Page 145 of Roberto

I began to long for when he would tie me up…

And I would fantasize about it long after he left me there, bound and helpless.

I was scared, yes…

But I was also enthralled.

Perhaps there was a bit of Stockholm Syndrome at play… but mostly it was the erotic charge of being touched for the first time by a handsome, protective, considerate man.

Then, on the sixth day, everything changed.

It was the afternoon. I was tied up, alone in the room, when distant gunshots rang out.

I immediately lifted my head, eyes wide.

There was yelling outside the door –

Then more gunshots, much closer.

The door banged open.

I shrieked as two men in black suits rushed into the room, guns pointed at me –

Followed by my father, who was also in a black suit.

His relief when he saw me was indescribable.

I had never seen that much emotion on his face, ever, unless you counted anger.

He knelt down and hugged me tight – another first – then backed up so he could look into my eyes.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Did they hurt you?”

“No.”

He tried untying the knots but quickly became irritated. He barked at one of the gunmen, who handed him a knife, and sawed through the ropes until I was free.

“Come on,” he said as he put an arm around me and led me out of the room.

There were two dead men in the hallway, their limbs splayed out, blood splattered against the walls.

My father tried to shield my eyes from the carnage in the hallway –

But I turned to look behind us.

My handsome captor lay on the ground, his white shirt soaked crimson, his eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling.

I began to scream.

I didn’t stop until ten minutes later, when they jabbed a needle in my arm and the world went dark.

60

Iwoke up when we arrived home.

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