I can’t respond verbally, and I don’t even try. He walks away, back to the hangar, as I stand on the runway next to the woman bowed at my feet. The rest of Petrov’s crew walks back inside. The Valettis get in their cars. I meet Vince’s gaze and I know there’s trouble waiting for me in his territory.
The pilot in the black tee shirt walks over to me and reaches down, yanking the chain around the poor woman’s neck. She lifts her head quickly and stands before the chain can force her movements. She’s used to this. She knows how to avoid the pain.
He looks down at her and huffs a quick laugh. The wicked glint in his eyes makes my stomach revolt and my muscles coil. “I’ll doubt she’ll give you much trouble.” He smiles, revealing his stained teeth. “Shame, really. I enjoyed the fight.”
He hands me the chain and I reluctantly take it. The woman stands quietly at my side, her hands clasped in front of her and her head slightly bowed.
“We’ll be back to make sure you’ve got a good handle on her.” He nods with a smirk and walks toward the hangar.
My body is tensed and ready to fight, but I have no choice. I’ll be dead if I do anything other than what I’ve been ordered to do. I grit my teeth. I'm really not fucking liking the position I’m in. As the Valettis leave, the cars kick up dust and vanish in the distance.
I look down at the chain in my hand and follow it up to her throat with my gaze. The chain is locked on her and that pisses me off. They didn’t give me a key, but I don’t fucking care.
I’m breaking it off as soon as I have her alone.
Ava
“Come.” I walk quickly, expecting him to pull the chain. I still have a raw cut on the nape of my neck from the last prick who yanked it just to get a reaction from me. I was as quick as I could be. But that didn’t matter. It wouldn’t have mattered if I’d been fast enough. He would’ve found a way. For him, it wasn’t about being obeyed; he just wanted to hurt me. He got pleasure from tormenting me.
I’ve learned there are two types. The first type just wants to inflict pain. They’re the worst, because even if I do everything right, they’ll find a way to trap me. They just want to punish me. Then there's the type that wants perfection. It’s difficult to live up to their expectations, but I try so fucking hard. I have to if I don’t want to be beaten.
In the beginning I fought. And I paid the price. I couldn’t help but to fight against them. They held me down and brutalized me in front of my father. He was an asshole and a vile human being. But still, it hurt to have him watch. I close my eyes and try to will away the image. Everything hurt. So much so that I’m sure parts of me are dead. I’m only slightly aware that I hardly bear any resemblance to the strong woman I used to be.
They raped me, took my innocence. There was no way I couldn’t fight. But then I realized how much of a waste it was. I needed to play the part. I needed to fool them into thinking I’m broken. That they’ve trained me to be the perfect pet. I’m just waiting. I’ll bide my time until I can have my revenge, although there are moments. Moments where I forget why I still want to live. Why I have to be good and try to continue to live.
This new arrangement throws me off. Not that I had much of a plan, other than to survive. I’d hoped when we landed that there would be fewer men. I just need for there to be fewer, so I can pick them off one at a time as they come for me. There are three I keep being given to. I’m recognizing their pattern now. Or I was. But now I’m all thrown off.
I need to get my hands on a gun. I’ll wait. There’s always been something stopping me. I almost had a chance before we left. But I didn’t take it. Abram and Vadik were gone. I want them there. I need to make sure that bastard pays the price for what he did to me and everyone I loved. I want him to die last. I want him to truly suffer.
I’ll have my revenge, at any cost. I won’t be sold off. That’s not their plan for me. That’d be too easy for the mafia princess. I hope their guard will be down. Just one moment is all I need. My body begs me to rest and a small voice whispers, but you need the strength to do it.
“In.” The hard word dropped from Kane’s lips brings me back to reality. Kane De Rocca. I recognize the last name, but I’m not sure why.
This isn’t going as I planned. I don’t like this. Fear makes my knees go weak. His large hand steadies on the small of my back and my body tenses in anticipation of the blow. I close my eyes and bow my head waiting for it. I’ve earned it. I wasn’t paying attention. I was stuck in my head. What’s wrong with me? I can’t do that.