‘You should know,’ I tell her, ‘that I will always prioritise my family’s safety. When you’re my wife, I’m sure you’ll appreciate that.’
Vittoria’s lips thin, but she buttons her dress back up, tutting at its loss when she reaches the top one and moves from the bed. Slamming the door behind us, she follows me as I stride up the stairs and out of the Underworld. I hear her on the phone behind me. She’s speaking Italian, so I don’t get more than the occasional word. But as I reach the main door. She speaks to me.
‘Security found Sean unconscious in the bathroom with a nasty head wound.’ She shrugs as I round on her. ‘We can hardly put cameras in the bathrooms. Rose and her friend were dancing with three guys most of the night, but they’ve lost sight of them now. Guess they left together. Again, Cillian, this might not be anything sinister. Your sister?—’
I take a step towards her, forcing her back against the wall. My hand captures her throat and I begin to squeeze, all trace of desire replaced by fury.
Defiantly, she holds my gaze, and her hand curls around my wrist. ‘Let. Me. Go.’
I hesitate only for a moment before I release her, then start moving again. I’m just wasting time with Vittoria. She’s not going to help me with Rose. Or Niamh. Rage fills me as I imagine what might be happening to them now. My sister at least has a chance of defending herself– as long as she’s conscious. But Niamh? The thought turns my stomach.
‘Where are they?’
Vittoria hesitates. It’s brief but noticeable. ‘They can’t find them on the cameras, but they haven’t left the building,’ she assures me.
‘Don’t let them leave,’ I yell, and she gives me a short, sharp nod as she lifts her phone to her ear. ‘She’s my sister,’ I grind out through gritted teeth. ‘You of all people should understand.’
Jamil holds the door open for us and we step out into the not-quite-darkness of the summer night where Aiden is waiting in the limo. It feels at odds with the anger rushing through me right now. I clench my teeth.
What if I’m too late? For Rose. For Niamh.
Chapter5
Niamh
‘I’ve got you,bella.’ Rob’s voice is soothing, comforting, almost. I know I should fight him. Try to get away. But I can’t. I force my heavy eyelids open and see Frank swing Rose up into his arms. Her head lolls back over his arm, her body limp. Then my world tilts as Rob does the same with me. I close my eyes and try to remain relaxed, hoping he’ll think I’m out of it, too.
‘I’m going to have such a good time with you. You can pretend all you like, but I know you know exactly what’s happening,’ he whispers into my hair and my stomachplummets. Still, it’s better that he doesn’t realise I’m aware of what’s going on, so I keep my eyes firmly closed, hoping that this is all a nightmare, and when I open them again, none of it will have happened.
Someone else’s rough hands grip the tiny straps of my dress and with a jerk they’re ripped free of the bodice and a large hand runs over my breasts, one finger circling a nipple, before Rob jerks me away.
‘What are you doing?’ Rob snaps.
‘You don’t want at least a look? Maybe even a taste.’ It’s Ed’s voice, and his hand returns to grab my breast, squeezing it hard and causing me to yelp before he yanks down the top. A cool breeze runs over my heated skin, and my nipples pebble despite me hating everything about this.
‘Stop, for fuck’s sake,’ Rob hisses. ‘We need to get them out of here. I don’t want to die.’
‘It’s only the Hunter girl that we’re not to touch,’ Ed says. ‘We can do what we want with this one. There’s a storeroom near the exit. I’m sure no one would notice if we all had a shot before we take her to the warehouse.’
His hand slides back over my bare skin, but once again Rob shifts me away.
‘No, Ed. We take the Hunter girl back home, then you can take this one to the warehouse and she’ll be ours for as long as she survives. Just like we were promised.’
Panic roils in my belly. Oh god. How is this happening? There’s CCTV in the club, at all the doors. The Rialis are surely going to make sure Rose isn’t assaulted in their club? But then I remember the smartly dressed man with the Glasgow smile emptying the till, the worried look on the barman’s face, and I realise someone in the club must be behind this. I can only pray Cillian bothers to read my text in time and it’s not too late.
Then I remember, he’s with Vittoria. A Riali. Are they behind this? Have they found a way to keep Cillian occupied? Or worse, Cillian knows. He didn’t want me there tonight. Maybe he really is as ruthless as he’s rumoured to be, and now that he’s engaged, he’s getting rid of any potential… distractions.
Doors bang open and damp air hits my bare, sweat-coated skin, rousing me a little more from my semi-drugged haze. We’re in a dark alley behind the club. A car door clicks open, then I hear the rumble of an engine.
‘Can I touch her now?’ Ed asks.
‘No! For fuck’s sake, Eduardo,’ Rob says. ‘Dump her in the back, Franco. I’ll sit with them.’
Eduardo? Franco? And earlier…bella? I lift my head even though it’s like moving through treacle. The guys are all dark-haired, vaguely tanned, despite the Scottish accent that marks them as second, third, or even fourth generation, Italian.
Italians. Like the Rialis. Like Vittoria.
‘Gentlemen?’ That one word almost causes me to weep in relief. Not the word. The voice. Cillian. He came. He’s here. I force my eyes open to see him standing in front of his familiar limo, his foot resting on the bumper, arms folded, two people flanking him. I recognise one as Cillian’s driver, Aiden. The other is Vittoria. ‘I sincerely hope you were about to bring my sister and her friend home to me.’
