Page 84 of Deadly Vows

I try to pull my hand from hers, but she doesn’t release me. Her eyes search mine in confusion before she finally pieces together what it is that’s bothering her. She quickly snatches her hands away from me, horror forming on her expression.

“You’re Luca Pasquino’s wife,” she whispers.

“How do you know that?” I ask.

She looks around before leaning into me, lowering her voice.

“I was an escort for high-powered men. It was my job to know before I made a mistake that landed me here,” she says.

So many questions swim through my mind from her revelation, but I push them all down as I focus on the one thing that matters.

“Then you know what happens to women in the auctions?” I ask.

She slowly nods, hesitant to speak to me further.

“This isn’t just any auction. It is for high-powered men. Men like your husband,” she says.

I shake my head.

“So these men will know who Luca is? And what I am to him?” I ask.

She once again hesitates, shifting her gaze behind me.

“It’s hard to say. I don’t know if they’re foolish enough to reveal your identity or just hope that most of the men in attendance don’t recognize you...or do,” she says.

I release a shuddering breath, forcing myself to remain calm as the doors open and they begin dragging the first few women out. The auction has started. I turn back to her, keeping on a brave face.

“So the men may be somewhat reasonable?” I ask.

She shrugs. “Uh, maybe. I can’t be sure,” she says confirming my fears.

This isn’t just about burying me, it’s about punishing Luca. They knew men who are enemies of Luca would be here, which is why the woman was so nervous about putting me in the auction in the first place. If Luca catches wind of any of his enemies bidding on me, he will not only make their lives hell, but he’ll burn this place to the ground in the process.

Unfortunately, I doubt he has a clue that the people who took me were part of the government. I’m going to be lost to the system, and my husband will be none the wiser.

I tense as the men enter the room, this time heading in my specific direction. My heart thunders against my chest as fear of my future courses through me. If they recognize me, if the wrong person bids on me, my life will be worse than it ever was before, just to punish my husband and make him bend the knee. I let my screams and struggles out as I am dragged from the room, not going down without a fight.

But my cries and my struggles are ignored as if I am nothing more than a noisy child as I am dragged to my portion of the bidding.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Luca

Bone smashes under my fist as it connects with my newest victim’s face. He staggers, falling flat on his back as blood pours from his nose, completely knocked out. I ignore the throb of my fist as I glare at him in a desperate attempt to control myself. The silence accompanying my actions is deadly as I turn away from him.

“Take him to the annex,” I say.

My men quickly move past me, dragging the man who may have had a part in Elise’s abduction away.

I am going crazy. Elise is gone, taken from me at the worst possible moment. I should never have let her leave the property. I knew something like this could happen, but I was overcome with guilt after revealing the truth to her. My being soft has put her life in danger and I don’t know how I’ll be able to live with myself if I can’t get her back.

I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, and every time I close my eyes, I hear the sounds of her abduction as her scream accompanied thedevastating crunch of metal. That was the last thing heard from the call to us while they were being attacked. And we have had no leads since that day.

The chip inside her was last activated at the sight of the crash. Whoever took her knew precisely who she was and what to look for, leaving me in the dark. Not even my sources in the police department have anything for me. The details of the wreck have been denied to their level of jurisdiction. This goes high above any of my enemies. This has to do with Arianna’s last command before her death. And with each passing day that Elise remains missing, staying optimistic has become harder and harder.

“Luca—”

“What?” I snap, turning to see Enzo standing beside me with my phone in his hand. My mood has shifted horribly since Elise was taken. Enzo’s relation to her, her deep love for him, and his safety being the only reason I can stand to have him so close. And with Romelo and Nicolai both working around the clock to not only find Elise but also figure out who is after us, Enzo is the only one I trust myself to be around.

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