Page 174 of Fall into Savagery

Did he expect me to be grateful for all the years of abuse?

He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked it back until I looked at his eyes. Brown eyes filled with rage. “I’m going to make it hurt. And when I’m done, I’m going to bargain with the Bratva’s bastards, and I’m going to fucking take back what’s mine.”

I swallowed and kept eye contact, trying hard not to make any noise.

He wanted me to beg him.

To show him how badly he was hurting me.

He pulled harder on my hair before pushing me away. “Didn’t that work with Luca Monroe?”

He laughed when my eyes widened, showing my surprise before I thought better of it.

“Trading a fucking whore for the Pakhan of the Vasiliev Bratva? A bunch of fucking idiots. They let you become their weakness. A real man would have no weakness, but especially not for a bitch.”

I blinked and looked off to the side. He was talking about my mom. He never loved her. She had been nothing more than his possession.

His plaything, and he had felt no remorse for killing her in cold blood.

“Are you really going to trade her for power?” Alina asked, speaking for the first time.

Agnello shook his head and shoved me away. My head hit the pole, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out loud.

“Shut up, bitch.”

He pulled out a small white bag from his pocket and threw it by Alina’s feet.

I watched as Alina crouched down on the floor and grabbed the bag greedily.

She went to find a flat surface and carefully poured the white powder on top of a discarded metal box. Using a small but sharp-looking knife, she cut the cocaine into a thin white line and took in a huge sniff.

Was this how Agnello was controlling her?

The man in question pulled out his phone and pointed it at me.

“Beg them for help. Beg them to come and rescue you,” Agnello said viciously, coming toward me. I slid back, trying to get away, but he was on me before I could even take in another breath.

He wrapped his hand around my neck and squeezed.

I struggled to get away from him as the air was cut off.

He tightened his grip before letting go, and I coughed, trying to get in as much air as possible.

“Do it, bitch. Beg them.”

I shook my head, and he choked me once more.

Crying, I scratched down his hand, trying to get him to ease up. In my struggle, I accidentally knocked the phone from his hand.

He took me in with wild eyes. I flinched away, even knowing it wouldn’t do me any good.

Agnello let out a rage-filled cry and slapped me once more.

I cowered on the floor in an attempt to protect myself.

He really had gone insane.

And he was going to kill me. I knew it.