Valentina.
A shiver ran down my body, though the room was as hot as anything.
I sat on Reed’s thighs, arms crossed tightly over my chest, staring down the group of men before me. Reed’s hand was still clamped on my shoulder, possessive, a silent reminder of his so-called “ownership.”
I forced down the urge to shurg him off. The act of playing along to this felt suffocating, but for Isabella, I would do anything.
One of the men leaned back, lighting a cigar as his eyes swept over me with unmasked hunger. “Feisty, you said?” He sneered, taking a long drag. “I bet we can break that.”
I forced my eyes to remain steady, meeting his leering gaze without flinching.
Reed’s grip tightened.
“Easy.” He muttered under his breath, a warning just for me.
I bit down hard on my tongue, silencing the string of curses threatening to spill. Playing broken… that was the plan.
Let Luca think he had won.
Another man, with a gold tooth that gleamed under the dim lights, leaned forward. “You say she’s a fighter?” His eyes shifted to Reed. “Let’s see her spirit then. How long until she folds?”
The challenge hung in the air, and I sensed Reed’s hesitation. His fingers tensed, a silent signal I didn’t quite get.
He released my shoulder, motioning toward the man. “She’ll need some time. Her fire’s still burning bright, but once I’m done with her, you’ll see it smoulder soon enough.”
Silence.
One where you could hear a pin drop to the floor.
Then the laugh. Deep, lovely, and contagious.
The man with the gold tooth swung his head back before his eyes met mine again. “Better put that fire out fast. I want a turn.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, eyes prickling with unshed tears. Reed gave me a barely seen nod, urging me to remain calm.
One of the men approached, his steps slow and deliberate, stopping just inches from me. His fingers trailed along my jawline.
This time, I clenched my fists so hard, nails digging into my palms, that I was so sure it broke skin.
His lips curled into a smirk as he leaned close enough that his foul breath brushed against my cheek. “Leave some embers for some of us.”
“Careful, Weston,” Reed’s voice cut through, silky smooth. “She’s mine until my time is up. Don’t make me report you.”
The threat in his tone was subtle, but everyone got it. Weston let out a low chuckle, stepping back with a mocking bow.
“Fine, Reed.” He sneered. “Three days isn’t such a long time, I’ll wait.”
Reed’s hand returned to my shoulder, steering me up and toward the back of the room. “Come,” he said, his voice barely more than a growl. “You need to rest. Luca wouldn’t want his new… investment collapsing before she’s even trained.”
I kept my head down, letting Reed guide me out of the room. As soon as we were clear, his grip loosened, and he let out a low breath.
“Are you okay?” This time, his voice was softened, quieter.
I shot him a glare. “What do you think? I’m stuck in a place, degraded like I’m nothing more than… ” I stopped, unable to get the words out. “I don’t need your concern.”
He glanced down the corridor before pulling me into an alcove, hidden from any of Luca’s men. “I’m working on getting you out of here,” He snapped, his tone sharper. “It’s not like you’re making it easy.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I whispered, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Did you expect me to play the meek little captive while those men leer at me?”
“I expected you to have more sense.”
I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. “There’s no reason for me to trust you, Reed. You betrayed me once, so why not twice?”
He met my stare head-on. “Someone risked everything to get you out. Someone who…” he hesitated, his voice dropping. “Who’d tear this place apart to see you free.”
“Who? Who would go through all this trouble?”
He glanced down the hallway, his expression turning wary. “I can’t tell you. Not yet. But if you want to see them again, you’ll need to follow my lead.”
I studied him, searching his face for any hint of deception. It’s not like I saw it the last time.
I didn’t trust him.. not completely. But there was something in his tone, a sort of urgency that gave me pause.
“Fine,” I sighed, my voice a whisper. “But if this is another trick, Reed…”
“You have my permission to kick me in the balls.” He didn’t give anything to show he was joking away.
He led me into a small room at the end of the hallway, dimly lit and smelling of mould. There was only one bed smack dab in the middle of the room.
“Get some rest. Tomorrow, Luca would send someone to test you.. to see if you’ve been causing trouble. Don’t resist. Don’t fight. Just… endure it.”
Endure what?
I’d been enduring for far too long.
“I hope you’re right about this, Reed,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.
He nodded once, his gaze steady. “We don’t have a choice.”
As he took his place on the floor, I exhaled, letting my anger simmer just below the surface. If this was going to work, I needed to play along with this twisted game.
Even as a pawn in yet another dangerous scheme.
**
The next morning, I was led into a different room, one with no windows and the walls lined with cold stone.
A single chair sat at the centre of the room, facing a table stacked with various…. tools. A horrifying collection of items meant to strip any remaining resistance.
Two of Luca’s men stood by the door, their eyes blank as they watched me take in the scene.
One of them sneered. “Sit.”
I took a slow, measured breath before walking to the chair, fighting every instinct screaming at me to fight. I forced myself down, keeping my eyes empty as I met the man’s gaze.
Another man entered. One I recognized.
Weston.
From last night.
His lips curled up in a smirk as he took a seat across from me, while his eyes roamed my body like a predator. “You’re learning, Valentina. That’s good. We won’t have to do much.”
I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. “What do you want?”
He leaned back, crossing his arms. “Simple. I want to see how far we can push you before you break.”
I kept my eyes on him, willing myself not to show the fear that twisted in my gut. “I’m not as easy to break as you think.”
His chuckle felt like knives against my skin. A mocking sound that made my skin crawl. “We’ll see about that.”
He gestured to one of the men, who handed him a small, silver object. A knife. Its blade glinted under the dim light, sharp and lethal.
“Now,” he said, his voice almost casual. “Let’s see how much fight is left in you.”
I braced myself as he approached, every instinct screaming at me to run, to lash out. But I remembered Reed’s words, the urgency in his gaze.
Endure. Just endure.
I forced myself to sit still as Weston trailed the blade along my arm, the cold metal pressing against my skin. The cut was shallow, more of a warning than a wound, but it sent a jolt of pain through me.
He watched my reaction, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Good girl. Keep that up, and maybe you’ll survive this.”
I bit down the urge to spit in his face, keeping my gaze locked on the floor as he continued his twisted game, testing my endurance, watching for any sign of resistance.
After what felt like hours, they finally released me, leading me back to the cell. My body ached, every inch of me bruised and battered, but I held on to the flicker of hope Reed’s plan had sparked. I had to believe it would work.
As I collapsed onto the cold stone floor, I whispered to myself, “Three days, Valentina. Three days.