Page 40 of Curse

Her words don’t comfort me. What does she know? She doesn’t even know where Matti is half the time.

I must not look convinced, because she continues. “I can’t say that for everyone here, either. There’s a cop who’s been here for a while now too, and he’s on subsistence level rations, no communication with anyone. He’s not only locked up, he’s chained up.”

A cop? Ididhear Franco the other day! I knew it. But it slipped my mind after Matti andI…

It couldn’t be a different cop, could it? That seems unlikely, especially if I heard Franco’s voice. But why would they hold him? Did he come to find me?

I shake my head. That’s probably not the case. More likely he did something to piss them off, the way he pisses off everyone.

I flash back to Alexandra’s office, and looking up at Franco from where I was hog-tied on the floor. And him doing nothing.

Anger burns me like acid, but even knowing he did nothing to help me when he could have, my heart squeezes at the thought of anything happening to him. Franco can be a real dick, but he’s family. Emily’s gone, my father’s gone, and I never talk to my mother, so as complicated as my relationship with Franco is, other than my cousin, Sophie, he’s all I have left.

Olivia is prattling on, spewing more evidence to support the notion that I somehow have it good in here, and the plan is not actually to murder me, but it’s hard to take her words to heart. She doesn’t even know what her man is doing orwhohe’s doing. How could she possibly know what his real plans are for me?

I make a show of yawning, and she seems relieved. Fatigue is better than fear, I guess.

“I’ll let you get some rest,” she says finally, slipping her phone into her pocket. Before leaving, she gives me a quick squeeze-hug.

As soon as the door closes, I count to sixty to give her time to walk away, then slip out of bed.

My dress and jacket from the day Matti brought me here are folded neatly in the laundry pile. I swap outfits quickly, pull my hair into a messy bun, and tiptoe to the door, whichOlivia left ajar. I ease it open and peer into the dim hallway.

I have no idea where I am or where I’m going, but if Matti thinks I’m just going to sit here and wait for him, he’s crazier than I thought.

22

Siena

Once I’m out of the room, I take off, keeping low and moving quickly against the wall, ready to sprint at a moment’s notice.

Too late, it dawns on me: there could be cameras here, tracking my every move. I freeze for a second, my heart hammering in my chest. Should I keep crouching, or is that more suspicious?

I stand up, forcing myself to walk casually. If I’m caught, I’ll just play dumb, say I got lost and can’t find my way back to my room.

But getting caught isn’t part of my plan. I have no intention of going back to that room. An image of Franco, chained up and locked away like Olivia described, flashes across my mind. It’s quickly replaced by the memory of him standing frozen in Alexandra’s office, not lifting a damn finger to help me.

Fuck. I’m torn.

He’s my brother, and I can’t leave him here to rot, or worse. Who knows what these sick bastards have planned for him?

But I’m furious that he didn’t help me when I needed himmost. And I have no idea where to even start looking for him in this labyrinth. Maybe the best thing I can do for both of us is to get out of here and come back with reinforcements.

My plan solidifies: find the nearest exit and get the hell out as fast as possible.

Of course, it’s easier said than done. This place is a maze, with endless doors on both sides of the hallways and sharp turns at every corner. The more I walk, the more disoriented I become.

The hallways all look the same. Bare walls, no windows, and the occasional flickering light overhead. After just ten minutes, I couldn’t find my way back to my room if my life depended on it.

Panic clutches my chest, tightening my throat and making it hard to breathe. My palms are slick with sweat. This was a terrible idea. My plan is no plan at all, I have no sense of direction, and now I’ve put myself in danger.

Worse, I might have jeopardized Olivia’s safety, too. She’s the one who let me out. If anyone finds out, she’ll pay the price for trusting me. Despite her bad judgment in aligning herself with Matti, she’s a sweet girl. I don’t want her to get hurt because of me.

Just as I’m spiraling into panic, I hear a familiar voice. Olivia. I press myself against the wall, holding my breath. Her voice is coming from a room up ahead, the door slightly ajar. Dim light spills into the hallway, and just outside, there’s a cart stacked high with laundry, towels, and a dry sandwich on a plate.

I creep closer, my pulse pounding in my ears. As I near the doorway, another voice joins hers. My stomach lurches. Franco.

Anxiety spikes through me like an electric current. I remind myself that I don’t know whose side Olivia is really on. Is she torturing him? Or is she helping him like she helped me?

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