Tears prickle on my lashes, and I try to blink them away, but my mind wanders, andhisface, Dante’s face, is the first thingI see when I close my eyes. At least I’m going to die knowing what love feels like, even if it wasn’t real for him. It was for me—still is as much as I hate to admit it, but fuck, I love him so much, and it’s not fair what he did to me, but he never hurt me. Not like Greg is right now, and that’s what hurts so much, because it would be easier to hate him if he did. But it was all fake, a fairytale that I played into so easily, and now I’m going to die, because I won’t be sold to anyone.
I’ll kill myself before I let them have the chance to, and then Greg gets nothing.
A dark feeling blooms in my chest, and it settles over my heart.
Or you could kill the people who kidnapped you.Why waste such a beautifully twisted mind, when it's they who deserve to die?
I don’t even know if I have the strength to do that, but the idea does sound better than my foreboding future.
The door unlocking jars me from my thoughts, and I sit up on the couch. A man enters the room, wearing a balaclava and military-style clothing, an AK-47 at his side. I shrink back on the sofa, and he holds his hands out, waving. He reaches up and pulls off his mask. “My name is EJ, and I work for Alex. I’m here to help you.”
“I don’t know an Alex,” I say, my voice shaking.
“That doesn’t matter. Do you want to die here?” Ej raises his brows, waiting for my answer.
“I’ve had enough of trusting strange men as of late; it seems to backfire on me.” Tears fill my eyes, and a sob escapes. I clamp my hand over my mouth and stifle the scream I want to let out.
EJ shuffles in his pocket and pulls out his phone, hitting the screen a few times, and then holding it up to his ear. “I’m with her now. I have a few minutes before the shift ends, and someone else takes over. After that, they will move her.”
EJ holds the phone out to me, urging me to take it. What choice do I have? I take the phone in my hand, holding it to my ear. “Luna? Can you hear me?”
My heart stops. “Dante?”
“It’s me, angel. Listen, I need you to listen to me very carefully, okay? We don’t have enough time to talk properly, but I’m so sorry about everything, and I’m going to get you out. I have a friend who’s going to help you, but listen to me, angel, it’s going to look bad before it’s better. I just need you to be strong, okay? You can do that for me. I know you can.” He lets out a shaky breath, “ Luna, you’re going to be sold at an event tonight, but my friend is going to buy you, and you’ll be safe after that, I promise, angel.”
Alex? His friend who owns Charm? How can he be so sure he will buy me? Or that he won’t be outbid? There are too many questions and not enough time to ask them all, but there’s only one burning question on the tip of my tongue. I need to know before it all ends. “Was any of it real for you?”
“Angel, it still is real for me. It will always be real for me, which is why, after everything is over, I’ll let you walk away from me forever. I’ll let you live out the rest of your life in peace because…Te iubesc, Elena.”
EJ rips the phone out of my hand and quickly pockets it. “I have to go. Johnny will be here soon.” Ej leaves the room without another word, the lock on the door clicking in place, sealing my fate.
I’m left alone, Dante’s voice filling my head.
Te iubesc, Elena.
He knows my real name, and he’s using Romanin, so he must have figured out who I really am.
He’s your stalker, of course, he knows. But my heart is telling me differently.
My stupid heart is the reason I’m in the mess in the first place.
The door unlocks again, and in walks an older gentleman in a very expensive-looking cream suit. He is what I would classify as a silver fox, with his perfectly quaffed white hair and facial hair. He smiles at me, bag in his hand, and a glint in his dark eyes. “I’m Johnny Costanza. My cousin Greg has told me a lot about you, but he never mentioned how beautiful youare.” He sets the bag on the desk and crosses over to me, taking a seat on the couch next to me, and he reaches out, wiping a rogue tear from my chin. His large hand grips my chin, moving my head side to side. “You’re going to make me a lot of money tonight, Luna. I’m hosting a party of sorts on Thompson Island, a little island off of Boston’s coast. In the bag is a dress, accessories, and hygiene products. Make yourself presentable. You have ten minutes to get ready, or I’ll have someone get you ready, and I don’t think you want that.” I shake my head. “Good. You’ll be my date tonight, so I expect you to be on your best behavior. I showed you mercy. Greg was ready to sell you on the corner to the nearest loser, but I chose better for you. Can I get a thanks?”
He caresses my face, and I have to stop the bile from rising. “Thank you, Johnny, for having mercy on me.” I lay the fawning on thick.
He wants a helpless girl? I can play the part if it gets me out of here and closer to Dante.
I have to believe that he’s coming. What other choice do I have?
Says the girl who writes gory killing scenes like this for a living. You’re not helpless, you’re a woman for crying out loud.Where’s your fucking backbone?
The voice in my head sounds a lot like the voice I give Vera when I’m writing. Oh, great. I’m losing my mind, just what I need right now.
I am Vera, Vera is you, Elena. Accept that. You kept the list of men you wanted to kill just in case one day you dared to do it. Dare to live your truth; you want to hurt them. These men don’t matter, stepping stones to the greater goal. You’ve written many gruesome scenes; it’s time we do some field research.
The darkness that settled over my heart pulses, and I suck in a breath. Johnny stills his hand, pulling it back. “Get dressed. Ten minutes.” He stands from the couch and leaves the way he came.
I let out the breath and run my fingers through my tangled hair. “I’m going insane.” I lift my head, myeyes landing on the bag Johnny brought in. I stand, my legs weaker than expected, and stumble a bit. I catch myself and open the bag on the desk. I lift a long black dress out of the bag, stilettos to match, and the accessories: a fake-looking pearl necklace and earrings.
