Whatever they did to him, they knew how to cut to the quick of who he is as a person, and it terrifies me, because while Lio has shown more of his soft, vulnerable parts since being with Hollis and Ten, my friend is still strong as hell. Still fierce, and one of the best fighters I’ve ever seen—and not just physically. To see him so lost and broken…it frightens me.
“I’m here, Lio,” I whisper into the space between us. “You’re not alone. Sono sempre con te, Amico Mio.”
He doesn’t look at me, but does reach his hand out. I grasp his fingers, relief coursing through me at the connection.
The door to our prison opens, and we both look up as Cecily and her goons storm into the room. Unlike the last time she graced us with her presence, she’s not as perfectly put together. There’s an unhinged look in her eyes that makes me nervous.
Lio and I stand to face her. “That one.” She nods to me, and her goons move in unison. Even as Lio tries to put up a fight.
“No! Don’t you fucking touch him,” he seethes.
“It’s okay, Lio.”
“Did you not get enough, Emilio?” Cecily says. “Bring them both.”
I try to fight at her words, but they hold a knife to Lio’s throat, and there’s no way I would let him get hurt because of me, so I allow myself to be dragged out of the room we’ve been held in.
“No!” Lio shouts when we come to another door. I try to look back at my friend, but they don’t let me.
Inside the room is a bed, which is telling in itself, but so is the camera in the corner, along with Cecily’s wild eyes and feral grin. “Your people almost ruined a perfectly good thing tonight,” she says. “One of your washed up Bosses was shot, and…if the amount of blood on the scene was any indication, he’s probably dead now.”
Everything in me freezes. I search her face to look for a lie, but she’s too sure of herself to be bullshitting us. Beneath the feral, unhinged look is smug satisfaction, as if bringing us news that someone we love might be dead is in any way good.
Fucking bitch.
“I hope you don’t die as quickly as your friend Tom did,” I spit at her. “I want to see your insides on the outside. I know how to make it happen in the most painful of ways…”
Cecily laughs. “You’re such an adorable little whore, thinking you’ll get out of this.”
I smile and chuckle. “Whore… Do you think that’s an insult? I like being a whore, it’s fun. Not that you would know. I bet your pussy is as dry as a desert. No way would anyone, let alone your so-called fiancé, be able to get in there.”
Lio chokes on a laugh that turns into a snort, and I enjoy bringing some light into this hellhole.
Cecily’s lips twist into a snarl, and she moves in to slap me across the face. I can hear Lio’s protest, and his chains rattle as he tries to fight them, but I don’t take my eyes off the bitch in front of me.
“Since you like being a whore so much, choose.”
“What?” I stare at her in confusion, even as dread fills me.
She grins evilly. “Choose, whore. Your friend over there already showed his true colors, I’m sure he’d love to demonstrate on you. Or maybe one of my guards is more to your liking? I’m generous enough to let you choose; otherwise, I’ll choose for you, and,” she laughs, “if I do that, you won’t like the results.”
“Roman…”
I look over at Lio, his devastated green eyes bore into mine. I try to give him a smile. “It’ll be okay, I promise.”
“Tick tock, little whore.”
I look back to Cecily and sneer. “Since you’re the one who thinks your dick is bigger than anyone else’s, how aboutyoufuck me.”
“Very well. Over the bed, whore.”
The goon holding my chains shoves me, as if I don’t know what a fucking bed is. I look over my shoulder and glare at him.
“Roman… Don’t do this.”
“It’s okay, Anima Gemella. I promise, it’ll be okay.” I allow myself to get pushed over the end of the bed. The asshole grabs my hair and twists my head, so I can watch as one goon holds Lio tightly, while the other grabs him by the throat, giving it a squeeze in warning. Lio watches me with anger and fear in his eyes, and I want to look away. I don’t want him to watch whatever is about to happen, but I don’t want him to be alone either, so I keep my gaze on his.
My skirt is flipped up and my underwear pulled down. I try not to flinch at the cool air hitting my ass.
