DOMENICO

Three

I was cold. So cold. That was the only thought I had as I began to shake the sleep that had ahold of me. More awareness surfaced and something strange kept me from clenching my teeth—soft, malleable, but solid.

I drew in a sharp breath hindered by what had to be a cloth in my mouth. Panic sent adrenaline surging through me and I sat up, only to fail and flop back to the cold ground.

Something sharp dug into my wrists when I tried to move my arms, which were locked behind me while my legs were bound together at my ankles.

I didn’t recognize the building, but it was obvious it hadn’t been in use for years, as evident by the layers of debris in my limited view.

The darkness made it difficult to see much, even with the moonlight, and my eyes had trouble adjusting. What little light there was streamed in through cracks from what I assumed to be windows and a large overhead skylight. The air was cool, damp, and so still that it stifled a scream that wanted to erupt from behind my bindings.

There were low murmurs in the darkness and the feeling of being watched, but I couldn’t see into the blackness of the shadows.

My heart slammed, breath coming out in harsh pants as I struggled against my bindings.

Cold steel bars surrounded me, no more than a five- or six-inch gap between them. Being tied up was horrible enough, but being caged sent my panic into overdrive.

Every inch of me was shaking. A combination of fear, anxiety, and cold seeped through every layer down to my very cells. Every nightmare or scary thought and every horror movie that involved kidnapping ran through my mind, giving me highlights of what was in store for me.

My breath picked up and it was a struggle to keep from hyperventilating as I fought against my restraints.

“She’s awake,” a voice said from the dark. A figure stepped out from the black, into the moonbeam, and I stared, wide-eyed, at the man in front of me. His hair was dark, the color of oil, but his eyes shone bright and blue. His features were soft, calming almost, and in high contrast to my surroundings.

I managed to get myself up into a sitting position and I noticed how much my knees ached.

“Shh. Don’t worry, everything’s going to be okay, I promise. I’m Roman.” He had a kind face and strong features that didn’t seem to hold an ounce of malice, which confused me. What was he doing there?

I couldn’t say anything in response, the gag making it hard to swallow, let alone speak. Even so, I could feel the chattering of my teeth.

With his hand he beckoned me forward. “Come on, it’s okay. I just want to help.”

With each inch I scooted closer, my body shook even harder, almost vibrating. He slipped his hands through the bars and I flinched, my eyes slamming shut as I froze in anticipation. There was no slap or hit, but rather a tug at the back of my head, then a pull, then relief as the gag was removed.

“Can you swing your legs around?” he asked as he flipped out a knife. The blood in my veins stopped, and I blinked at him. He stared back in confusion when I didn’t move, then gestured with the knife. “For the zip ties.”

Relief seeped in as I wiggled around, my feet closer to the bars. A quick swipe of the blade across the plastic and my legs relaxed down to the ground. They hurt, but it was a good pain.

He motioned for me to spin and I shuffled around, turning my back toward the bars and pushing my arms toward him. Another tug and there was a rush of pain in my shoulders as I drew my arms back in front of me.

“See? That’s better.” He smiled at me as he removed his hands.

I opened and closed my mouth, making circular motions with my lower jaw. “Thank you.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them. My parents had hammered manners into me, and if anyone ever did anything for you, a thank you was warranted, but I didn’t think I was in the situation they’d had in mind.

It felt so good to have the restraints off, even with the pain that came as blood flowed back into restricted areas and muscles and tendons released their stiffness.

He smiled at me. “You’re welcome.”

I opened my mouth to ask a question, but then closed it. A chill moved down my spine as I felt eyes on me.

“Stop talking to her,” a deep, gravelly voice said from the shadows behind Roman. It sent a shiver through me, and even the man before me froze.

In the darkness, a figure rose and stepped forward, the small amount of light illuminating a striking figure. Strong, hard lines made up his face, with full lips and dark eyebrows creating a shadow that made his silver eyes almost glow. The aura surrounding him screamed danger, and I couldn’t help but stare, unable to move a muscle.

