Page 90 of Twisted Games of Revenge

I try to fight against it, but the smell is overwhelming, and my head becomes all foggy. I stare into his eyes with the deepest disgust I have ever felt, wanting him to know I hate him. Then it all goes black.

Chapter 38

Groggily, I peel openmy eyes in a squint. The light burns, and I close them again, wincing in pain. My body aches from head to toe, but the dull cramping in my abdomen is the worst. I clutch my stomach and pray the baby is okay. Fucking Enzo kicking me right in the stomach like he fucking knew I was pregnant.

Silky fabric slides under my fingers, and I realize I’m not in the clothes I passed out in. I’m in a long dress, something constrictive and fitted. When I hear the sound that woke me in the first place, my eyes fly open. Someone is sobbing not too far away from me. I sit up in a rush and regret it immediately when my head spins. My stomach clenches again, cramping terribly. I groan, clutching it. What the fuck.

On the opposite side of the room, I spot another girl with long dark hair curled up in a ball on the carpeted floor. She’s the one crying. I stand on wobbly legs, the heels on my feet sky high and my dress slinky with a train, the emerald fabric shimmering under the low lights. Tentatively I move toward the girl. Myskin goes all prickly when I realize who it is. “Dani,” I whisper through my tears.

“Stay the fuck away from me, Lana,” she mumbles, her words a distorted mess through her sobs.

“What the fuck is going on?” I ask her, but instead of answering me, she covers her face, sobbing harder than before.

Oh God. I scan the room, looking for answers. Finding a door, I run toward it, checking the handle, but it’s locked up tight. “Fuck.” It’s then I see a TV monitor showcasing the casino ballroom. Beautiful women taking the stage in stunning designer gowns, one by one parading down a long catwalk then returning to the stage, all lined up like a beauty contest. My heart races erratically. This isn’t any beauty contest. This is the fucking charity auction Valentina and Enzo were organizing. I recognize those designer dresses and even some of the girls’ faces from the garden party. On the ballroom floor, men in suits stand around with bidding paddles. An auctioneer takes the stage and starts talking, but I can’t hear what he’s saying. The volume of the TV must be muted.

From across the room, I catch sight of myself in a mirror. I look just like one of those girls on the stage. And I know exactly why I’m trapped in this room. Fucking Enzo is going to auction me off. That’s what Marco was talking about when he said they have a way of dealing with troublemakers like me. Panic takes off throughout my body. No way in hell will I let this shit happen to me.

I move back toward Dani, touching her arm softly. “Dani, we have to get out of here.”

“A little late for that, don’t you think. We’re locked in here. Marco made sure of it.” She sniffs.

I grab her by the shoulders with more force this time. “I’m not letting that piece of shit sell me or you to some asshole in afucking suit. Get the fuck up now and stop crying. I’m getting us out of here.”

She blinks up at me, shocked by my harshness, but it seems to stop her tears immediately. “There is no way out. He made sure of it.” Her sad eyes meet mine.

“Fuck that, I’m not staying here waiting for them to come and take me onto the stage.”

Slowly she stands, moving toward the screen. “You won’t have to worry about that, they will probably auction us off right from this very room. They’re not going to risk you running.”

We both watch in horror as one of the beautiful girls is bid on. She looks so ecstatic when she wanders off arm in arm with the winning bidder. I feel sick for her.

I swallow hard, feeling bile rising in my throat, my hand resting on my belly. I didn’t come this far to be sold. “No. I’m getting out of here or I’m going to die trying,” I tell Dani. “You can either try with me or wait to be sold.”

“This is all my fault.” A fresh wave of tears streams down her face. “I trusted him. I thought he loved me.” Her face scrunches up, and she buries her face in her hands.

I place a comforting hand on her back, trying to calm her. “Marco?” I ask.

She nods sadly. “He got me to teach him how to hack computer servers and how I have been accessing security footage. He got me to teach him everything I knew. I thought he was trying to find you because he was worried about you. He fucking played me.”

I take her hand in mine, giving it a squeeze. “He’s not who you think he is.”

“He’s a Moretti, and he intends to live up to the awful name.” Her head drops, defeated. “He’s the one who locked me up in here with you. He had no use for me anymore now that I helped him find you.” Her scared eyes meet mine. “You haveto understand, I never wanted you to get hurt. I thought I was helping find you to bring you home safe.”

My heart aches with sympathy for her. I was so wrong. All this time it was him using her, not the other way around. And she thought she had the man of her dreams. A fresh wave of determination comes over me. I’m not going to let her be sold. “You can fight, right?” I ask her.

She blinks back up at me, confused. “Yes, Geovani showed me.”

“Good. Take off your heels.” I undo the buckles on my shoes, tossing them carelessly onto the plush carpet. Then I grasp the hem of my dress, ripping the seam until the lower half tears away, separating right at the bias-cut stitching. Now I can move.

Dani discards her shoes, and her dress is already short, so she should be able to run in it. I take her hand in mine. “I fucking hate my brother for what he did to you. But right now, I need you to focus on surviving, okay? We will get out of this place alive. And you will show him he doesn’t define you. Got it?”

She nods once slowly. She looks weak right now, but I know this girl has fight in her. I have seen it before.

“Good. Look for anything you can find as a weapon and be ready to fight,” I encourage her.

She takes a metal lamp base, pulling the top off it and the cord from the wall. “Will this do?”

“Looks good to me.” I pick up my heels and take one in each hand. Why the fuck did they dress me in such perfect stabbing tools? “Okay.” I give her a nod and move toward the door. I knock on the door and wait.

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