Page 105 of Toxic

She squeezes her eyes shut.

"Brenna, tell me who's hurting you," I demand.

She slowly opens her glistening eyes, whispering, "It's Giulio Abruzzo. H-he bought me from the Baileys the day I ran into you."

Every guilty feeling I could ever have fills me, along with horror. I should have had my father's bodyguards follow her that day. I've replayed that scenario so many times in my life, especially the last month since I saw the photo Finn showed me. I scold myself further. This is my fault. What has she been through all these years?

"Come with me. I'll call my father and we'll leave now," I claim, knowing if the Abruzzos are involved, and especially Giulio, who is one of their head men, then I need my father involved. In all reality, I have no idea how we'll get out of here.

She laughs, and it sounds so sad my heart hurts. "The moment I walk out this door, the bodyguards will follow me. Listen to me. There is no saving me. I'll never escape him."

"I'm not leaving you. Now that I know—"

"You aren't listening. And if you go tell Sean—"

"Sean's dead," I blurt out, feeling the sharp sting as a flashback of him tied to the car and screaming flashes in my mind.

She gapes at me then demands, "What are you talking about?"

I attempt to stop the emotions and sniffle. "The Baileys killed him. I moved back to New York years ago with the kids. We live with my father." I'm unsure why I don't also say the Rossis or why I chose to admit it to Brenna when I've never uttered the phrase before. Perhaps it's because she's been harmed by them, too?

She hugs me tightly, just like all those years ago on that bench in Central Park.

I tighten my arms around her, not wanting to let her go. We were close friends before she disappeared. It feels good to have a piece of my past that I assumed was gone forever right in front of me. "Brenna, I have to get you out of here."

"I can't. We'll both die. His guards are all over the place," she claims.

She's right. There's no way Giulio would not have her watched when she's not with him. I've never met him; I've only seen him in passing or in photos, but he's ruthless. I respond, "Okay. If not tonight, then there has to be some other way."

Defeat fills her expression. "There isn't. Trust me. If I could have done it, I would have."

We stare at each other for several moments. I try to figure out how to not let this be the last time I see her and how to help her. I finally remove my phone. "Give me your number."

"Bridget, I only have his and his daughter's numbers. There's no one else. He will have my phone traced."

I shuffle through my evening bag and pull out Fiona's cell. "Take this one. My daughter and I fought before we left, and I grounded her."

"Tough mom," Brenna teases.

I wink. "I'm a bitch. She and my son both hate me right now."

Her face falls. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you're a great mom."

"I don't know. Take the phone." I push it at her.

"I can't. He'll find it. I have zero privacy."

I scrub my face in frustration then stop. "What kind of phone do you have?"

Brenna glances at my hands. "The same one you do."

I nod then give her my phone and purse. "Hold this for a moment." I remove the SIM card from Fiona's phone. "Take this. You can switch it out on your phone, and I can text you."

She stays quiet, with fear written all over her face.

"Brenna, Finn's not going to stop searching for you. And I am telling him I saw you and where you're at."

She grabs my arm. "No. Listen to me. He will get killed. You don't understand the number of men Giulio has guarding his house and him."

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