Page 28 of Giovanni the Savage

The battered door creaks open, and I can feel my hatches go up as I hear footsteps pounding in. It’s too dark to tell who’s there, and I’m also fucking mute, so I can’t even communicate with the person.

I wait with bated breath for the stranger to approach me. I can feel him get uncomfortably close to me before I feel a horrible stench fan my face.

“You’re awake,” a deep, croaked voice notes and hums.

I kind of wish I would be able to see something, at least, or talk.

I feel a finger on the tape on my mouth before he rips it off in one motion.

“God!” I exclaim in mortifying pain and lick my lips to soothe myself. “Couldn’t have been more gentle, could you?”

The last part is a mutter, but he must have heard me because he punishes me with a sharp slap on my left cheek.

“Watch your mouth, or I’ll put it to use,” he croaks before spitting in my face.

Ew.

I want to clean it so badly, because I can feel it dripping to the corner of my lips, but again, there’s not much I can do when my hands are restrained, and the stinging pain on my cheek is causing my eyes to well with tears.

All I can think about is Lucas.

“Where’s Lucas?” I ask quietly.

The man chuckles before I hear him flicking a lighter.

“Fooled you with that, didn’t we?” he asks, and my response is a puzzled look. “I couldn’t care less where your brother is.”

“So, how …”

His loud laugh cuts off my question. “The texts, huh?”

He squats to my level, and I almost gag at the pungent smell of cigarettes with cologne.

“You know my mama always said not to have a soft spot, because bad guys will only exploit it.”

His fingers are trailing up my thigh, but I’m patiently waiting to hear that my brother is alright.

“Maybe if your mother had taught you that, you wouldn’t be here.”

“Please,” I plead dejectedly. “Where’s my brother?”

He rises again, and I exhale. “We knew he was the only way to get your pretty ass outta your house, so we did what we had to do. Easy peasy.”

He chuckles a sadistic laugh.

I finally start putting the pieces together.

“You tricked me?” I realize.

“Exploited,” he corrects.

How could I be so stupid? Of course, Lucas is safe; the fuckers hacked into his phone and sent me those messages. No wonder they didn’t say anything when I picked up the call.

“God,” I groan and throw my head back.

As much as I’m worried for my life, I feel relieved Lucas is safe. One less thing to worry about.

Now I just need to know one more thing.

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