I thought I wouldn’t be able to shut an eye, but I ended up passing out. I slept like the dead before waking up in the dark room.
I have no idea what time it is, but seeing as I can’t hear any noises, I assume it’s the middle of the night.
Sitting up on the bed, I glance around the room, and my eyes latch onto a shadowy figure standing in the corner.
I stare at Renzo while draping the covers over my lap and legs.
I have no idea what the man plans to do with me, and it terrifies me.
“Sleep well?” his voice rumbles from the corner.
Unable to speak, I nod.
“Good.”
Minutes of silence follow where he just stares at me, and it rattles the hell out of me.
“You have good instincts,” he suddenly pays me a compliment. “Every time you were in the kitchen, or watching TV, or in your bedroom, and you glanced around thinking you were losing your mind, I was watching you.”
My mouth drops open, and before I can stop myself, I mutter, “That’s not creepy at all. ”
He lets out a chuckle that actually sounds amused.
Taking a chance, I ask, “What are you going to do with me?”
I hear him take a deep breath then he moves, coming closer to me. I climb to my feet and shove the covers onto the bed.
When he stops in front of me, I can make out his features, and I hate that he’s still attractive as hell and hasn’t morphed into the hideous beast he is.
Lifting a hand to my face, he grips my jaw tightly before I can yank away. He leans down until the terrifying thought that he might kiss me zips through my mind, but he stops an inch from my mouth, his eyes boring into mine.
“I’m playing around with a couple of ideas. Want me to run them by you? Maybe you can help me decide what to do with you.”
My body starts to tremble again, and I swallow hard on the fear this man makes me feel.
His thumb brushes over my jaw, then his hand slips down to my throat, and his fingers clamp tightly around my neck.
“At first, I fantasized about crushing your windpipe and watching you gasp for air until I squeezed the last air from your lungs.”
Jesus.
“But that means you’ll be dead. I won’t be able to torture you anymore.”
Again, I swallow hard, and I know he feels it.
He lets go of my neck and shoves his hands into his pockets. “I might keep you locked in this room for the rest of your life.”
That will be hell. I’d rather die.
The corner of his mouth lifts. “What do you think I should do with you?”
My tongue darts out to wet my lips, and I shake my head. “You don’t give a shit about what I think.”
A smile spreads over his face, making him look devilishly attractive. “Actually, I do.” A frown forms on my forehead, and it has him saying, “My little brother’s kidney is keeping you alive. How do you suggest you repay me?”
The guilt and heartbreak knock the air from my lungs, and tears jump to my eyes. My voice is hoarse as I say, “I’m so sorry they killed your brother. I never wanted someone to die so I could live. I would never have agreed to the surgery if I had known.”
He lets out a scoffing sound. “Do you expect me to believe you’d just go gracefully into the afterlife and give up the chance of getting a kidney?”
Without zero hesitation, I answer, “Yes.”
Renzo stares into my eyes until I fist my hands at my sides to keep from squirming.
“If you could turn back time, would you die so my brother could live?”
Again, I don’t hesitate. “Yes.”
He takes a deep breath before letting it out slowly, then turning around, he walks to the door. “Follow me, topolina.”
What the hell is he calling me in Italian?
I walk behind Renzo as we head back to the room where Dad and Dr. Bentall are. My stomach coils with dread, and when I follow him into the room, I see there’s a bandage around Dad’s arm.
Surely Renzo wouldn’t give Dad medical care if he was going to kill him?
The thought has hope exploding in my heart, and I rush over to Dad, who’s struggling to his feet.
I wrap my arms around him and give him a hug, whispering, “Are you okay?”
“Don’t worry about me. What happened? Did he do something to you?”
“No. I just slept,” I answer.
“Enough with the little reunion,” Renzo says, his tone low and dark. “Get Dr. Bentall.”
The same guard from yesterday walks to Dr. Bentall and forces him onto his knees. The doctor who’s treated me for the past three years looks nothing like the educated and confident man I’ve gotten to know and trust.
His face is swollen badly from yesterday’s beating, and I feel sorry for him even though he committed an unforgivable crime.
“Any last words?” Renzo asks.
My eyes grow wide as saucers when the question registers.
No.
Dr. Bentall looks at Renzo and says, “I’ve devoted my life to saving people.”
“Yet my brother is dead,” Renzo snaps. “How many times did you buy an organ off the black market?”
“Not many,” Dr. Bentall answers. “Maybe seven or eight times.”
Renzo shakes his head. “Do you know they kill healthy children in Mexico for organ trafficking?”
Dr. Bentall remains quiet.
I didn’t know that.
Renzo reaches behind his back and pulls a gun from where it was tucked into the waistband of his pants. His fingers flex around the handle before he walks closer to Dr. Bentall.
I shake my head wildly as I shriek, “Don’t! Please, don’t kill him.”
Renzo’s eyes snap to me, and the next moment, the gun is trained on Dad. I dart in front of my father, keeping my arms wide open as if it would make me bigger.
“No! I’m begging you.” I shake my head again.
“Choose.” The single word from Renzo falls heavy in the room. “Your father or your doctor.”
Horrified, I can only stare at the cruel man.
His arm swings back to Dr. Bentall, and he presses the barrel right against his forehead. “Consider this a mercy death, Doctor. I could’ve torn you limb from limb.”
Dr. Bentall squeezes his eyes shut.
“Thank me for showing you mercy,” Renzo demands.
Dear God.
“T-Thank y-y-you.”
The bang is so loud I jerk, and my ears ring as Dr. Bentall falls to his side, and blood seeps from the bullet wound to his head.
I stare as a puddle of blood spreads over the floor, my body shuddering as if I’m convulsing. I’m gasping for air, but it doesn’t feel like it’s reaching my lungs.
My legs give way, and I sink to the floor, my vision going spotty from the unbearable shock of seeing Dr. Bentall die.
“Skylar,” Dad cries, and he falls to his knees next to me. “Breathe, sweetheart.”
“Clean the mess,” I hear Renzo order.
Men come into the room, and when they drag Dr. Bentall’s body out, it leaves a streak of blood in his wake.
Tears wet my cheeks, and I continue to gasp like a fish out of water.
“Skylar, look at Daddy,” I hear Dad, but I can’t do anything but gasp through the horror.
Renzo walks closer and crouches in front of me. Gripping my chin with his forefinger and thumb, he pushes my face up so I’ll meet his eyes.
His expression is grim and unforgiving as he orders, “Breathe, topolina. I don’t want you dying on me yet.”
I continue to gasp as tears spill down my face.
“Breathe!” he snaps angrily.
Terrified, I try to suck in a painful breath, causing a strangled sound to come from my throat.
“Please untie me so I can hold her,” Dad begs. “She needs to calm down, and shouting at her won’t stop the panic attack.”
Renzo shoves Dad away, and then I’m in for the shock of my life as the merciless mafia boss wraps his arms around me, pulling me to his chest.
Lowering his mouth to my ear, he brushes a hand over my hair as he whispers, “Breathe, or your father dies.”
Another strangled sound is torn from my chest, but I manage to get air into my lungs.
When I take another breath, Renzo says, “You’ll never comfort your daughter again, Harlan. She’s mine.”
I try to pull back from his embrace, but he tightens his arms around me until I’m squashed against his chest.
I smell his woodsy aftershave.
I feel his strength.
I hear his steady heartbeat.
That’s when I realize just how much trouble I’m in. Where my heart is fluttering like a caged bird’s, Renzo’s is steady.
Not even killing a man can get his heart rate up.
