Page 95 of Beautiful Devil

My wrists are on fire. I try one last time, but I’m met with so much pain on my raw flesh as the rope continues to dig into it.

This is it. This is how it ends.

My eyelids are starting to get heavy, and as this headache keeps pounding more and more, I’m finding it harder and harder to keep my eyes open. My head starts to bob up and down while my eyes open and close, fighting hard to stay open, but it's a losing battle. When they close, they won’t open.

I must have dozed off, because I’m woken by a prick in my arm. Trying to open my eyes to see what that was, I swear I see a blur of white. Blinking a couple more times to clear my vision, I open my eyes again, but the overhead light causes instant shooting pain in my head.

Closing my eyes trying to get rid of this pain, I drift off again, this time dreaming of being wrapped up into big, strong, tattooed, muscular arms, and faintly hear the words, “I’m coming,gattina.”

CHAPTER32

GIA

I wake sometime later,still surrounded by darkness. I pull again at my arms and legs and find I’m still confined to my bonds. My eyes open ever so slowly, and I notice a small Band-Aid on the inside of my right arm with a small red dot on it. I try to focus harder and realize it's my blood. What the hell did that lunatic inject into me? What does he want with me? Why am I here? Is this still for all that shit Gallo caused? I’m so fucking over men ruining my life.

Mid-thought, the sound of a heavy door opening catches my attention. I turn my head to see Dante with a man who somehow looks familiar. He looks up and gives me a slow, creepy smile, and that’s when it hits me: that bastard was there when they kidnapped me. I can't help the scowl that’s no doubt evident on my face as Dante slowly takes the seat opposite me again.

“Now,cara,where were we?”

The smug, slimy look on his face sends a cold chill running through my veins.

“I’m so sorry we didn’t have more time together, but you see, you’re of no more use to me than your mother was when she was alive.”

Confusion mars my face at his words. I may not have spoken to her in a couple of weeks, but I know my mother is very much still alive.

“I-I think you have the wrong person. My mother is very much still alive. As is my father.”

An evil laugh bubbles up his throat and echoes around the room, sending another bout of ice-cold chill through me.

“Ah, Gia, I mean your biological mother. The whore that she was.”

I am so lost in this conversation right now, I can’t even begin to form a sentence. His laughter becomes louder, and if possible, even more evil than before.

“They really didn’t tell you? I’m surprised. I didn’t think they would have kept anything from you. You’re adopted,cara.”

Sickness turns in my stomach as dizziness rumbles through my head. I don't know who this man is, but he’s clearly got the wrong person. I know who I am. I know my parents. He’s got me mixed up. Seeing that I’m unable to vocalize my thoughts right now, he decides now is the perfect opportunity to talk.

“I really do hate to be the one to break this to you, Gia, but James and Mary Roberts are not your birth parents.”

* * *

FABRIZIO

I can’t believe that son of a bitch has my wife. After all I have done to try and keep her safe and away from him, he still managed to get his filthy hands on her. My heart is beating at an unusual rate. I want to smash everything around me to pieces. I want to kill every bastard in this universe until I have her back in my arms.

“We got it.”

Marco’s voice brings me back to the room and out of my head for a moment. I had put a tracker in one of the diamonds in Gia’s wedding ring in case she decided to run away in those initial first few weeks. And although she still might have run away, I know she needs my help. I know she hates me right now, but I don't care. I need to get to her.

“Where?”

“Just over an hour outside of the city.”

I rise from my chair like a flash of lightning; knowing where she is sends my heartbeat back into hysteria.

“Marco, you're with me. Luca, get another two cars from here out on the road. Call the guys at the warehouses and get them out on the road too. We don’t come home until I have my wife safely back in my arms, understood?”

“Yes, boss.”

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