Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 84756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
It’s inevitable.
Dio.
I suck in a quivering breath and shut my eyes as the fear of being raped creates a tense knot in my chest.
“Hurry up!” Manny snaps.
Yanking on the rope, he makes the door shudder open.
I quickly flush the toilet, then lifting my chin, I force my features not to show any of the fear I feel and step out of the restroom.
Walking back to the basement I try to brace for whatever they’re going to do to me today.
How long will they keep trying to force Damiano to step down?
A few days?
Hours?
How long do I have before they kill me?
Entering the room where I’ll be tortured and killed, panic flares hot in my chest.
Just reacting, I swing around and slam my tied hands into the side of Manny’s neck before I try to make a run for it. He yanks the rope back, and it rips me off my feet. My side slams into the cold, hard floor, and air wooshes from my lungs.
Manny pulls at the rope and starts to drag me across the floor before hauling my body into the air once more.
He fastens the rope around a hook on the wall, then shoots me a glare.
“Let’s start with the cattle prod,” Filippo orders, seemingly unbothered by my pathetic escape attempt.
Dio.
I suck in deep breaths of air, and finding the spot on the wall, I do my best to focus on it as I brace for the pain.
Chapter 38
Damiano
With Mamma and the other women and children safe, we all focus on getting everything ready for the attack.
Impatient as fuck, I glance at Dario, who hasn’t stopped working since I gave the order. “Do you know where Stefano is?”
“His phone signal is bouncing off three towers. I have the area but not a precise location.”
“Where?” I bark.
“Somewhere near Manorville. Just over an hour away by car.”
My phone buzzes, and I rip the device out of my pocket. Unlocking the screen there are more messages from Stefano.
I haven’t tried to call him, because then I’d be playing straight into his hands.
They’ve had Gabriella for twenty-four hours now, and I try to brace for the worst as I open the text.
You’re quiet, cousin. I hope you don’t think you have any other option than to step down.
I suck in a deep breath before pressing play on the attached video.
It shows Gabriella still hanging from the ceiling by a rope.
She must be in so much fucking pain.
“Let’s get started,” the same man from the other recordings orders.
Again, they use a cattle prod to electrocute her, and by the time they’re done, Gabriella breathes heavily through the pain.
Her eyes flick to the camera, and I want to reach through the fucking phone and yank her to me, but instead, I’m forced to feel as my heart is pulverized to dust.
For a moment, she looks directly into the camera lens, and I know she’s speaking to me when she whispers, “Don’t surrender.”
The fucker behind her presses the prod to her back again and keeps it there until she loses consciousness.
Christ.
“We’re heading out,” I roar. “Right fucking now!”
My phone starts to ring, and seeing Stefano’s name, I accept the call and wait for him to speak first.
“Cousin,” he snarls, “do you have good news for me?”
“Just how fucking stupid are you?” I say, my tone as deadly as it's ever been.
“Careful. I have the upper hand.”
I almost fucking laugh. “You do? Let’s say a miracle happens, and you get rid of me. Do you really think the other four heads will call you their capo?”
“They will have no choice. When I overthrow you, they must accept me as their new capo.”
Has he lost his fucking mind?
“This isn’t the nineteen-eighties. You don’t get to just kill me and take over.”
Dario gestures excitedly that he has Stefano’s location.
“Step down, or Gabriella dies,” he hisses.
I just need enough time to get to her.
Fuck.
I hear myself suck in a harsh breath, and then I lie through my fucking teeth, “I’ll step down.”
I never thought those words would leave my mouth, but I’m willing to say anything to protect Gabriella and the family.
I’m not prepared to lose either of them.
Stefano lets out a burst of laughter. “You made the right choice.”
“What now?” I ask.
“You have one hour to send me a video of the other four killing you, and I’ll let Gabriella go.”
I shake my head because it’s fucking hard to believe that Stefano is so stupid and arrogant to think his plan will work.
I end the call, and dropping the phone, I grab the nearest cabinet and rip it from the wall. Glass shatters as it hits the floor, and it does nothing to calm the violent storm in my soul.
When I stop and suck in a harsh breath, it’s to find Angelo, Renzo, Franco, and Dario all staring at me.