He was the man from the bridge, the one who’d blocked my path.

Clashing against his handsome features was a long, thick scar that ran from the outside edge of his eye all the way down to the corner of his mouth, then moved back up, splitting his brow before tapering off on his forehead. It didn’t mar his beauty, but it did increase how menacing he looked.

My heart slammed in my chest as he continued farther into the light.

Roman backed away as the new man stepped forward.

“You’re probably wondering what’s going on, Ella,” he said.

I couldn’t help but nod, because I had no clue why anyone would want Ella Delgado. By calling me that, I realized they didn’t know who they really had.

“Please, let me go. I’m a nobody.”

He ignored me. “My name is Domenico, and I’m your new god. If I tell you to speak, you speak. If I tell you to suck my c**k, you do it. Otherwise there are nasty consequences.”

“S-suck what?” I asked as I swallowed. Had I heard him right? I begged myself to wake up, to free myself from this strange dream, but the cold seeping into my bones and the grit digging into my palms told me it was no dream. It was a living nightmare.

He grabbed his crotch and dragged his hand along the visible ridge. His lip tugged up and due to the light, his expression was sinister. It sent a splash of cold through me and sent my mind racing.

What was going on?

“Just wanted to make sure I had your attention. As I was saying, I’m your god. Your master of pain and pleasure. If you want to eat, be a good little princess, but if you’re a brat, you’ll f*****g starve,” he sneered.

“Why?” I asked. Though vague, it covered so many questions running through my head. The most prevalent: why me?

He stepped forward and loomed over me as he sneered down at me. “Because we can.”

Because we can? What does that even mean?

A snap of his fingers and I heard a shuffle of feet in the dark before he turned and faded away into the black.

Once alone, I took in my surroundings. The cell was small, maybe a six-foot cube, placed at one end of a large open space. The ceiling had to be around twenty feet tall, and the expanse around was impressive. A large opaque skylight ran about thirty feet down the center of the room. The moon sat high in the sky on a cloudless night. The half-exposed surface showered the earth with a sprinkle of light and created a soft glow through the dirt-smudged glass.

In the cell sat a twin-sized mattress that looked like it had come from a dumpster, but at least the blankets looked decent, even if they were basic.

In one corner sat a bucket with a roll of toilet paper next to it. I cringed in realization that it was my toilet for however long I’d be there.

I searched for any weakness outside of my cubed prison, any route of escape should I be able to free myself from the steel that surrounded me, but I would have to wait for the sun. Dust motes swirled in the warm beams of yellow light that shone from streetlamps outside. That meant the area was not remote, but populated. Maybe someone could hear me?

“Help! Somebody help me! Please help!” I yelled, praying someone would hear me. I projected my voice as loud as I could. I clung to the bars, begging for help until my pleas turned into hiccupping sobs.

What was going to happen to me? Were they going to kill me? Rape me?

Why me?

Why Ella?

My screams did nothing. Nobody came, not even my captors. By the time my throat was raw, defeat crawled in and took hold. I slumped back against the bars. While my sobs had subsided, tears still trailed down my cheeks.

My stomach opened up in a pit of uncertainty and nausea rolled through me.

I was all alone. Trapped in darkness and suffocating on the emptiness.

The silence was deafening. Devoid of anything. My heartbeat was a war drum, and I could hear the whooshing of blood pumping through my veins—sounds I’d rarely even noticed were blaring, blatantly obvious.

There was nothing within reach, the space empty with the exception of some pillars and another cage about ten feet away. The stale smell of decay filled my nose—a combination of dust, dankness, and dirt.

There was no real way to tell how much time had passed, but I guessed hours since they had retreated into the darkness. I wasn’t even sure if they were still in the building or if they had left entirely. My eyes fluttered, and despite how gross and disgusting the bed looked, I crawled onto it and pulled the thin blanket on top of me. In no time I was asleep, my last thought a prayer that I would wake in my own bed.