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“I’m Capri DeMatteo.That’swho you’re about to carve up.”

He stares at me blankly, then smiles, yanking the gag back over my mouth. “Good.Good.” He claps. “Even better than I could’ve planned.”

I frown.What?

“Now I’ll be getting back at three people I despise. Rocco, Stanzo,andTrino.” Nicky laughs and the other men nervously follow suit. “Thank you for bringing joy to this boring job of prepping your pieces for delivery.” He nods to Darko, who unhooks my chains from the ring on the wall and kicks me harshly onto the tarp.

Feeling the plastic scrunch under my fingertips makes me panic. Thinking of being wrapped in it and suffocated is the firstthought that spins into my mind. Then my blood leaking from severed wounds.

Terror runs through my body like a thousand fire ants.

I should try to run. Now’s the only time.

I push up as fast as I can, only for Nicky’s loafer to flatten me back down. He stomps so hard the wind knocks right out of me.

“Hold still, Capri DeMatteo. Let’s see how loyal your white knight is when you no longer have those beautiful long legs to seduce him with.”

Stars blotch my vision as I scream into the gag. He’s stepping on my ankle to better position himself. I’m going to lose my leg. My friends are groaning behind me. The mobsters are silent.

It’s happening.

Trying to writhe proves useless. Jerking every which way tells me I’m up against brutish strength.

These men are professionals.

It’s settling in too fast.

This is the last moment of my existence. Whatever insane rollercoaster I was dragged onto, ends here.

The cold metal teeth touch my smooth skin. He’s lining up the perfect place to cut.

A torch revs to life on my other side, and I don’t know if I should keep struggling, or just let it happen and hope it hurts less.

No.I cry silently in anticipation.Please, Lord, no.

“Never should’ve crossed me, Trino.” Nicky presses his hand hard on my leg to keep it still, the teeth of the saw biting into my skin. “It was the biggest mistake of your life.”

Bang!

The lights flicker and my ears ring.

Vibrations rumble to the floor, reaching my cheekbone, where I notice the large monster of a man – Darko – falls over, his hand twitching violently.

I’ve never been so happy to see blood leaking profusely from a neck wound.

Bang! Bang!

The gunshots come quick, too quick for that coward prick to take me as a hostage. Grunts and groans come from behind me. My vision goes black thinking my friends are getting caught in the crossfire.

I scream for Jacky, but it comes out as a nearly noiseless muffle amidst the gunfire. I’m scared Nicky will put a bullet in me just to get back at him.

Curses and grunts reverberate overhead. Then strangling.

Trino.

I shimmy back and forth to get onto my back. The sight above me is angelically horrifying. Nicky’s eyes bulge out of his head as his face turns as blue as his tacky suit. The gun in his hand drops inches from my leg. He’s doing everything to try and stop the brute force of my husband.

I cheer him on silently, until… the struggling stops.