De Luca

Prologue

Nathalie POV

“I love you, Nathalie.”

“Trent, please leave before I call the cops!” I tightened my grip around my phone. I had already typed the emergency number. No matter how many times I changed the locks on my door, he finds a way to get inside my apartment. I just wanted him gone from my life; he didn’t seem to grasp that information.

To him, we’re still a couple, and every time I told him we are not, he would attack me. I refuse to feed his psychotic brain by saying, ‘yes, we are.’ I’m through with him, and he needed to know that once and for all.

With each step he took forward, I took back.

“Why do I always have to discipline you?” His voice sounded like venom to my ears. It sent a chilling shiver down my spine. The words spoken meant a violent punishment was coming. I stepped closer to the door, not answering his question. If I can make it out, I can scream for help. I’m too tired from work to fight Trent off. Counting to three in my head, I turned around, reaching out for the door handle; he yanked me by my hair with a force, my body slammed into the wall, bouncing off of it. I tumbled to the ground, my head hitting into the table, and then there was darkness.

I woke with a horrible headache, and my region down yonder felt sore. Tears stung my eyes, which I fought to keep at bay. The pain I felt broke me; he raped me. More tears clouded my vision as the throbbing and stinging sensation increased. With blurry vision, I look down at myself to see that I am as naked as I was born. A chilling breeze brushed my skin, making me shiver, and chains rattled. I followed the sound to find my hands handcuffed to a stairwell. My arms were so numb that I hadn’t realized he cuffed me. With that in mind, I still tried to move my arms but failed miserably.

How long have I been here? How long was I knocked out? I tried screaming for help, but no one came. My screams bounced off the walls of the warehouse, chanting back to me the same words I shouted out. What felt like hours later until I heard a door creaking open. I wanted to scream for help, but I quickly changed my mind. For one, I didn’t know if they were friendly or not, and two, it could be Trent coming to finish me. I was so afraid and terrified that I remain frozen. I could hear multiple footsteps coming towards me. I’m exposed in the most vulnerable way known to mankind. Whoever was coming towards me could have his way with me, killing me right after. The more I thought about it, the more my fear and panic grew inside of me. I’m in a situation where I couldn’t move or defend myself. There was nothing I could do to help myself. I felt worthless.

A man in his late 50s comes into view, dress in a black tux with a green shirt underneath. His black hair is slicked back and greying at the temples. He stared at me for a moment before he shouted something. Two guys appeared with their guns hoisted, ready to shoot. 

The older gentleman angrily told the two men something in a foreign language—the buffer guy out of the two approaching me. I trashed against my retains. I will not go down without a fight. I saw that the other guy held his gun towards me, and I screamed, trashing harder against the handcuffs.

“Calm down and stop moving or my friend here will miss and shoot you in the head,” His tone was sharp enough to have me obeying. I close my eyes. The sound of the gunshot made me flinch at the same time I fell over on the man’s shoulder. He set me down -I wench from the pain in my lower region-and; the older gentleman removed his jacket, putting it over me. The one who shot his gun mysteriously had a blowtorch releasing the cuffs from my hands. He pulled his knife out and cut the electrical zip tie from my feet.

I rubbed my wrist and then tended to my ankles. One of the guys spoke in a language I did not understand. Whatever it was, he told the older man looked more pissed off than before.

“Your Trent’s girlfriend.” He asked me, and I quickly responded. I’m still unsure of their intentions.

“Ex-girlfriend. He knocked me out… and I woke up here, like this and in pain.” I told him truthfully, my voice breaking. My vision blurred, tears coming back. Talking about it reminded me of the pain, hurt that Trent caused me. Also, the fear of not knowing what’s coming next terrified me.

He pulled his gun out, and again I froze in my place, watching him and the firearm wary. A part of me knew what was to come, but the other part prayed and begged that he wouldn’t kill me. He scratched the gun against his temple. He turned and asked the two other guys something, one of them left.

The man stooped down to where I sat, tapping the gun to his temple. “If I see the cops here, I’m coming for you and finishing you myself.” I quickly understood what he meant, and I cried out in happiness that he was letting me go, “Do you understand?” I nodded my head like a crazy person and wipe my tears, that did not want to stop falling.

“I will handle Trent. Marco here will drive you far away from here.” he put his gun away and help me up. He reached into his pocket and handed me a stack of 100 dollar bills. Marco came to my side, just then, the next guy came in and said something to the older man.

“Go now!” The older man whispered shouted. Marco guided me behind a bunch of storage crates, we stopped at a black SVU, and he silently opened the back passenger door. He helped me up, and he showed with his hands for me to stay low. I crouched down between the seats, and Marco threw a cloth over me. He shut the door the same way he opened it.

I could hear Trent’s voice. It’s a voice I will never forget. Trent called someone, Mr. Santini, before the car roared to alive and moving. The car made turns, dropping in potholes; wherever we were leaving from was very rocky. I could hear the gravel crunching against the car tires.

It felt like an hour that had gone by when Marco pulled the covers off of me. “You can get up now, Ms. Pryce,” I sat up, looking out the window. We parked in a Motel parking lot. He cleared his throat, and I turned my head in his direction; my gaze never met his. “Remember the deal, Ms. Pryce, boss man will take care of Trent. You just keep silent. Piece of advance, move before Trent finds you again.” That was all he said; his accent was very thick when he spoke English. I nodded my head in response. I got out and went to book a room until I could get home tomorrow morning.

...

As I said, this is my second time trying to write. I’ll post another piece or two, and then ya’ll be the judge of what could be a shitty book.

xoxo