Sure, life was always better than death. But in this case, only very slightly. A lifetime personally indebted to the mafia sounded like hell on earth. It would no longer be something that affected me, but from a distance. It would be there right up in my face every time. And the threats I knew my father faced would be directed to me instead. Maybe even by this man who had been kind to me while he imprisoned me in his home.
For a couple days there, I had somehow started to view this entire situation like some sort of retreat, some vacation from my normal life.
I was in a penthouse apartment with every luxury afforded to me. