Page 76 of Memphis

I sank into the seat and fought back my tears as we backed out of the driveway and started towards wherever they weretaking me. I tried to memorize every turn, every landmark, but my mind was racing too fast to remember anything. By the time we pulled up to the massive estate, everything had become one big blur.

The house was a fortress of wealth and power, and I wanted nothing to do with it. I just wanted to go home and pretend none of this was happening. Vittorio got out of the SUV and watched as his guards retrieved me from the backseat.

When we started inside, I turned to him and pleaded, “Please let me go.”

“I will.” Vittorio smiled. “As soon as your father returns my money.”

“What are you talking about? What money?”

Without waiting for him to answer, his guard pushed me up the steps and through the front door. Together, they led me down a long hall and into one of the many bedrooms. Before he locked me inside, I called out to him, “Please! Just tell me what is going on!”

“I’ve told you all you need to know.”

“Please, I’m not fighting you. I’m going along with all this. I’m just asking what my father did. I have a right to know.”

“Fine, but it’s not going to change anything.”

“I understand. I just want to know. I need to know.”

“Your father brokered for me and my family, and he stole from us.”

“If he did that, he would be in jail.”

My father was a stockbroker, and he’d made a lot of people a lot of money. I couldn’t imagine him ever taking advantage of anyone until Vittorio said, “He’s a smart man. He knows how to play the game, and he played it well.”

“What did he do?”

“He gave me false information about several investments and convinced me to invest in what he told me were guaranteedmoney-makers, but they came in as a loss. He covered himself at the brokerage firm but not with me.” He cocked his brow. “You can’t outfox a fox.”

“There must be some mistake.”

“There’s no mistake. He pocketed my money, and he is going to pay me back. Until then, you'll stay here, under my protection."

"Protection?" I spat. "Is that what you call this?"

"It's better than the alternative.” He cocked his brow. “Behave, and you might just make it through all this."

He gave me a wink, and then he and his guards exited the room, locking the door behind them. I waited until I was certain they were gone, then reached into my bra and pulled out my phone. It was still on. My call to Memphis had gone to voicemail, and it was still recording. “Wes, I’ve been kidnapped. I’m with a man named Vittorio. My father owes him money, and he won’t let me go until he gets his money back. I need help.”

I ended the voicemail and called him again.

It went to voicemail again, so I sent him a text, telling him to check his messages. By the time I was done, my phone battery was almost dead. I hadn’t been able to charge it the night before, and I had no way of charging it now. I was screwed. I could only make a couple more calls before it was completely dead.

I considered calling the police or Mark.

Or anyone.

But then, I’d have to explain why Vittorio had taken me, and I couldn’t do that without exposing my father’s corruption. I couldn’t take that chance, so I tried calling Weston one more time, and just like the last time, there was no answer. I immediately hung up and sent him a text.

Me:

Wes- I’m in trouble.

I need your help.

Please listen to your voicemail and call me back.

I waited and waited,but he didn’t respond.

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