Page 107 of Luciano

“How about a quarter of that price?” he negotiated. “After Benito is done with her, she’ll be broken. I just want to dip into Romano pussy before my life is over. Obviously, there won’t be another one in my lifetime.”

Another rowdy laughter.

The blind rage shot through me, and before I knew what I was doing, I found myself next to the man and slapped him hard across the face. The smack vibrated through the room and not a single peep sounded. Or maybe I couldn’t hear it because blood pumped through my veins like a damn rafting river.

The mobster’s hand snaked around my neck, clutching, blocking my airway while I struggled for oxygen. My hands clawed at his hand but he was too strong.

“Enough!” Benito’s voice vibrated through the room like a cannon. “Do not damage my property.”

The mobster’s hands instantly let go and I gasped for air.Kill them.It was the only thought that echoed.Kill them all.

“Guard, escort the two women back to their room,” Benito’s voice penetrated my brain. “The other is damaged goods. She can be part of one of my brothels.”

Over my dead body, Benito King.The fury was an ugly beast inside me, but I let it ignite, let it spread.

With Ella’s hand clenched in mine, we climbed the stairs, one heavy step after another. The beautiful gowns we wore hid the ugliness of the situation. It fit the mobster world though. They hid their ugliness with flash and glamor but underneath it all, these men were rotten.

I glanced behind me and noted only one guard accompanied us. My neck hurt from the earlier encounter, but I ignored it. It wasn’t time to be feeling pain. This could be our chance at escape. We had to take it. It might be our only chance.

I glanced at Ella and mouthed silently. “Follow my lead.”

We kept walking, a few more steps and we’d be at the top. I knew our room, our cell, was on the left, but I feigned confusion and took a right. The guard’s hand wrapped around my wrist.

“This way.”

And I let my body instinctively apply the years of self-defense classes. I twisted my body inward and gripped my hands on his forearms with all the strength I could muster.

To stay alive. To see my son. To see my husband.

The sound of the bone snapping rose bile in my throat, but I ignored it. His wail sounded off, and I knew there were more guards after us. I kicked him in the balls and shoved him down the marble steps, sending him off tumbling.

I didn’t stay to watch him fall. I grabbed Ella’s hand and headed for the secret passage.

“Run, run,” I muttered to myself.

“Where?” I ignored her question as we came to the end of the hallway, faced by the stone wall. “It is a dead end.”

My hands frantically palmed the rough surface of the old tower, looking for the ledge.

“C’mon,” I muttered. “Please, c’mon.”

The rough stone cut into my soft palm, but I ignored it. That pain was nothing compared to what Benito King would have in store for us. We had to run.

“Here it is,” I whispered victoriously. I pulled the ledge and the wall shifted.

“What the-”

I quickly pulled her inside the wooden landing, and pressed the ledge on the inside and watched the wall shift back to its place.

“How did you know about this?” Ella questioned in a hushed tone.

“This was my Grandfather Astor’s place,” I whispered my response. “Be careful down the stairs.”

I kicked off my heels, and Ella did the same. In silence, we took the ladder, spiral staircase, lowering ourselves one at a time. The second we were both on the ground floor, I took her hand, and we squeezed through the small wooden door which led us onto the sandy path.

The cool, ocean air hit my face, the smell of the salt tingling my nostrils.

Freedom.It had never tasted so good. And Ella and I had been caged birds quite a few times. Sharing a glance, we both lifted our long gowns and started running.