Chapter 9
The cool evening breeze brushed against my face as I made my way to the café to meet Lance. The streets were buzzing with the usual after–work crowd, but I barely noticed the people around me. My mind was elsewhere on the promise of an evening spent with Lance, away from all the madness that had engulfed my life lately. Marco‘ s relentless attempts to pull me back into his world still lingered in my thoughts, but I had managed to push them aside, if only for tonight.
Lance was supposed to be my escape, the one person who understood the weight of the
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person who understood the weight of the mafia life and how I needed to move forward. The thought of seeing him brought a small smile to my lips, but just as quickly, that smile faded. There was a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach, a sense that something was off. I tried to shake it off, telling myself it was just leftover anxiety from everything with
Marco.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me–too fast, too close.
Before I could turn, strong arms grabbed me from behind, pulling me into the shadows. Panic surged through me, and I kicked wildly, struggling to break free. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in short gasps.
“Let go of me!” I screamed, my voice
echoing down the street but it was drowned
struggling to break free, My heart pounded in
my chest, my breath coming in short gasps,
“Let go of me!” I screamed, my voice echoing down the street, but it was drowned out by the city noise.
One of the men clamped a hand over my mouth, muffling my cries. “Shut up,” a voice growled in my ear. I bit down hard on his hand, tasting blood, but my defiance only made him grip me tighter.
I thrashed in his hold, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I tried to twist free, but another man appeared in front of me. A blur of movement, a punch to my gut, and the world began to spin. My vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges.
“No-” I gasped, but before I could utter another word, the world around me went
“No-” I gasped, but before I could utter another word, the world around me went black.
I woke up to the cold sting of concrete beneath me. My head throbbed, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was. The air smelled damp, like old rust and decay, and when I tried to move, a sharp pain shot through my ribs.
Panic seized me as reality came rushing back. I was no longer on the city street heading to meet Lance–I had been taken. My eyes darted around the room. It was dark, lit only by a faint sliver of light coming from a crack in the ceiling. The place looked like an old warehouse, abandoned and forgotten. The
walls were lined with metal nines and the air #56% 10:53
in the ceiling. The place looked like an old warehouse, abandoned and forgotten. The walls were lined with metal pipes, and the air was thick with the musty scent of decay. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to remember how I got here.
I had to get out. I had to escape.
I tried to stand, but my legs felt like jelly, barely able to hold me up. My head swam as I wobbled to my feet, stumbling toward the door. Locked. Of course. I pounded on it, my fists bruising with every hit, but there was no
response.
“Help!” I screamed, my voice hoarse. “Please, let me out!”
Tears of frustration stung my eyes, but I wiped them away angrily. I wouldn’t let
Tears Of Tustration stung my eyes, but i wiped them away angrily. I wouldn’t let myself break down. Not now. Not like this.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and two men walked in–different from the ones who had grabbed me. They were tall, dressed in black suits, their faces cold and impassive.
“Why are you doing this?” I demanded, my voice trembling despite my attempt to sound strong. “Is this Marco’s doing? Did he send you to bring me back?”
They didn’t respond. One of the men grabbed me by the arm, yanking me toward the center of the room where a single metal chair sat beneath the flickering light.
“Sit down,” he ordered.
“I’m not sitting anywhere until you tell me
what’s going on!” I snanned nulling mv
you to ping me waln:
They didn’t respond. One of the men grabbed me by the arm, yanking me toward the center of the room where a single metal chair sat beneath the flickering light.
“Sit down,” he ordered.
“I’m not sitting anywhere until you tell me what’s going on!” I snapped, pulling my arm free from his grasp. I wasn’t about to let them intimidate me, even if every fiber of my being was screaming in fear.
The man’s eyes narrowed, and in an instant, he shoved me into the chair, the cold metal biting into my skin. I winced but held my ground, refusing to show how terrified I was. I glanced up at him, trying to read his expression, but his face was a mask of
indifference “This is Marco’s doing isn’t
arm free from his grasp. I wasn’t about to let them intimidate me, even if every fiber of my being was screaming in fear.
The man’s eyes narrowed, and in an instant, he shoved me into the chair, the cold metal biting into my skin. I winced but held my ground, refusing to show how terrified I was.
I glanced up at him, trying to read his expression, but his face was a mask of indifference. “This is Marco’s doing, isn’t it?” I repeated, the accusation hanging heavy
in the air.
Still, no answer.
The door behind them opened again, and my heart dropped into my stomach. My breath hitched as I saw him.
Marco.
