Page 84 of Zain

“I’m going to take you apart piece by fucking piece. Then I’ll soak you in acid, and nothing will be left.”

Ring,ring

The screech of his cell phone made Dana jump. The loud noise was eerily familiar in such a foreign situation.

He huffed then pulled out his phone. “What?”he snapped.

A voice drifted through the air—a woman’s. Dana lowered her gaze and focused on trying to decipher the words, but they weren’t clear.

“And then I can finish this?” he asked.

More chatter on the other end.

“I don’t want to fucking wait,” he spat.

Dana’s skin burned, warning her that his gaze was still on her. She tried to make sense of what was happening.

He wasn’t happy. That was obvious. Maybe this was over. Maybe Zain had come through and they’d reached an agreement.

That little glimmer of hope shone brightly, and she whispered a prayer.

He clicked off the phone. “It’s your lucky day. You get a phone call.”

Dana surged forward. A phone call?Zain.It had to be. She scanned the room, looking for some kind of clue she could give him so he’d be able to find her. But all she saw was a dank basement. Plus, if she told Zain anything specific, she’d likely be moved to a different location.

Her captor tapped his screen then spoke into the receiver. “Your request is granted. Make it quick.” He passed Dana the device.

She greedily brought the phone to her ear. “Zain?”

“Yeah, baby. It’s me.” His smooth words rumbled through the speaker, so deep andauthoritative.

She closed her eyes as she savored the sound of his voice. Tears spilled onto her cheeks, but she didn’t dare waste a second to dash them away. Not when this could be the last time she ever spoke to him.

Hearing his voice made something quake inside her—a longing and desperation so strong she just wanted to disappear into it. “I’m so sorry,” she choked out.

For what, she didn’t know. Sorry she hadn’t been more careful, maybe. Sorry she’d never told him how deep her feelings for him ran.

Sorry she wasn’t coming home.

“Can he hear me?” Zain’s question was low, barely audible.

“No.” She glanced up at her captor. He stepped forward as if to intervene. “I’m okay. He hasn’t hurt me,” she quickly said. Just in case he suspected she was giving Zain clues.

She clung to the phone as though it were a lifeline. He’d have to tear it from her cold, dead hands.

“We need to keep the call going as long as possible. Do anything to make that happen, okay?”

Hope flared inside her. He was working on finding her. She just had to help him. “I miss you too.” She wet her lips.

“All right.” Asshole swirled his finger in the air. “Wrap it up.”

“Are you okay?”

Zain’s heavy tone made her lips tremble.

“I want to come home,” she wailed. She flicked her gaze to her captor’s bored face. “Please tell my family I love them.”

“You’ll tell them yourself. I promise.”

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