Vanessa
What? He's just going to leave me here?
He strokes my head, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. His eyes are dark, but underneath the anger, I can see lust. "You're so pretty when you're scared," he purrs, his voice a low rumble.
His words are ironic considering I'm the most aroused by him when he looks at me like an unhinged animal ready to tear me to shreds. I'm afraid of him, yet he sets every nerve-ending in my body on fire.
Without thinking, I cling onto his shirt, pulling myself closer to him. "Please don't let me die here," I plead desperately, the taste of fear bitter on my tongue.
"TranquilÃzate (stay calm), Mama. I won't let anything happen to you."
There's no way he could keep a promise like that, but I still believe him because what other choice do I have? I guess this is the day my captor becomes my protector.
I shriek as the door swings open, announcing an unwelcome visitor. Diego reacts instantly, covering my mouth with a strong, calloused hand, his eyes delivering a stern warning. A chill runs down my spine, a shiver of fear amplified by the gravity in his gaze.
The Russian intruder's voice, thick with a menacing accent, cuts through the tense silence. "Come out, Diego. I know you have what belongs to us," he taunts. "Just hand her over, and we won't have to kill more of your men."
His voice is like shards of ice scraping against my body, sending shivers through every fiber of my being.
They're here for...me?
Diego and I share the same look of confusion.
And if he's confused, I know I'm truly fucked. He has no fucking business not knowing what's going on right now!
Trepidation wraps around me like a suffocating shroud, and, through some miracle, I manage to stifle my sobs. The Russian man speaks again. "I can hear your breathing," he taunts, his dark chuckle permeating the air. "Surrender, or I'll start spraying bullets. The boss said to bring her back alive, he didn't specify how alive she had to be."
He begins to count down.
"Three...two..."
Each number resounds in my ears, intensifying the impending threat. I close my eyes as I prepare to meet death.
Diego rises with swift determination, unleashing the deafening roar of his weapon. The gunshot ripples through the room, leaving my ears ringing. Frozen in place, I wait for Diego to reappear over the counter, just as he promised. Three more gunshots go by, my body instinctively cringing with each one. The seconds crawl by, the uncertainty of safety hanging in the air, until finally, he returns. He pulls me to my feet, crushing me against his chest, the rapid thudding of my heart drowning out the lingering echoes of gunfire.
Unable to control myself any longer, I sob into his shirt. His touch is a comforting presence, his fingers gently running through my hair to soothe me. "It's okay, Mama. You're safe," he coos.
"I-Is he dead?" I manage to ask through my quivering voice.
"Yes."
Relief floods through me, but panicked thoughts still linger in the back of my mind. What did that man mean his boss wanted me? How did I belong to them?
Diego guides me through the store towards the exit. I try to steal a glance at the man's lifeless body, but Diego shields me away. "Don't look. You already have a hard time sleeping as it is."
What's the difference? I already witnessed one person die in front of me today. I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to sleep again.
Danny meets us outside. Blood stains his clothes, but I can't see a single wound on him. I only hope none of the blood is his. There's an obvious sadness in his eyes. "Jefe, Quincy...didn't make it. I did manage to capture one of the Russians, he's in the trunk. I'll bring him to the basement to play."
I shiver at the thought of what that means. They're probably going to torture information out of him and kill him. That's what the Mafia do, right?
I can practically feel the fury rolling from Diego. He clenches his jaw tightly, his nostrils flaring with the promise of revenge. "Notify Quincy's family. Tell them I'm covering the funeral cost and we'll all be in attendance." His voice, deep and harsh, reverberates like a growl, mirroring the simmering anger beneath the surface. "We will get vengeance and find out what they want with my pet. Even if I have to rip off every nail, pull every tooth, slice into every inch of his body." Even though it isn't directed towards me, the malice in his voice churns my blood into sleet.
The journey back to the estate unfolds in tense silence. The shadows play on the car's interior, and distant sirens add an eerie backdrop to our grim ride. Danny opens the door for me to exit the vehicle, and I notice that Diego isn't making any effort to move. Panic surges through me as I glance back at him. After what just happened, a part of me doesn't feel safe being away from him.
His face is its usual, emotionless mask as he addresses Danny. "Bring Vanessa and all of her new belongings into the house. Leroy is on the way with the sister." He shoots me a warning glance. "Behave or I swear, I'll spank your ass until it's fucking raw. I'll be back later. I have business to attend to."
Now I know that "business" means torturing guys in his basement.