Page 57 of Corrupt Desires

“You’re such a ray of fucking sunshine, you know that, Jess? Always looking on the bright side of things.”

“I’m trying,” she replies, looking down at her hands. “It’s getting harder each day, but lord knows I’m trying.”

“There is no lord hearing our prayers, Jess,” I say, lying down on the floor as I start to feel lightheaded from the blood loss.

“I have to believe in something, Emilia…”

Her voice fades out as my eyes fight to stay open, and darkness claims me once again.

* * *

“Emilia, Emilia.”

My eyes snap open and I sit up, looking around for the source of the voice. I must be dreaming.

“Emilia, can you hear me?”

The voice is coming from my right ear. I notice the doctor crouched in front of me, tapping his ear and pointing at me.

“James?” I ask on a sob, my hand coming up to my mouth to stifle the sound.

“Emilia, love. We are going to get you out of there, do you hear me? We have a plan. I can’t talk long, but we are coming for you, OK?”

“OK.” It’s all I can say as I try to process that I’m actually hearing his voice. It gives me hope, and hope is not something I can afford to have right now, not when I’m so close to breaking. Because if I have hope, and their plan doesn’t work, or worse, if something happens to him, I will be broken beyond repair.

“Once night falls in a few minutes, you will probably hear some commotion. We are going to draw as many men as we can outside, taking them out before making our way through the house. The power is going to go out, and you will be plunged in darkness. We know what room you’re in, so I want you to stay put, and keep your head down.”

“OK. OK.” My chest tightens with the hope that is clogging my throat, preventing me from getting any more words out.

“I love you, Emilia. I’m coming for you. Doc, get her patched up and ready to go.”

Before I can return those three words to him, the doctor reaches over and takes the ear piece out of my ear, grabbing his own and placing it in his medical bag.

“But how?” I ask the doctor, stunned beyond words.

“Don’t talk, Emilia. Just let me patch you up. We can’t risk the men outside overhearing anything we say. Rest assured though, help is on the way.”

Speechless, I lie back, giving the doctor access to my stomach which is leaking fresh blood from sitting up.

The doctor disinfects the wound and starts suturing the skin back together. He hums as he works, and I focus on the sound, escaping into a corner of my mind to block out the pain. After bandaging my arms up and restitching the sutures that tore on my chest, he starts to put his supplies back in his bag.

“Emilia, dear. I need you to take this. Keep it behind you should anyone come in here. But protect yourself at all costs,” he says as he hands me a tool, its metal surface cool in my warm hand.

“It’s a scalpel. It’s small but can deal quite a bit of damage. Aim for the carotid artery in the neck if you can,” he whispers, looking back toward the door and making sure no one is listening.

Gathering up his bag, he peers at us one more time, tears shining in his eyes. “I hope to God you all make it out alive. I’m truly sorry I couldn’t do more.”

Turning to go, he knocks on the door three times, signaling to whoever waits down the hall that his work is complete.

I share a look with Jess, who is sitting up on her cot, hope shining in her eyes.

“We’re going to get out of here, Jess,” I say, finally allowing myself to have a sliver of hope.

The door slams open again, this time Lorenzo walks through holding a tray of food in each hand. “Time for dinner, you sluts.”

I bristle at his remark. He acts as though we are here willingly spreading our legs.

He sets our trays on the floor, backing up and smirking. “Here, I even placed it on the floor so you can eat like the bitches that you are.”

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