Page 18 of The Sicilian Bastard
Araceli
Luciano left me a panting, quivering mess on the sheets. He untied me and left me sobbing into the soft pillows. I guessed cuddling was out of the question. He made a vital mistake, though. Apparently, he felt like I was too exhausted to try another escape. While Iwasexhausted and dizzy, I sucked it up. What a fucking idiot. Of course, I was going to run again. He left his shirt and jacket but took his pants when he left me. I went to the bathroom and did my business, making sure to chug water afterwards. I came out and threw his shirt on to give me a little protection then stretched my legs out, knowing I was going to be running for an undetermined time.
I tried the door handle and to my complete shock, it turned. Either this guy thought I knocked out when he left or his ego was so large, he thought I would never try again. No matter how much this guy made me orgasm or the slight butterflies I felt in the pit of my stomach, I wasn't staying here with a mad man. I had no idea what his plans were for me and I wasn't sticking around to find out. I had to be smarter earlier.
I poked my head out and didn't see anyone patrolling the hallway. I tiptoed on bare feet, trying not to hit any squeaky parts of the floor. The sun was lowering in the distance. If I was going to find help, I needed to find it before it was too dark for me to see the hand in front of my face.
I held on to the banister and followed it to an elaborate flared staircase. He had me drugged when I first stepped foot into this fortress so I never saw the beauty of it before. I shook my head, trying to clear it of the distracting shininess. I rushed down the steps as fast as possible without tripping and ran full out to the front door. It opened. I peeked through and noticed a guard. He had a deadly tactical shotgun hanging loose by his side and a pistol on his hip. I had to figure out how to get past him. I wracked my brain trying to come up with an approach when a low whistle sounded off to his right side. His walkie-talkie beeped with orders to move to the back of the property. What luck I was having tonight.
As soon as the guard was out of sight, I booked it to the front gate. I assumed the fence was surrounding the entire property, but there wasn't a humming sound or anything. Amateurs. I started to climb. A spotlight slid right past me, narrowly missing showing my form hanging on the gate. I scrambled up higher then dropped off the side, barely grabbing the gate before I broke my ankle. Even though I did yoga and danced the pole, I needed to exercise. My arms were screaming and I had sweat coating my back. My feet were already crying as I ran down the dirt pathway leading into the property.
There didn't seem to be anyone around for miles. I didn't know where I was. I could be in a different country. I kept running, the sound of my labored breathing in my ears. A fork in the road appeared and I took the more traveled looking one, on the left. I was hoping to get lucky and run into a good Samaritan who could help me. I slowed down to a light jog. I couldn't keep up the same pace if I didn't know how far away from people I was.
I felt like I had been going for hours. My light jog settled down into a slow walk. I was hot, sweaty, and tired. I was also rethinking the whole running away with no plan idea. I could've at least grabbed some water. I noticed a turnoff leading to asphalt. This was it. I was going to make it out. Flashing lights drove past me at high speed and then slammed on the breaks. I stood like a deer in headlights, ready to bolt at a moment's notice.
The white vehicle came closer into view, and I noticed it was a squad car.
"Evening, ma'am," the officer said as he rolled up towards me and put his car in park.
"Officer, thank goodness! I need help getting to the nearest telephone." Something was niggling in the back of my mind. A voice was telling me not to tell him where I was coming from. Not to tell him my situation.
"Where are you coming from dressed like that?" He approached and I stepped back.
There was something off about him. His vibe screamed serial killer.
"My boyfriend and I got into a fight, and I took off," I mumbled.
What the hell. Aren't police officers supposed to be trustworthy? Why was I feeling so cagey?
"Well, hop on in. I can take you down to the precinct and you can call whoever you need from there." He motioned behind him to his vehicle.
My instincts were screaming at me. I didn't want to get into a vehicle with this lawman and if I never trusted anything else, I trusted my instincts. I took off and he pursued, shouting expletives in his wake. I didn't get far. Fifteen feet, before he tackled me to the ground. He wrestled his cuffs on me and started laughing.
"You think I don't know the only thing up there is the Picone compound? I don't know who you are, but I do know I can fetch something for bringing you back," he crowed. He stooped over my body and grinned like the devil.
I kicked out, trying to get away from him. Of course, he was working for the man who kidnapped me. His entire aura screamed dirty cop. He should've called it in, but he didn't. He approached me, trying to get me in his car rather than ask me what my situation was. The whole situation screamed off.
His hands moved up my body as he fondled me. I could feel him growing underneath his uniformed pants. I kicked out again, connecting with his groin.
"Bitch," he cried as I scrambled from under his body.
He crawled towards me, but another car pulled up behind his cruiser. It was too dark to see who it was and the friendly officer was busy pawing at my legs to see that we were no longer alone. My worst nightmare walked right behind the officer and put his foot down on his back.
"Who—" The officer tried to roll on his back so he could see who was stepping on him.
"Officer Reynolds, what are you doing pawing at my woman with your dirty mitts?" Luciano growled. Not the sexy growls he used in the bedroom. No, this was feral. Something deep in his chest that meant he was about to attack.
"Mr. Picone? I thought you were on your honeymoon." The officer raised his hands above his head in the dirt.
"The wrong brother." Luciano pressed down on Officer Reynolds' back in warning.
"Right, sorry. I didn't know this was y-your woman," Officer Reynolds stammered.
"But you knew she came from our compound, so you knew she was our property. Tell me, what were you planning on doing with her?" Luciano knelt in the dirt right next to the cop's body so he could look into his eyes. He pulled the officer's hair back and lifted his dirt-covered face to his. He intimidated with his soulless gaze alone.
"I-I was gonna t-take her to the station," Reynolds stuttered.
Luciano looked unfazed, his eyes staring into Reynolds. The look on his face screamed disbelief.
