“A family sounds wonderful,” I lie, even though nobody asked me.“You’ll need to be very healthy to have a healthy baby, though.”
Alessia sends me awhat-the-fucklook.
“Our family is none of your business.”Francesco’s voice holds warning.
I want to argue that he made it my business when he shoved me into his car with Alessia, but I know better to argue with him.
“It’s just...we need something to drink,” I say.“Please.And something to eat.Maybe...maybe some ice packs?My face hurts.Alessia’s probably does, too.”
He stares down at us.“I am so sorry, I was not thinking clearly.Please do not make me hurt you again.Yes.I will fetch ice.Food.What do you say, Alessia?”
She sounds on the verge of tears.“Sì, grazie.”
She doesn’t meet his gaze, but I do.And I can see the crazy, lovesick abuser in his eyes.
“I must tie you both again.This way you do not get silly ideas and make me hurt you.”His breath wafts over my face, noxious.
He puts my hands together and tightens a zip tie around my wrists.I try not to recoil from his touch, but it’s difficult.Once he finishes with my wrists, he does the same to Alessia.Then he gets a third zip tie and connects our wrists together.He maneuvers us around so he can attach the zip ties to the foot of the dresser.
We are well and truly stuck here.
“Goodbye, sweet principesse.”He kisses Alessia’s forehead.Before I comprehend what he’s doing, he kisses my forehead, too.
I can’t help my shudder, but he’s already moving to the door.
“Do not move, do not call for help.”He turns to stare at us, the light beyond the door turning him into a silhouette.“Do not make me hurt you again.”
And then he’s gone, the door slamming shut after him.
Alessia lets out a shaky breath.“I am very sorry.”
I can only nod.It isn’t okay.However, she isn’t the person responsible for this mess—Francesco is.
“We need to cut these ties,” I say.“Do you see anything that might work?”
“No, we can’t—he’ll find out and he’ll hurt us.”Alessia shakes her head to emphasize her point.“You don’t know this man.He—he nearly killed me before.Why do you think I’m trying to make Damiano love me again?It’s only with his full protection that I’ll be safe.”
“Alessia.”I take a deep breath, searching for the right words.“Alessia, Francesco will try to kill you again, and me, too.If we stay here, that’s what will happen.Maybe not immediately, but eventually.”
“I know, but at least we won’t die now, today.”
I’d rather die now than live forever with this asshole.I wish I could make Alessia listen.
I wedge my elbow into the dresser’s drawer handle just enough to tug the drawer open.
There’s nothing inside, no conveniently placed utility knife or scissors.
It’s the same with the other two drawers.Fuck.
I turn my attention to the dresser itself.Maybe Alessia and I can lift it enough to tug the zip tie out from beneath the leg.We’d still be tied, and stuck together, but at least we could leave the motel room.
She realizes what I’m thinking.“No, no.We must stay here.We’ll be safe.”
“We haven’t been safe since the Nove parking garage.Alessia, listen to me.If we stay with him, we will die.If we try to get away, at least we have a chance.”
I feel like I’m in an episode ofNight Walkers, trying to rally the terrified child to jump over the cliff and into the river to escape the horde.I just want to shake her and scream.
“Help me,” I say.“I’m not staying here to let him kill me.He’s only hit me so far, but maybe he’ll choke me next.Or shoot me.He’s unpredictable, Alessia, you know this.”
