“What are you doing with that?” I squeak.
“Giving Luca proof that I took you.” He grabs a piece of my hair and cuts off a lock.
“What are you doing!” I wrench away from him as he laughs and stuffs the piece of my hair in his pocket.
“Just be thankful it wasn’t a finger.”
“I hate you,” I hiss.
“I figured.” He then pulls out a knife from his other pocket.
“How many things have you hidden in there?”
“You would be amazed.” He sets the knife to my throat while he holds the phone in his other hand, filming me. Filmingus. In this position, our faces are close enough to kiss.
“I thought you weren’t going to kill me just yet,” I whisper.
“All I need from you is to cry. Just cry once. And I’ll let you go.”
“Really?”
“Cry for me, Susanna.”
Except… my tears won’t come. Something in my gut is telling me that Gabriel won’t let me go for anything. Not until I’m dead. So what’s the point in crying? I’ll only be giving him what he wants and I refuse to do that.
“No,” I state.
He presses the knife harder to my throat. “Cry for me.”
“No.”
“You’re really not scared? Ok. I guess you have it figured out that I won’t kill you. Not yet. But you’re not afraid I’ll cut off something else? What about… this?” He lowers the knife to my breast. It’s right by my nipple. “It’s going to hurt if I cut this off and I would hate to ruin your pretty breasts.”
“You’re not going to do it,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Want to try me? Just cry, Susanna.”
“I can’t make myself cry on demand. I just can’t.”
“What about this then?” He brings the knife to my upper inner thigh. “I could stab this right inside of you. That wouldn’t feel too good, now would it?”
“You wouldn’t. I’d be dead.”
He stares back at me for a long moment before he pulls the knife away. “Fine. You won’t cry? You can stay down here until you do.” He puts the knife away – thank God – and turns the phone off. “I wonder what Luca will think seeing his sister-in-law in this position. Naked and scared. Will that make him care for you then?”
“Luca can’t stand me. You chose the wrong person. Just let me go.”
“But I’m having too much fun with you.” He pats my face like I’m a dog. “Just sit tight, Susanna. I’ll be back later with some food. I don’t need you starving just yet. I’m having too much fun with you.”
He whistles to himself as he leaves the basement. With shaking fingers, I put my clothes back on. At least he didn’t take those from me.
My hands go to my hair where he took a piece of it but nothing feels out of place. Gabriel is trying to break me down but I cannot let him. I just have to remain strong enough until someone comes to save me.
If they’re even coming at all.
Chapter Five
Nina
