Page 43 of Heartless Union

“With my teeth.” She bares her teeth at him.

Dante only laughs as he turns away from her and faces me. “And what about you? Rocco’s new wife. You’re much more submissive than Gabriella. How come? Isn’t there some part of you deep down that wants to rebel? Maybe even hurt him? We could do that, you know? Make him jealous.”

I want to snap back, but I’m too afraid. I can only muster the strength to look away from him.

Dante scoffs and turns back to Gabriella. “You’re the fun one. Do you want to fun?” He grabs her face before she can keep her promise of biting him. “God, you’re beautiful. What I wouldn’t give to make you mine.”

Gabriella smiles sweetly despite his hand on her face. “I’ll never be yours.”

“Not unless I take you for myself.”

“You wouldn’t dare. You hurt me, and Rocco will find you and make your death so slow, you’ll be begging for him to kill you.”

“Rocco will never find you here. Either of you. So, you two might as well get comfortable.” Letting her face go, he walks out the door, shutting it behind him and locking it.

Gabriella slumps onto the bed, her head hanging low. “I can’t believe that man. Thinking he can touch me. No one gets the right to touch me. He had one thing right.” She sits up straighter. “I am Mafia royalty. He better think again before he tries something.”

I settle beside her on the bed. “How can you be so brave and stand up for yourself? When I’m scared, nothing comes out.”

“You don’t think I’m scared? I use my voice even more when I’m afraid.” She shrugs. “Call it a defense mechanism.”

We lean against each other.

“I’m glad I have you with me,” I admit. “Even though I wish you weren’t in this position.”

“Me, too. Now, enough with lamenting our fates. Let’s get the hell out of here. Turn around. I’m going to free your hands.”

I do as she says and lean forward, lifting my arms up as best as I can. Gabriella uses her teeth to start untying the rope. It takes her a few minutes, but then she gets it. I quickly remove the rope from my hands and untie her. We make fast work of the rope around our feet.

Gabriella pulls me into a hug. “We did that. If we can untie ourselves, we can do anything,”

“I’m not sure we can withstand two men who are much bigger than us …and have guns.”

She pouts. “Don’t rain on my parade, Lara. Now, we just have to sneak past them.”

“No. We need to unlock that door first.”

She shakes her head. “Even better idea.” She nods at the small, grimy window in the room. “We escape through that.”

We try to open the window, but it’s stuck. It’s either locked, rusted from age, or one of those windows that literally can’t even open.

Gabriella grabs the light off the night table and holds it up. “We can use this.” She chucks it at the window, and it breaks. The glass rains down around our feet. “They’re going to hear that. We need to move now.”

She pushes me toward the window, and I clamor up it. The glass cuts into my hands and knees, but I ignore it. They key is to get out now. Injuries can wait.

The door bursts open. Dante is standing there with a shocked expression on his face.

“Lara, go!” Gabriella shouts. I’ve made it through the window.

Dante grabs Gabriella around the waist and hoists her backward. I turn to go back into the house, but she keeps shouting at me to run. “Get help!”

I know she’s right. But how can I leave her?

“Lara, go!” Gabriella gives me a small nod that it’s ok. I’m saving us both by leaving.

With one last look at Gabriella, I force my body to stand and start running down the street.

It doesn’t take long for Dante to come running out after me. He’s much faster than me, but I’m smaller. I need somewhere to hide until I can go for help.

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