“No! Stop! Let me go, Julian! Please!” I plead.
He doesn’t listen. He doesn’t even seem to hear me. He pushes me up against the wall and whispers in my ear how much he loves me, again and again, until my skin begins to crawl.
And that’s when he starts to kiss my neck.
For a moment, I lose my voice in shock. I can’t believe what’s happening. Then he forces my head to face him and forces his lips on mine. I scream, pushing and pleading for him to stop.
He doesn’t.
He keeps on touching me and kissing me, eyes glazed, as if the man I knew is no longer inside.
“Please, Julian, please stop!” I sob.
I close my eyes, petrified of what’s to come, until I remember one tactic Mateo taught me.
I go limp, my muscles turning to water, and drop to the floor. I see the flash of concern—or maybe triumph—in his eyes as he watches me collapse.
He thinks I’ve finally broken.
He doesn’t see my hand reaching for the iron lamp as he leans to reach for me.
When he’s close enough, I don’t hesitate. I swing. The metal hits the side of his head with a sickening crack.
He stumbles back, blood oozing from his temple. His apologetic face vanishes, replaced by a terrifying fury.
“Cazzo!”he hisses.
I sprint past him and reach the front door.
But it’s bolted shut.
No!
When I turn around, he lunges at me.
He draws his handgun from his holster and swings.
It hits me above the ear.
Pain explodes on the side of my head, and I fall to the floor.
As the tiles rise to meet me, the darkness rushes in and swallows everything.
Chapter 37
Damiano
The air in the SUV smells of leather and cigarettes. Through the window, the coastline smears past in a rugged haze of gray. Rain batters the windshield relentlessly, casting a gloom over everything.
I fixate on my phone, watching the blue dot blink in the same spot near a cliff where no path is visible on the map. It’s been blinking there since yesterday. My thumb drums against the screen, the tightness in my body refusing to ease.
I didn’t want to take last night off, but everyone else was too tired to continue, so we had to stay in a motel. Now, it’s been almost 48 hours since she was taken. The most grueling 48 hours of my life yet.
Just stay put, Dolcezza. I’m coming for you.
“You’re going to break that damn phone,” Andreas says, eyes locked on the road as he accelerates, the engine howling past 160. “You’ll burn a hole through that screen before I burn out these tires. Take a breath.”
I don’t respond. I can’t think about anything else but her safety.
