AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Why should I trust you?" he finally asks, his tone still wary but less hostile.
"Because I love your sister," I admit, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. It feels like something I should tell her first, but right now, I need him to buy into what I’m telling him. “She’s in danger and I need your help to save her.”
"Where are you now?"
I give him the location, relief washing over me. "I'm nearly there."
“Matteo. Get the car,” Elio commands. Then to me, he asks, “How many men have her?”
“Probably three. Maybe more. I’m not sure.”
“You need to stall them, Lutz. I’m on my way, but it’s a good twenty-five minutes’ drive.”
“I will. Hurry.”
I hang up as I pull into a gravel lot in front of a dilapidated building. I check my gun, making sure it’s loaded. I want to barge in, gun blazing, but I can’t risk Lana getting caught in the crossfire. No. I need to wait for help. While I do, I'll check out the surroundings. Figure out where Peter is keeping Lana.
I step out of the car. The cool night air hits me, doing little to calm my nerves. As I near the entrance, a heart-stopping scream pierces the night air. Lana's scream. My blood runs cold, and for a moment, I'm frozen in place. The sound of her pain, her terror, is like a physical blow.
I reach for the door handle, praying it's unlocked. I open the door to hear Lana’s muffled cry from inside. I realize that I can't wait. I need to find Peter and play a dangerous game. One in which he sees me as an ally, not a foe.
I step into the building. I hear laughing from below me. A basement. I seek out the stairs and head down, praying I can pull this off.
This isn’t my first entry into a dangerous situation. But it is the first time in which I feel like my fate is on the line. I’m not afraid to die. What scares me more is failing Lana.
31
LANA
Ican’t breathe. The snap of the belt, the sting of it on my back feels like fire on my skin. I’m still in shock at the level of brutality by these men who were sworn to serve and protect.
I’d worked to mentally prepare myself for sexual assault. Instead, Detective Hartley ripped my shirt and is using his belt to flog me. I’ve never felt more physical pain in my life.
"You think you're so tough, D'Amato?" Hartley hisses as his heavy leather belt snaps across my back again.
I tried to be strong, to not let them see the fear and pain, but I can’t hide this. Tears of agony and humiliation stream down my face as his henchmen laugh. But even in this situation, I’m determined to fight. Or at least be defiant. I have to hold on to hope that someone will save me. Elio? Except maybe he’s already dead like Lazaro. Henry? After the phone call, I don't know if Henry is with them or not.
Snap. The searing pain against my skin feels like it's tearing me apart. I squeeze my eyes shut, but it doesn't help. I cry out. Hot tears stream down my face. I struggle against the cuffs that bind my wrists over my head, but they only seem to tighten around me.
I blink through the haze of pain, my vision blurring as a familiar figure walks into the room. Is that… Henry? Or am I hallucinating?
No… it’s him. Henry's here. Relief washes over me, momentarily dulling the agony of my wounds. He's come to save me. Of course he has. I knew I could trust him.
"Henry," I croak, my voice barely above a whisper.
But something's not right. Henry's not rushing to my aid. He's not even looking at me. Instead, he's casually chatting with Hartley and the other cops, a relaxed smile on his face.
"Glad you could make it, partner," Hartley says, clapping Henry on the back. "We were just getting started with our little D'Amato problem here."
Henry nods, his eyes finally meeting mine. There's no warmth there, no concern. Just cold indifference.
The realization hits me like a punch to the gut. He's not here to rescue me. He's here to join them.
I can't believe I was so stupid. I should have known better. How could I have fallen for this man? He played me perfectly. All those tender moments, the way he looked at me like I was the only woman in the world, his promises to help find Lazaro. In reality, he was gathering intel, worming his way into my life, my heart. And now, here he is, ready to watch me suffer alongside the very men who've been tormenting me.
The worst part is, he even told me his plans. He admitted that he initially approached me to get information. But I was so caught up in my feelings, so desperate to believe that someone could actually care for me, that I brushed it off.
God, I'm such a fool. I let my guard down, allowed myself to be vulnerable with him. I even considered telling Elio about us. The thought makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.
