I haven’t seen Luca since we landed in New York. He said he had a plan, that soon we could leave. That’s all the hope I need to get me through my time left with Dante.
“Rosa, get your ass out here!” His deep Italian voice sends shivers down my spine.
I jump off my bed and head to the living room.
“Is everything okay?” I fiddle with the rings on my fingers.
He stomps around the corner from the kitchen, his left eye completely swollen and purple.
“Dante?” Fear prickles the back of my neck.
A grin appears on his face as he towers over me. His nose brushes against my cheek, and I freeze.
His breath is laced with scotch. As it hits my nose, it makes me want to gag.
“Don’t worry. Do you really think I want to touch Luca’s sloppy seconds? You fucking whore!” he whispers with pure venom, and my heart stops.
He knows.
“Nothing to say for yourself?” He steps back, glancing at his watch. “Any second now–”
My ears ring. What has he done?
He winks at me as his phone rings.
He doesn’t even say hello. “Do you have her?”
Everything crashes around me.
Eva.
He nods, cutting the call. “You did this to her.”
“What have you done?” I scream. I lunge at him, whacking his hard abs with my fists.
He grabs hold of them so tightly the bones grind together. “I’m just keeping her safe for now. Until you marry me, then I might let her go. If you go anywhere near Luca again, I will kill her and then him. I might even film them both for you. There is no one to save you now. I might never have gotten to kill your dad, but I’d say my revenge is a lot sweeter this way.”
He licks his lips and pushes me away so my back slams into the wall behind me. I watch in horror as he walks away, sits on the couch, his legs propped up on the coffee table, and turns on the TV.
As I tiptoe back to my room, tears fall freely down my cheeks. His words echo after me. “I wouldn’t even bother texting Luca. If you so much as breathe a word of this to him, I’ll make that call. Don’t test me.”
He went to bed an hour ago, so it’s safe to start my plan. I want to know who called. I need to find Eva before it’s too late.
The last thing he would ever expect from me is to actually fight him.
I tiptoe out of my room, keeping all the lights off, and stand outside his door. Pressing my ear against the smooth wood, I listen for any movement.
As soon as I know he’s asleep, I carefully sneak in. My heart is almost coming out of my chest.
You can do this, Rosa–for Eva and Luca.
It’s dark, so I use the wall as a guide, heading for where his nightstand should be. I creep towards it until my foot connects with the wooden table.
I hold my breath and lightly brush my hands over the top, hunting for anything that resembles a phone. My fingers touch the glass of a screen, and I flick the silent button on the side before removing the cable, bringing it to my chest before I pull so the light from the screen doesn’t disturb him.
Once safely back in my room, I punch in the code I think I saw him use in Italy: One One One Four Five Nine.
Nope.
One One One Seven Five Nine.
It unlocks, and I gasp.
Now, with shaky hands, I pull up his call log.
Luca’s name is there, so is Frankie’s. The last two calls are from ‘M’. Who the hell is M?
The time of the calls are eight thirty pm and then nine thirty pm. The first time would be it.
I scroll over to his messages, clicking straight on the ones from ‘M’.
D
Keep her tied up. I have R where I want her. Our plan is still on.
M
Good work, D. Not long now. They will suffer, don’t worry.
I can barely see. I don’t understand. I never did anything to Dante. He is the one who should be suffering.
I pull up my phone and enter M’s contact details. I can’t risk waking Dante. Before I swipe up the apps, I go to his map app.
There is one recent search, an address only a block away. I take a screenshot with my phone and then lock his.
He hasn’t moved this whole time. I plug it back in, switch it back on loud, and leave.
My head is spinning.
I need Luca. I can’t do this on my own. Maybe if I explain everything, he and Frankie can fix this and find Eva.
No. That means starting a war, risking everyone.
It might just save my sister.
I leap from the bed, grabbing my overnight bag, and start throwing in the contents of my wardrobe. Rifling through the drawer, I look for my passport and my secret phone.
The door flies open. I turn and Dante stands cross-armed, watching me.
My phone clatters to the floor.
“Going somewhere?” His deep voice makes me want to vomit.
I have no words. I can’t speak as fear grips hold of me.
He holds out his hand. “Give me that damn phone. You can’t be trusted, can you?”
I shake my head. It’s my one lifeline.
“Rosa!” he roars, lunging at me.
He grabs me by the waist, throwing me up in the air, and I bounce off the bed, crashing onto the floor.
“You won’t be leaving this room, only for our wedding. One wrong move, Eva dies,” he spits out, snatching the phone from the floor and kicking my bag on his way out.
The door slams shut, making me jump.
I curl up into a ball on the floor, sobs erupting through me.
I’ve lost everything.
