“Yeah, but with Vivian missing, I expect he’s too busy looking for her.”
And since Luka and I were not exactly discreet when we kidnapped Vivian from her lunch party, it won’t take him long to figure out where she is.
“He’ll know it’s you who has her.”
“I don’t care.”
Two guards block the doorway to a different level. Both of them carry visible guns and wear blank expressions. Angelo pulls me into a shadowy alcove, pretending to kiss me, as three men in suits approach the guards. They all have masks on, like us, so it’s impossible to tell from here who they are.
The biggest guy thrusts his cell at the first guard, who peers at the screen. He nods and scans his thumb to open the door.
The trio then disappears before the door closes behind them.
“Ready?”
I nod.
“Do not leave my side, are we clear?”
“I’m not stupid.”
“I know you’re not, but I also know you’re impulsive, so…”
We stroll up to the two guards, who examine Angelo’s digital code and let us through the door. It’s far easier than I expected.A staircase leads down to a lower level. It’s much quieter down here, but when we walk through a new set of doors, manned by two more armed men, the space opens out into a large room filled with chairs.
Men mill around, all wearing masks. There are very few women here, which makes me stand out.
My skin prickles with nerves as a few people turn to gaze at us, but Angelo acts unconcerned.
“Let’s explore, darling,” he says in a loud voice. “I want to peruse our options.”
He tugs me across the room while I fake a haughty expression. Two men openly ogle me in my tight dress, but I ignore their leers.
The lights are low, leaving much of the room in shadow, which creates a more private vibe. I gaze around, noting the bar along the left wall, which is manned by young women wearing nothing but panties.
This could be a private function room in a hotel if not for the aura of excitement lingering in the thick air and the semi-nude servers. Except we’re not here to listen to a keynote speech.
Everyone here tonight came to purchase a human being, as if the people trapped in this place are animals.
It’s sick, honestly.
An open doorway at the far end of the room leads to a corridor. There are a few men milling around with phones in their hands. All of them appear to be waiting for what happens next.
Angelo maintains an expression of bored apathy while holding my hand so tight my fingers hurt. But I’m glad he doesn’t let go of me because otherwise I might unravel.
Once in the corridor, I realize it’s not dissimilar to the corridor upstairs. This corridor also has small rooms, each with a viewing window.
It reminds me of a pet store I visited with my dad as a kid. There were dozens of small cages containing kittens, which I spent ages staring at while hoping my dad would buy one.
The rooms we pass tonight contain cages. They’re bigger than pet crates, but not by much. There’s enough room for a small person to sit, but anyone taller than me would have to curl up.
My gut threatens to revolt as I observe the women waiting for their fate. Most are young. All are naked. They crouch or lie in their cages with blank faces. Some appear drugged. Others have clearly given up and accepted their fate.
“Oh my god,” I whisper.
“Keep it together,” Angelo hisses under his breath as a man sidles past. He’s heavily muscled, with visible tattoos snaking around his neck. I look away when he glances at me curiously, pretending to peer in at a young woman who lies curled in a fetal position on the floor. The bones protrude along her spine, suggesting she’s not eaten a decent meal in a while.
She doesn’t react when the man moves closer and chuckles.
