I want him to suffer.

“Handcuff him to the bolt on the floor. It’s there where Dalila was lying.”

Was drags Malone over to the bolt and cuffs him to it. He grabs the man’s towel and yanks it off his body, leaving him naked, his skin against the cold cement, already coated in Dalila’s blood from the floor.

“Leave him there.”

“Wait, no - please - “ he begs. “It’s freezing in here. I’ll be dead in thirty minutes.”

Mas nods at me. “I’ll stay. I want to make sure he’s dead before I leave.”

“Message me. When it’s over.”

Malone screams. “You can’t do this. I’ll kill you all. It’s too fucking cold. I’m going to die, you fucking animals.”

I turn my back on his panic.

I carry Lila up at the stairs, out of the house that looks like the gates to hell.

I climb into the back seat of the car with her still wrapped in my arms, holding her in my lap.

“The doctor is waiting for you at home, baby girl.” I whisper against her hair.

Chapter Twenty-Five

DALILA

Iremember seeing Nevio’s face. I remember the moment he lifted me in his arms.

I knew he had come to save me - but the two or three days that came after that were a blur.

This morning is the first time I remember opening my eyes and seeing my bed.

I sit up, moving too fast as pain shoots through me.

“Nev.” I scream, terrified, flashes of Malone’s face shooting through my mind.

He comes running into the room. He grabs me in his arms, and I cry out in pain again.

“Sorry. I’m sorry. What happened? Are you ok?” he blurts.

“I - I - I don’t know what happened. I don’t know how I got here.” I mumbled in shock.

“You’ve been really out of it since I brought you home. The doctor has been seeing you twice a day. We’ve just been waiting for you to wake up.”

“You found me—” I whisper, tears falling down my cheeks.

“Of course I found you. There is no way in hell that I would not find you, my baby girl.” He rocks me gently in his arms and I rest my face against his chest.

After a quiet moment, he asks. “Do you remember what happened - while you were there?”

I nod.

“You remember what he did to you?” His voice is tight.

I nod again.

“Did he - “ He can’t finish his sentence, but I know what he is worried about.