Page 11 of Revenge Vows

We drive for what feels like forever. The man beside me is dozing off, and I lean away from the foul smell of this breath, wrinkling my nose.

For a split second, the thought of opening the car door and jumping out crosses my mind, but I shove the thought away. If I get hurt or killed by these angry men, I’ll never see Mama or Laura again.

If I see Giovanni, maybe I can make a deal with him. I could work for him until I paid off my debt. I know that he has clubs. I made a lot of money for Gracie and Antonio. There is hope, or at least I delude myself that there is.

The car suddenly comes to a bumpy stop, and the man beside me sits up instantly.

“Sorry boys, we might have stumbled upon a little difficulty,” the driver says, taking off his seatbelt and getting out of the car.

The man in the front seat gets out of the car with the driver. They open the hood and they are checking out something in the engine when there are two quick gunshots.

The man beside me grabs my hands immediately, and chills run down my spine.

“Don’t fucking move,” he whispers, whipping out a gun. Suddenly, the car is surrounded by men who seem to have popped out from the bushes.

There are two quick gunshots, and through the window, I see the driver’s lifeless eyes as he drops to the ground.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” the man beside me curses as he fumbles in his pockets. The men approach our door and break the window with the butt of a gun, forcing the door open.

The man holding me points a gun at them, but a punch from the man who broke the window knocks him out, and his body flops onto me.

I open my mouth to scream, but only a helpless gasp comes out. The man who has broken the window smiles at me.

“We have her here!” he calls out to the men outside.

“Get her out before they get back up,” someone calls to him.

He looks at me with a grin on his face. He pushes the unconscious man away from me, and his body hits the floor with a thud.

“You’re coming with us, sweetheart,” he says.

I shake my head in fear, crawling back as he brings out a handkerchief.

“Say night-night, angel,” he smirks. He grabs my neck, holding me in place, and presses the handkerchief over my nose.

I fight to hold my breath, but his grip on my neck tightens, and I finally cough, inhaling the choking smell of whatever is on the rag. I wriggle violently to get free, but the darkness steals in quickly, and soon, I feel my body relaxing against my will.

When my eyes open again, they open to complete darkness. My body is sore and heavy, and I feel like I have been tied down by a thousand bricks.

I can’t see, but I can make out that I’m on the floor. I struggle to get to my feet, and this is when I realize that my wrists have been zip tied together.

The ties are tied so tight that they have cut into my skin. With all my strength, I pull myself up so that I can sit. I happen to be near a wall, so I lean on it.

Where am I? How did I get here?

Suddenly, I recall a big man looking down at me and pressing a handkerchief to my nose.

Have I been kidnapped? But I was already being kidnapped. None of this makes any sense.

I hear a faint squeaking sound, and something climbs over me. I wriggle in fear, and I cringe when I realize it’s a rat.

Suddenly, the stench of the place hits me. It smells like a mix of so many horrible things.

Rat poop, dried blood, and urine.

I feel the walls to make out what they’re made of. It’s rough beneath my fingers, and I would guess the surface behind me is made of stone.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps approaching. Before I can prepare myself, the door flings open, and I hear a switch click.

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