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ALESSIA

I ’m awake, but everything feels like a blur. The world around me is both too loud and eerily quiet, every sound amplified and muffled all at once. My head throbs, my pulse pounding in my temples, a steady rhythm that matches the terror still thrumming in my veins. I can tell that we’re at Valentina and Emiliano’s apartment.

The softness of the soda beneath me is a stark contrast to the terror I feel inside. I hear the faint rustle of movement from the others—Mara and Valentina. I don't have to look to know that Mara is struggling. Her breaths are coming too fast,sharp, ragged pants that fill the room. I can hear the soft, panicked wheeze with each exhale, the sound of fear squeezing the air out of her lungs. I reach out blindly in the dim light, my fingers brushing against her arm. She jerks away at first, her skin cold and clammy under my touch, but I hold on, firm and steady.

“Mara,” I whisper, my voice barely a thread in the darkness. “It’s okay. I’m here.” My own voice doesn’t sound like mine. It’s raw, shaky, but I try again. “Breathe with me, Mara, okay? Just breathe.”

Her eyes are wild, unfocused. She’s not hearing me; she’s somewhere else, somewhere deep inside her mind where the walls are closing in. I tighten my grip on her arm, my fingers digging into her skin just enough to ground her, to bring her back. “Look at me,” I say, louder this time. “Look at me, Mara. You’re safe now.”

She finally meets my eyes, her chest still heaving and her face pale as tears silently flow down her cheeks. I keep my gaze steady, trying to anchor her to the present, to the reality that we’re no longer tied up, no longer trapped in that dark, suffocating place. I match my breath to hers, slowing, deepening each inhale and exhale, praying she will do the same. Slowly, painfully slowly, her breathing starts to sync with mine, still shaky but less frantic. I don’t let go of her arm, don’t stop whispering reassurances until I feel the tension start to ebb from her muscles.

I glance over at Valentina. She’s sitting against the wall, her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her eyes are open, but there’s no light in them, no recognition. She stares straight ahead, unblinking, unmoving, like she’s somewhere far away. I call her name softly, but she doesn’t respond, doesn’t even flinch.

“Valentina?” I whisper, more urgently this time. “Val, please… look at me.” Nothing. She’s lost in her own head, a place I can’t reach, and my heart aches from the sight of her, usually so strong, so fierce, now so vacant—so gone .

The door opens suddenly, and the light from the hall spills into the room, a harsh, blinding contrast to the dimness that surrounded us for the last two days. Emiliano steps in, his face set in a grim line, but his eyes soften when they land on Valentina. He crosses the room in quick, purposeful strides, dropping to his knees in front of her. “Valentina,” he says softly, his voice a low rumble. “Val… it’s me.”

For a moment, she doesn’t react, and my heart sinks even further, a lead weight in my chest. But then, slowly, so slowly, her eyes shift, focusing on his face, and something flickers in her gaze, a spark of recognition. She blinks, her mouth opening slightly, like she’s trying to say something but doesn’t know how.

Emiliano reaches out, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face, his touch soft, almost reverent. “It’s okay,” he murmurs. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

And then, like a dam breaking, Valentina’s face crumples, and she starts to sob, deep, heart-wrenching cries that shake her whole body. Emiliano pulls her into his arms, holding her close, his hand cradling the back of her head, whispering words I can’t hear over the sound of her grief.

Beside me, Mara is still trembling, her breath uneven, but she’s watching Emiliano and Valentina, her wide eyes filled with something that looks like hope, or maybe envy. Emiliano looks over at her, his expression softening even more. “Mara,” he says, extending a hand. “Come here.”

She hesitates, her eyes flicking to me, and I nod, gently nudging her forward. “Go,” I whisper. “It’s okay.”

She takes a tentative step, then another, until she reaches him. Emiliano wraps one arm around her, pulling her into the hug with Valentina, and Mara collapses against him, her small frame shaking with quiet sobs. I can hear her murmuring, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” over and over again, and my heart breaks a little more.

The door opens again, and this time, it’s Romiro. His eyes find mine immediately, and I see the relief, the worry, the fear still etched on his face. He crosses the room in three long strides and pulls me into his arms, holding me so tight I can barely breathe, but I don’t care. I bury my face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my cheek.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve got you, Red. You’re safe now.”

I nod against his chest, my tears finally spilling over, soaking into his shirt. “I was so scared,” I admit, my voice a broken whisper. “I thought… I thought you’d never find us.”

He pulls back just enough to look me in the eyes, his hands cupping my face. “I’ll always find you.” he says fiercely. “I’ll never let that happen. I promise you.”

I nod again, a sob escaping my lips, and he pulls me back against him, his arms like a fortress around me, keeping the world at bay.

Nicolo steps into the doorway, his eyes scanning the room, his face unreadable. He lingers for a moment, his gaze flicking to Mara, watching her for a long, silent moment. His jaw tightens, and then he looks away, his voice rough when he speaks. “I’m heading out,” he says. “We’ve got work to do.”

Romiro gives him a nod, still holding me close. “Be careful,” he says to him, his voice heavy with meaning.

Nicolo’s lips twitch into something that’s almost a smile, but not quite. “Always,” he replies, and then he’s gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

The room is quiet again, the air thick with emotion, with the weight of what we’ve just been through. But for the first time since being kidnapped, I feel a flicker of hope, a small spark of light in the darkness. We’re not out of this yet, not by a long shot, but we’re together.