Sold to Moretti Mafia

Fallon

I’ve never gone from a deep sleep to being wide awake so quickly. A crashing sound startles me, and my eyes fly open. In an instant, I know something is wrong. I’m on high alert, and so is Markus, who is already sitting up in the bed next to me.

He moves with lightning speed, pulling on some pants and grabbing something from beneath the bed. The moonlight coming from the window reflects against shiny metal, and I realize he is holding a gun.

There was a fucking gun lying just mere feet away from me this whole time?

“Go hide in the closet, and do not come out until I give you the all-clear that everything is good,” Markus orders.

For a moment, my feet are lodged like sticks in the mud, and I stand there looking at his gun. I know chaos is taking place all around me, swirling like an approaching hurricane, but I can’t bring myself to move.

When I don’t follow his command, he takes matters into his own hands and grabs me by the arm. About that time, I snap out of it, but he’s already dragging me across the room. He shoves me into the dark closet and shuts the door, the slam of it is deafening.

My heart is beating so loud and fast, for a few minutes, that’s all I can hear-my own heartbeat thundering in my ear, and against my ribcage like a sledgehammer.

The walk-in closet I’m in is pitch black, besides the sliver of moonlight escaping through the narrow window. I sit and stare at that small sliver of light, hoping and praying that nothing bad will happen.

Then suddenly, there is a crash, something breaking, glass shattering, and males growling.

Markus is fighting someone. Somehow, that thought calms me a little. Markus is a big guy, muscular and taller than most men. If someone shoots him, he could die quickly, but in a fistfight, he probably has the upper hand… unless he is outnumbered.

Stepping closer to the window, I shove onto my tiptoes and peer down into the dark yard. I search for a car, but instead, find a man standing on the grass near the front door. He looks up and straight at me, almost as if he knew I would be standing here.

I suck in an unsteady breath before I seize to breathe altogether. I’m suffocating, drowning in a sea of terror.

Only when he doesn’t react, do I realize he must not be able to see me through the window. That fact doesn’t do much to calm me, though. There are at least two men here and only one Markus. He’s outnumbered, which isn’t good.

I don’t know what to do… Should I go downstairs and warn him? Try to help him? Maybe I can grab a knife from the kitchen, but then what? Do I just stab him and hope I hit where I should?

Looking down through the window and at the man on the lawn, I wonder why he is not going inside. He looks up again, then to the other windows as if he is looking for something. No, not something, someone.

He pulls something out of his pocket, which I quickly realize is a phone. The screen lights up, illuminating a small amount of his face. I can’t see enough to recognize him.

When he puts the device to his ear, I see it. The tattoo of a snake’s head on the top of his hand, almost like it’s crawling out of his sleeve.

I recognize it immediately. It’s one of my kidnappers. He was the younger man who took me from the campus. I completely forgot about that tattoo until now, but I know it’s him. He is talking to someone on the phone. Fear and elation swirl inside my stomach like a sinister cocktail. These men are here for me, not Markus, and they know where my sister is. I need to talk to him. I need to tell him I need more time.

When I make my next move, I don’t think about the consequences. All I’m thinking about is my sister. I open the door and leave my secure hiding spot against Markus’s wishes. Pulling open the bedroom door, I briefly stick my head out into the hallway. When I don’t see anyone, I walk out, sticking close to the wall as if it will somehow protect me. Sounds echo from downstairs and into the hall.

I can hear two men grunting and the sound of more stuff breaking. They are still fighting.

With only one way downstairs, I have no choice but to go down the stairs. As soon as I reach the bottom, I see them. Two men, one Markus, the other I don’t know. They are in an even fight, both getting in some good punches with neither one budging.

Markus’s eyes find mine in an instant, and my heart stops. It’s only a brief second that our gazes lock, but that’s all it takes for me to know he is angry with me. I betrayed him again by not listening and putting myself in danger. The worst part of all and the part that has me second-guessing myself is that I know he’s not going to forgive me this time.

No matter if he will forgive me or not, and minus whatever feelings have been growing between us, my sister is the only thing that matters. I have to save her. I’m here because of her.

Shaking that dreadful feeling away, I dash through the open space and out the door without another glance.

