Page 41 of De Luca: The Saint

“No, of course I didn’t. They took you because they knew even after all this time, you are the best way to cause me pain—the kind I’d prefer to die than to experience.”

“Maybe it’ll be quick.”

I wish that were the case, but I know them too well to believe that. They won’t just kill her. It’s the Bianchis after all. First, they’ll rape her repeatedly, probably in front of me. When they kill her, it won’t be fast. It’ll be slow and painful. By the time they even truly get started, she’ll be begging for death. Wolf will be sure that her screams echo in my mind until I finally die. I don’t tell her that, though, because it will only cause her fear to grow, which will greatly please them.

“Listen to me, Kitty Kat.”

She cocks her head, meeting my gaze, listening intently.

“They are going to try to break you. It’s not going to be pleasant. I need you to be strong, Angel.” My voice breaks toward the end, showing my emotions that I wish I could conceal, “If you cry, it will only make it worse because that’s what they enjoy most.”

After a few minutes of silence, I ask, “Can you do that for me, Kitty Kat?”

She swallows hard and nods, “I’ll try.”

I flash her a reassuring smile that I don’t feel at all, “Good girl.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Kat

Those two words still make my heart beat faster, as does looking at Damian. After two years, I should feel nothing for this man, but my brain and heart are not on the same page or even close. None of that matters, though, because I’m stuck in a cold basement chained to the floor.

“Here he comes, Angel. Remember what I said, show no weakness, no fear,” he speaks in a low voice so only I can hear him.

I want to do what he says, but how? I try to control the shaking in my limbs as Wolf gets closer with every one of my harsh breaths.

He reaches me and digs his hand into my hair, and pulls, giving me an instant headache, “Stand the fuck up.”

I scramble to my feet, trying to lessen the sting from him trying to yank every single strand of hair from my scalp. Wolf is balding, with a pot belly, probably from too much alcohol judging by the smell on his breath, and ice blue eyes, the kind with only pure evil behind them. Vacant. The mixture of alcohol and cigarettes coming from him makes me physically sick. He pulls me tight against his chest, pressing his nose into my neck, making my skin crawl, “I couldn’t understand how you’d fall for a woman outside of our world. I get it now; she really is a pretty little thing and smells so fucking good. I can’t wait to sink my dick into her. Or will you try to stop me, Saint?”

I quickly glance at Damian as the fear sinks deep into the very fiber of my being. Two years ago, I know what would’ve happened if a man did this to me but now I’m not so sure.

His fists are tight, jaw clenched but he doesn’t say anything. Perhaps he doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction or maybe he really doesn’t care.

“Back soon, Kitten,” Wolf growls in my ear, “Then we’ll have some real fun.”

He turns and leaves, and I fall to the cold cement floor, shaking and sobbing. I don’t know when I started crying, but my face is drenched. Way to keep it together, Katherina.

Now I know there’s only one thing I can do. Pray. It’s not something I always do, but isn’t that the normal human response to a terrifying situation? When you have no one else to turn to, go to God, the only one who can intervene if he chooses to. Speaking low, I ask for what I need more than anything else, somebody to save me, “Heavenly Father, I am so scared right now, I need you. Please Father, help me find a way out before all these men kill me, if it’s in your will. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.”

“Jesus fucking Christ on a cracker, Kitty Kat.”

Lifting my gaze from my lap to Damian, I give him my best glare, which isn’t all that great. Everybody is right when they say I don’t have a mean bone in my body. Right now, I wish I did. I’d like nothing more than to tell this tool off.

“So, you’re fully indoctrinated then?”

I try to brush my hair from my face but end up hitting myself in the face with a chain. Damian shakes his head.

“I’m sorry I’m not a seasoned kidnap victim.”

He scoots closer to me, “Tell me this, Kat. Do you actually believe some magical God is going to fly in here to save you?”

I shrug, “Fly in here to save me? Probably not. Do I believe God can save me if it’s his will? Yes, absolutely.”

He scratches his beard, “God isn’t going to save you because he doesn’t exist much like the fat guy in the red suit.”

I hold my head high, not wanting to let him get to me, “Sinner, is it really hurting you for me to have a little faith and believe in a higher power? Because if it’s not, you should really be asking yourself why you need to take away every little bit of hope I have that I can get out of this situation before they completely kill me.”

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