeds up.
As Augusto walks toward me, his eyes slowly drift up and down my body. “You look like shit. Ready to call your father?”