The cool night air washes over my skin, and a shiver wracks my body in an instant. Only then do I realize I’m wearing nothing but a pair of panties and Markus’ shirt.

Why didn’t I grab something to wear?

“I see her. She is still alive,” the man from the window’s voice drags me from my thoughts. My head snaps up to where the sound is coming from. He lowers his phone and starts walking toward me. An evil grin spread across his face.

Even though every fiber in my body tells me to run away, I force my feet to walk toward him instead. The grass feels soft and cool against my bare feet as I step off the porch.

“I just need some more time,” I tell him when I’m closer. “I can still get it.”

“It’s been more than three weeks, and you still haven’t gotten it. We figured he had you locked up or already killed you, but here you are walking around without restraints. Interesting.” His voice is low and threatening. The sound has the small hairs on the back of my neck standing. My mouth dries, and my knees start to shake.

He takes a step toward me, and I come to a sudden halt, not wanting to get any closer than necessary.

“He never lets me out of his sights, and there is no phone. I’ve been trying. I swear. Please, don’t hurt my sister.” My voice just as shaky as my legs now. I’d give up my own life at this point to protect my sister.

“I think it’s too late for that. You didn’t honestly think we would keep her for so long and keep our hands off her, did you?”

“No…” I shake my head, not wanting to believe what he is saying.

“Maybe I should give you a taste of what’s been happening to her.” He grins, and his eyes flash with lust and mischief.

He takes yet another step toward me, and that’s when I snap. Run-my brain screams.

Spinning my body around, I take off. As fast as my legs will carry me, I run across the yard and into the forest surrounding the property.

I hear the man following close behind, his heavy footfall getting closer and closer. I push my legs, forcing them to go faster. Adrenaline feeds my muscles, numbing my feet from the pain of rocks and sticks digging into the bottom of my feet.

Thin tree limbs whip into my face and arms as I dash through the darkness of the woods. I slowly start to register the pain, but I ignore it and keep running.

One moment, I am whizzing between trees, and the next, a body slams into me from behind, knocking the air from my lungs as he tackles me to the ground.

Gasping in pure terror, I try to free myself. With everything I’ve got, I buck, hoping I can get him off me, but he is just too heavy, too strong. Turning me in his hold, so I’m lying on my back, he straddles my chest and snatches my wrists, rendering me completely immobile.

“Stop!” I croak, pulling on my arms with all my might.

“Funny, that’s what your sister keeps saying too.” He chuckles, and the ache in my chest expands. My sister, my poor sister. It’s all my fault. I should have tried harder, done more. I should have helped her. I let this happen to her, just like I’m responsible for this happening now.

Why didn’t I stay in the closet like Markus told me?

After a moment of struggling, I free one of my wrists. Using the momentum, I lash out at my attacker, scratching across his face. I dig my nails into his skin until I feel warm blood running down my fingers.

“You fucking bitch,” the man groans before pulling his arm back. With a closed fist, he hits my face. Pain erupts across my cheekbone and spreads out all over my face like a wildfire.

My eyes roll back, and the dark night becomes even darker. I feel myself passing out, my vision blurring, but I force my mind to stay awake.

Suddenly, my wrists are free, and a hand wraps around my throat while the other tears my shirt from my body. I can’t breathe, my head feels like it’s about to explode, and I know I can’t keep myself awake any longer. I’m going to die. I failed my sister, and now I’m going to be violated before I die. Worst of all, this evil man is the last thing I’ll ever see.

Just when I think all hope is lost, the man on top of me is gone. All the weight is lifted from my body, ripped away like a tidal wave, leaving me on the forest floor, gasping for air.

It takes me a few seconds to regain my bearings, to even realize what’s going on. Grunts and groans are coming from somewhere close by. I sit up and look around, and what I find has me both sighing in relief and shaking to the bones with fear.

Markus has the man who attacked me shoved up against a tree, pummeling his fist against his face and body like he’s a sandbag. Like a wild animal, and without mercy, Markus beats the man to a pulp.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

He continues his attack even after the man stops moving and slides down to the ground. Even after I’m sure, he is dead. Markus is crazed, unhinged, and without humanity. He keeps punching the now dead body until there is only one thought left in my mind…

I’m going to be next.