Page 42 of Corrupt Desires

Anthony must be dealt with, but at what cost?

Twenty-Nine

Emilia

Franklin seems just as frustrated as the rest of us. As I watch the camera feeds that he has pulled up on the screen, I watch Anthony go into that locked room. In other feeds, women are chained to their cots, and men are stationed around the house, each with a gun on their waistbands. The overall atmosphere of the house is relaxed, though. It might be something that can be used to our advantage.

“There’s a cellar that leads into that wing that we can potentially use to infiltrate the house.” Kayden points out on one of the blueprints he has in front of him.

“I just hate that we don’t know what that side of the house holds. Any number of changes could have been made since that blueprint was made,” says James.

“True, but it also doesn’t have surveillance, allowing us to get in without raising any alarms.”

As the brothers argue valid points back and forth, my phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s enough to startle me seeing that the only people that would even message me are dead or in this room.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I see a text alert from an unknown number. Curious to say the least, I open my text messages fully expecting to see a spam text or some advertisement for a political party.

What I see, however, has me holding my breath.

You’re going to follow myinstructions very closely.

Do not give them any clue that you are receiving these messages.

The next few minutes will determineif he lives or dies.

Panicking, I dart my eyes around to see if anyone has noticed anything off. James and Kayden are still bickering, and Franklin is nose deep in his laptop.

My phone buzzes again and what I see has my heart pounding in my chest. There’s a photo of a man strapped to a chair, barely recognizable with the swelling and bruising to his face, and a masked man holding a gun to his head. But I would recognize him anywhere. My Matty. He’s alive. Alive and being tortured this entire time. Rage bubbles deep within my chest, a murderous calm settling over my body.

If you don’t want anything to happen to him,you’re going to follow my next instructionsvery closely.

I wait what seems like forever for another message but none comes. I try to keep a calm facade, not wanting to tip anyone off at the table that something is wrong. I must not be as good as I thought, however.

“Something wrong, Em,” asks Kayden, his head cocked to the side and his eyes peering into the depths of my soul.

“Nope, nothing’s wrong. Just my attorney. They found another account of my parents. Just surprised at the amount is all.”

James briefly looks up from the papers he’s studying before his attention slides back to the task at hand. Kayden watches me for a few more seconds, seemingly undecided if I’m telling the truth. Once his attention is diverted again to James, I peer down at my phone and text back a quick reply.

I’m waiting.

Curt? Maybe, but I’m full of both rage and fear at the state that Matteo is in. I never would have thought in a million years that anyone was alive after the house was blown to pieces. They planned this—actually,thoroughlyplanned this. And we are two steps behind as usual. It’s frustrating to say the least.

A reply comes in, causing my phone to vibrate in my hands. I quickly scan the message, the pit of my stomach falling to endless depths.

Somehow, someway, you’re going toleave and meet us at the rendezvouspoint in two hours. Don’t tell anyone ofyour plans or else Matteo here will havehis brains splattered to the wall. Don’t testme, princess.

A second text follows, giving an address for the city’s downtown area near the marina. Probably a warehouse if I had to take a guess.

Fucking dammit. I have no choice but to get out of here somehow. I know Matty wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for me. But how do I get out of here without raising suspicion? How do I leave the man I’ve come to love?

Mentally shaking myself from my thoughts, I get up quickly, my chair scraping against the floor causing me to wince. So much for being subtle…

“If you boys will excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”

They say nothing, but I feel eyes on me as I leave the room. Making my way to our en suite bathroom, I quickly close the door and lock it, bracing myself on the sink and hanging my head down.How do I do this?!Matty’s life depends on me right now.

Glancing up into the mirror, I wince at the frenzied emotions shining back at me from the depths of my eyes. I turn on the faucet and splash cold water on my face, needing to gather myself before I lose it. I have to pull myself together, for both of our sakes.

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