Valentina.
The cell door creaked open, dragging me back into the harsh reality of this nightmare. My body tensed instinctively, the familiar wave of dread creeping up my spine.
Three of Luca’s men stepped inside, their faces blank as they scanned the room. I moved immediately, shielding Isabella with my body.
Her body temperature rose last night to a degree I never thought possible.
Now, she was barely conscious, slumped against the cold stone wall behind me, her breath shallow.
Every part of me was shaking now.
I couldn’t let them take her again.
“On your feet.” One of them ordered, his voice devoid of any emotion.
Did any of these men even feel?
I didn’t move. Even with how fast my heart was racing, every beat pounding in my ears, I held my ground.
“You’re not taking her.”
The one closest to me laughed, a low cruel sound that sent a chill through my body. “Is that so? And what are you going to do about it?” His dark eyes glinted with amusement, as if daring me to try something.
Give them an opportunity to take me.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
He raised an eyebrow, stepping closer to me until he was towering over me. “Is that right?” He reached out, his hand gripping my jaw tightly, forcing me to meet those dead eyes. “Maybe we’ll take you instead. Give your sister a break today.”
My stomach twisted at the thought, bile rising in my throat.
But I stood my ground.
If that’s what it will take to get them away from her, I would do it.
“Leave her alone.” I hissed through clenched teeth.
He grinned, his hand sliding lower, trailing down my neck. “It would be so fun to break you, sweetheart.”
Before I could react, another man stepped forward, grabbing Isabella by the arm. She barely stirred as they hauled her to her feet.
The sight of her limp, broken body being dragged like a rag doll shattered something deep within me.
“No!!”
I lunged at them, but the third man stopped me, slamming me into the wall with a force that knocked the air from my lungs.
“You’re next,” He laughed loudly, his voice like knives running down my back. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn.”
I struggled against him, kicking and clawing, but it was useless.
He was too strong.
I was not, drained from days of fear and hunger.
The tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to let them fall down.
I wouldn’t let them break me.
Isabella’s muffled whimper was the last thing I heard before the door slammed shut, sealing me in the darkness once more.
**
Hours passed.
Or maybe it was days.
Time was a blur in this place.
I huddled in the corner, my knees pulled to my chest, trying to hold on to what little strength I had left. My mind was a storm of thoughts, each one more desperate than the last.
How much longer could we survive this?
How much more could my sister take?
The door opened again.
The flinch came instinctively, my body stiffening as light flooded the small cell. But it wasn’t Isabella coming in this time.
A man stood in the doorway, dressed in a crisp suit, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t one of Luca’s usual thugs, that was for sure.
“Get up.” He ordered, his voice flat.
I didn’t move. And it wasn’t from a lack of trying.
He sighed, stepping inside and motioning to the guards behind him. “Take her.”
Two men grabbed me by the arms, dragging me to my feet. I tried to resist, but my body betrayed me, too weak to put up any real fight.
They forced me out of the cell, down the narrow, dimly lit hallway.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked, my voice hoarse from disuse.
The man in the suit spared a glance in my direction. “You’ll see soon enough.”
I was shoved in a small room, barely bigger than the cell I had been in. The air was warmer here, the smell of soap and… something I couldn’t identify hung in the air. A small basin of water sat in the corner, along with a pile of clothes.
“Clean yourself up,” the man ordered, leaving no room for arguments. “You’ll be presented to the clients tonight.”
I doubt my heart could continue to take any more of this.
Presented.
Clients.
The realization hit me like a fast moving train. They weren’t just going to hurt us anymore.
They were going to sell us.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I won’t….”
“You don’t have a choice,” he interrupted, adding an eyeroll for emphasis. “Get dressed, or I’ll have the guards come in and do it for you.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, my mind racing for a way to get out of this.
This couldn’t be happening.
I couldn’t let them…
The door creaked open, and I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Another woman was brought in. She was as battered as I was, her face bruised, her lips swollen, but there was something familiar in her eyes.
Defiance. She had not given up.
“Do what they say,” she muttered under her breath, casting a glance at the man by the door. “It’ll be worse if you don’t.”
I hesitated, my body trembling at the torture it was being put through.
I didn’t want to give in, but I didn’t see a way out.
Not yet.
I washed quickly, scrubbing the grime from my skin. My hands shook as I reached for the clothes they had left for me. A skimpy black dress that barely covered anything.
Degrading.
Humiliating.
But I forced myself into it, swallowing my pride.
When I was done, the man gestured for me to follow him. My legs felt like lead as I walked, my stomach twisting with every step. He led me through a maze of hallways until we reached a door at the end of the corridor.
Inside, it was dimly lit, the low hum of conversation filling the room. I could feel eyes on me the moment I stepped inside, leering and hungry.
The man pushed me forward like a sack of rags, letting me stumble until I caught myself just before I fell. My pulse pounded in my ears as I scanned the room.
Men.
Men lounged on plush couches, their eyes roaming over the woman who were being paraded in front of them.
Bile rushed up my throat.
“You’re up next.” The man whispered in my ear, his hand gripping my arm tightly.
I tried to pull away, but all he did was tighten his grip, leaning in closer. “Don’t fight it, Valentina.” He hissed at me.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head, tears stinging my eyes. “I won’t do this.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
He shoved me forward, putting me on display. Every set of eyes in the room focused on me, and I felt like prey in a room full of predators.
Cornered and vulnerable.
A man at the back stood up, his eyes locking onto mine. He looked like he could be in his mid thirties, with a wife and children at home.
Disgusting.
His lips curled up in a cold, calculated smile that sent a shiver down my spine.
“I’ll take her.”
The room fell silent.
The man beside me smirked, clearly pleased with the transaction and how fast it was. “Good choice.” He said, patting me on the shoulder as if it was a prize to be won.
I tried to step back, but the man who had claimed me was already approaching. His smile never faltered as he reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek.
“You’re mine now.” he murmured.
I had to get out of here.