Page 1 of Hunter

SOPHIA

As the door opens and my body is pulled down an unfamiliar-sounding hall by my bound wrists, I can only guess this is a new location. I wonder if they will at least give me a bucket to pee in this time, or if they will make me go on the floor again.

Either way, I’ve got to get out of here.

The taste of salt and iron fills my mouth as my teeth dig into my cheek. The room I’ve been shoved into is barely lit, and biting down on my own flesh is the only thing keeping my scream from escaping. My knees scrape against the rough cement floor, raw skin burning with each movement.I won’t show weakness, not in front of these bastards.My palms splay against the cold ground as I push myself off the floor. The sting of torn skin on my knee is sharp, but I ignore it, my eyes darting around the windowless room, desperate for an escape. I’m unsure how long it has been since I was taken from Maxim. The consistent darkness makes it feel like an eternity. I’ve been beaten, blindfolded, questioned, and moved on multiple occasions now.

My body stiffens as the door slams shut behind me, the echo bouncing off the walls like a cruel taunt. Footsteps—heavy, deliberate—draw closer, each one a warning. Before I can react,rough hands tangle in my hair, yanking my head back with enough force to sting.

A gasp escapes me, sharp and involuntary, but I swallow the scream clawing at my throat. I won’t give them that satisfaction. They don’t deserve to see me crumble, don’t deserve my fear.

The stranger spins me around to face him. His eyes, dark and cold through the black ski mask, lock onto mine. The stench of cheap alcohol and stale cigarettes makes my stomach churn. I fight the urge to gag, forcing the bile back down.

“You’re going to be fun to play with, pet,” he growls in a thick Italian accent, slamming me into the cold cement wall and knocking the air from my lungs.

He presses his body against mine so hard, I can feel his erection press against my stomach. My stomach churns again, but I choke back the nausea. I push against him, slamming my palms into his chest, desperate to break free. His hands seize mine, and I thrash harder, fighting to keep the last vestiges of my freedom. Then, his grip tightens around my throat, cutting off my breath, and my vision starts to blur at the edges.

He leans close to my ear, his voice a venomous whisper. “You want to breathe again? Then behave like a good little pet and calm the fuck down.” I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to steady my breathing. If I fight back, I’ll only fuel his cruelty. If I stay still, maybe he’ll lose interest.

“Good pet,” he mocks, his words dripping with sick satisfaction.

My body trembles as he forces my arms above my head, pinning me against the wall. His free hand roams down my body, landing on my ass.That’s it. My control snaps. I’d rather die than let him do this. My fight-or-flight instincts explode, and I drive my knee up into his groin.

He staggers back, hunching over in pain, clutching himself. “You bitch,” he roars, his fury palpable. “You’re going to pay for that.”

I don’t wait to see what he’ll do next. I lunge for the door, twisting the knob, pulling at it, but it doesn’t open. My heart pounds in my chest, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

Open. Please, open.

Tears stream uncontrollably down my face. This can’t be happening. Where the hell is Maxim? Wasn’t he supposed to protect me? Didn’t he promise me he’d keep me safe? A sharp pain crashes into the back of my head, and the world spins. My knees buckle, and darkness swallows me whole.

My limbs shake uncontrollably; my heart beats so hard, it feels like it might tear through my chest. I try to move my hands, but it’s useless. The ropes are so tight, the more I writhe, the more the skin around my wrists tears. But I don’t care—I pull harder. My skin will heal. Right now, the only thing that matters is getting out of here.

This can’t be my end.

I have no idea where the hell I am, how long I was unconscious, who these people are, what they want from me.That’s a lie. You do know what they want. They want to get back at Maxim for God knows what, and I’m the leverage. That’s why I’m here. This is the nightmare I always feared. I let myself get too comfortable and forgot the consequences of being involved with someone like him. How could I have been so stupid?

“You’re one determined bitch,” the man sneers, his thick Italian accent making my skin crawl. “Too bad you’re not getting free.” I try to speak, scream, say something, but the tape over my mouth silences me. I frantically pull harder on the ropes as his footsteps get closer. His rough, calloused hands graze my cheeks, and I flinch, recoiling away from him. “You’re beautiful for a fat whore,” he sneers, his breath hot against my skin. “I can see why he’s obsessed with you.”

A cold breeze sweeps over me as he grabs my dress and tears it open with his bare hands. I jerk back, knocking the chair over with a crash. He laughs, the sound cruel and mocking. Something cold and smooth trails down my breast. I scream as a sharp, stinging pain shoots down my chest to my stomach. I beg him to stop, to let me go, but my pleas come out muffled. I gasp, feeling the blood trickling, dripping between my breasts.

This sick fucking bastard cut me.

“This is the best job I’ve ever had,” he says, tugging at my bra, easily slicing it open. My chest tightens, a suffocating pressure crushing my lungs. He whistles, admiring me like some sick prize. “Delicious.”

He cups my left breast and sucks it into his mouth. Tears flood my face. I shake my head, my body jerking violently, pleading for him to stop. Dios, por favor, ayúdame. God, please, help me. Bile rises in my throat as his tongue circles my nipple. My body trembles, my limbs kicking against him in a desperate attempt to break free, my muffled screams growing louder despite the tape.

“Stop moving, you bitch. You're ruining my fun,” he snarls, slapping me hard across the face. The force of the blow knocks my face to the side, crashing against the cold cement. My head spins, dizziness clouding my vision. A whimper escapes my lips, and he laughs again.

His hand roams down my belly, slipping beneath the waistband of my underwear. “No, no, no, please, stop,” I beg, but before he can do anything worse, the sound of gunshots and screams erupts nearby. He freezes, his grip loosening. “This isn’t over,” he mutters, retreating toward the door. He opens it and leaves, leaving me on the cold floor, half-naked, helpless, an unshakable weight in my chest.

Why did I let myself end up here? I should have listened to my gut. I should have stayed away from a mob boss. Deep down, I knew something like this would happen. Why didn’t I listen? Why did I fall for his charm, his sweet words? How could I have been so naive, so stupid, to think he could protect me? In the end, they were all just words. Anger surges through me—hot, pure, unrelenting. No more questions, no more self-pity. I will get out of here. I have to believe this is not the end. I will escape. I will survive. My body shivers from the cold air sweeping over my exposed skin. God, please help me. Let me make it out of this alive.

The sound of the door slamming open makes my body tense. “Please leave me alone,” I plead, but my muffled voice is useless. Why did I try to speak? They won’t understand me. The footsteps draw nearer, and cold hands touch my shoulder, causing me to flinch.

“Shhh, it’s okay, Sophia.”

My head jerks toward the voice. It’s Luca. I’d recognize his voice anywhere—it’s etched into the darkest corners of my mind. My thoughts spiral. Why is he here? Is Maxim with him? I hold my breath, straining to hear Maxim’s voice, but it never comes. Maxim isn’t here, but Luca is?

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