Page 99 of Phantom Mine

I emerge into the same alley I first entered the club through nearly two months ago, still in some measure of disbelief at my discovery. I yearn to be back at my apartment where I’ll be able to stare at the photo and see if anything else jumps out at me. Maybe I—

The thought abruptly cuts off when I’m grabbed from behind and slammed face first into the dirty alley wall.

The air is knocked from my lungs. I try to scream but no sound comes out, my lungs momentarily collapsing under the pressure of being thrown against the wall. A hand slaps over my mouth to muffle any further sounds.

“I’ve been waiting for you,dolcezza,” a malicious voice crows victoriously from behind me.

Ice cold fear trickles down my spine, momentarily freezing me in place.

Rocco.

My stomach bottoms out in terror, but my survival instincts automatically kick into full gear. I thrash against him, kicking and screaming, attempting everything to dislodge him and get away, but he’s a brick wall. No matter how much I struggle, he doesn’t move an inch.

Instead, he lets loose a bone-chilling laugh.

“Iknewyou weren’t in my office for some random fuck with my brother. That it was only a matter of time until I’d catch you.” His hand fists my hair brutally and yanks my head back. Tears sting my eyes at the savagery of his touch. “You made me wait for you,” he sneers. “And that, I don’t appreciate.” His hand twists around my front and he palms my breast. Bile surges into my throat as nausea twists my belly. “But I know just how to make it worth my while.”

Fighting against the panic sweeping through me, I bite down on his hand and stomp on his foot. He howls and releases me long enough for me to turn around and sock him in the face. Just like his brother, he’s caught off guard by my ability to fight. Unlike Matteo, he’s slower to react. I shove him off and elbow him in the face. Blood bursts from his nose like a fountain exploding. As much as I want to see him bleed, I don’t stay to watch. I turn on my heels and run.

I only make it three steps before he’s on me and tackling me to the ground.

“You fuckingcunt,” he roars, spittle flying from his lips and landing on my face.

Rocco punches me. The blow is so hard, my vision temporarily goes black. My ears ring loudly and when I reopen my eyes, stars crowd my vision. Through them, I look up into the bloodied face of a monster. Anger and hate twist his featuresinto an unrecognizable grimace, his teeth bared and bloodied, the look in his eye telling me he’s going to kill me.

“What were you doing in my office?” he demands. “What were you looking for?”

I let loose a scream loud enough to rattle the gates of Hell. My voice rips through the air as my lungs empty. Adriana’s eyes flash through my mind and I scream louder, longer, until my throat is burning. I claw at his eyes and cheeks. I kick my legs and jerk my body every which way.

He grabs my wrists and easily pins my arms beneath his legs as he straddles me. It doesn’t matter how much I struggle, his heavier size and weight give him the advantage.

“Fuck you,” I yell, spitting up into his face.

Rocco punches me again. It feels like my cheekbone splits beneath the force of his blow. My vision goes black for so long, I briefly wonder if I’ve passed out.

“I intend to,” he jeers, mouth inches from mine, his blood dripping on my face. “But first, let’s see what you’ve found.”

I thrash beneath him, but with my arms restrained by his legs, I’m completely trapped. Terror starts to overwhelm me as I realize how dire my circumstances are. His hands come down on my body and start rifling through my pockets. He uses the opportunity to feel up my body, his filthy hands groping my breasts and the apex of my thighs.

I turn my head to the side, bile moving up and out of my throat at the way he touches me. The tears well again, not in fear but in disappointment. I don’t want this to be how it ends, with me suffering a fate similar to Adriana’s.

I don’t want our family to bury another daughter.

“What’s this?” Rocco questions evilly, his tone revealing just how much he likes toying with me. He pulls out the photo of Adriana and holds it up between us. “I see you’ve found my private photo collection.”

I stop thrashing, latching on to what he just revealed.

“What did you do?” I demand.

Rocco’s hand clamps over the front of my throat before the question has left my lips. He squeezes, immediately starting to drain the life out of me. This isn’t a possessive caress like his brother’s, this is meant to kill me.

“Shut the fuck up,” he orders. His eyes trail back to the photo as he keeps crushing my throat. “They’re so pretty when I take photos of them. My favorites are the ones who scream,” he muses like I’m not even there, like he’s not revealing just how psychotic he is. Eyes that manage to be both lethal and devoid of humanity turn back towards me. “And you’re going to be the prettiest of them all.”

“Never,” I manage to croak past my murdered vocal cords.

Rocco laughs. All I can think is that this is likely the last sound Adriana heard before she died. That this is the sound Matteo heard as he was tortured. Fresh rage on their behalf and at the helplessness of my situation makes me thrash hard enough that I manage to dislodge his hand.

“You’re not the first bitch I can make disappear, Melody,” he utters with chilling finality, raising his hand to slap me once more. “But you may be the one I’m going to enjoy the most.”

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