Page 1 of Secret Revenge

Chapter 1

Liliana

Icame to with a start, the cold dampness of the basement floor seeping through my thin clothes. My head hurt and I was nauseous. Had Bianchi given me a concussion?

“Help me,” I whispered, feeling the desperation claw up my throat. I was tied up in a basement, captured by Francesca and the pain in my head was from the beating I took from Antonio Bianchi. Nicholas would never let him live once he found out Bianchi hit me.

The basement was a fortress, its walls lined with thick concrete that seemed to trap all the cold. A single dim bulb hung precariously from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows across the room. The air felt stale, and smelled of mold; as if every breath I took was saturated with despair.

Heavy iron bars blocked the small window high in the wall and the only door led upstairs to the main part of the house. The space felt claustrophobic, suffocating - I could almost feel the weight of the house bearing down on me, sealing me off from the world outside.

“Nicholas...” his name came out as a sob, and I blinked back tears. “I need you.”

I became acutely aware of the distant sound of water dripping, echoing through the cavernous space like a metronome counting the seconds of my captivity. I was still tied to a chair, my arms numb and tied behind me to the chair.

Slowly, I began to take inventory of my body, testing each muscle for signs of injury or weakness. As I did so, I could feel the raw determination that had always been at my core reigniting, burning away the haze of fear and confusion that I had woken with. I was a Romano, and a Ricci before that. There was no way I’d crack under pressure.

I had to find a way out - not just for my sake, but for the sake of my husband. No doubt he was on his way to rescue me, but if I escaped, I could prevent Nicholas and his men from confronting Bianchi.

“Escape,” I breathed, the word becoming my mantra as I prepared myself for the struggle that lay ahead. “Escape, survive, and find Nicholas.”

I wiggled my fingers, trying to get blood flow and feeling back into my arms. The excruciating pain drove the last of the fog from my brain. I strained against the rope on my wrists, opening the scabbed-over injuries I’d already given myself. Blood oozed beneath the unforgiving restraints. The more I struggled, the tighter the rope seemed to become - an unyielding embrace that refused to release its hold on me.

As if summoned by my thoughts, the door to the basement creaked open with a groan that sent a shiver down my spine. In the dim light, a figure appeared at the top of the stairs, his silhouette cloaked in shadows. The air around him seemed to ripple with menace and power, and I knew Bianchi had come back to torment me more.

“Ah, Liliana,” he said, his voice dripping with venomous charm. “I must say, I’m disappointed. I expected more from you.”

More? What exactly did he think I’d be doing down here?

“Haven’t gotten your fill of hitting women yet?” I spat, my voice filled with contempt. “You’ve sunk even lower than I imagined possible.”

“Such fire,” he mused, descending the stairs with the measured grace of a predator stalking its prey. “But then, that’s always been one of your most... enticing qualities, hasn’t it?”

“Save your breath, Antonio,” I warned, my eyes blazing with defiance. “You’ll get nothing from me.”

“Is that so?” His laughter was icy, devoid of warmth or humor. “Well, we shall see, won’t we? After all, I have time on my side. And I’ve waited far too long not to enjoy myself now.

“Nicholas will find me,” I vowed, the certainty in my words unshakable. “And when he does, there will be nowhere for you to hide.”

“Ah, yes,” he said, his voice little more than a sinister whisper as he drew nearer. “The ever-dutiful Nicholas Romano. But tell me, my dear... do you think he’ll be able to save you before Frankie has his way with you?

Fuck. Bianchi had offered his son to me at my wedding reception, but I’d never taken him seriously. Nicholas had and he was right. “Nicholas should be here any minute,” I said.

“Really? And where exactly is ‘here’? You’re not at my home – you’re nowhere he’d ever think to look for you.”

Bianchi touched my cheek and I flinched, not knowing if he was planning to hit me or not.

“That’s going to be an impressive bruise. When Nicholas finally sees you again, he’ll know exactly what we’ve done to you, and he’ll be helpless to do anything.”

“Go ahead,” I challenged, my voice steady despite the fear that coursed through my veins. “Underestimate him at your own peril.”

“Of course,” he replied, a slow smile spreading across his face. “But will he want you once Frankie is done with you?”

“My husband loves me,” I said with all the defiance I could muster. But I thought he might look at me differently if Frankie did more than smack me around.

“And I’ll never, ever let Frankie touch me,” I snarled, my rage consuming me like a wildfire. “I’ll die before I give in to your ugly son.”

“Very well,” he said, his tone deadly calm. “Let us see if you are as resolute as you claim to be.”

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