Page 90 of The Devil's Den

“Agnelo. I have him chained up in the basement.”

My gaze widens. “Take me to him. I need to see him. He knows where Robby is. I’m sure of it.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

AIDA

“You find her yet?”Agnelo’s words climb up to greet me as soon as the basement door opens and my feet move down the steps. “C-c-come on now, don’t keep me in suspense,” he continues.

Even as he sounds weak, he still has the strength to mock us. I’ve never had this visceral desire to end someone’s life before, but his, I’ll do it gladly.

Matteo tucks my small hand in his bigger one as we descend together to face the monster children should only know from stories, but he made all our nightmares come true.

“Did you piss yourself, yet?” Matteo asks as we make it down the final step. And when our eyes zip to his pants, we realize he did.

“Need a diaper?” I snicker. Seeing him covered in wounds brings me a satisfaction I can’t describe.

He laughs with a cough. “Th-there sh-she is. I’ve missed you. Glad to see you in…fuck”—he winces as he shifts on the mattress—“one piece.”

Without hesitation, I rush to him. “I’ll kill you right now if you don’t tell me where Robby is.”

“Oh.” He feigns a frown. “Was the boy not there? My memory is getting rusty.” He coughs, spitting up blood.

My breaths rush past me in a panic, my pulse thrashing. “Where is he?” I shout, turning back to Matteo. “Give me your gun.” I stretch out a hand, and he takes out the one in his waistband and gives it to me.

“Now.” I turn to Agnelo. “Should I continue to hurt you? Seems like Matteo did a fine job so far.”

His eyelids flicker, like he’s trying to stay awake, but he keeps going. “Not afraid of…” He pauses, trying to control his pain. “A bunch of pathetic kids,” he spits out, biting down on his teeth. “I’ve been through worse.”

A laugh weaves out of me, and before he can utter another word, I slam the gun into his hand. And I don’t stop. I scream with all the pent-up anger laid buried, hitting him again and again—his head, his neck, his arms. I pound him with furious blows, my body buzzing and tingling with the desire to watch the life slip out of his lungs. I see Ms. Greco, remembering her death, Matteo shot, falling on this very mattress, my attacks, the constant fear in Robby’s eyes—it all flashes before me, like a movie.

Arms wrap around me from behind, and Matteo’s voice lulls me, keeping the ghosts of my scars from continuing to own me.

“It’s okay, my love. Shh. I’ve got you.” With a cry, I twist into his arms and wrap mine around his neck, sobbing into his chest as he holds me. “I promise, you can do whatever you want to him, but after we find Robby.”

“Okay,” I sniffle as I pitch back. His thumbs swipe under both my eyes. “Thank you for not giving up on me. I blamed you for her death and I’m so sorry for that. Please, forgive me.”

“You never needed my forgiveness for a single damn thing, but if you need me to say it, then yeah, I forgive you.”

Agnelo coughs and moans behind us, and our attention is back to him. “You ready to talk yet?” I ask. “Or should I continue?”

“His mo-mother.” He spits up blood. “The mother and the Cavaleris, they…” he whimpers, “…got him.”

Matteo stiffens beside me, his expression tight.

“So, his mother, she wasn’t in jail, huh?” I shake my head, disgust coming over my face. “You took him too, didn’t you?”

“He’smyfucking kid.” His eyes harden even as he slowly dies. “My kin. Not like you.” His upper lip curls, blood running in between his teeth.

“The best thing to ever happen to me was to find out we’re not related. And don’t worry, Robby will never know who you truly are.”

When he doesn’t say anything, just stares at me with boldness, I raise the gun in my hand, readying to bash it into his skull.

“Who was my father?” I ask. “What was my mother’s name?”

“Wa-wallet,” he says, lifting his unchained hand to cover his face. “Her wallet’s in the office, bottom drawer. D-don’t know who your father is but got her name on her license.”

Not wasting a second, we rush up the stairs, a chill skittering up my arms.

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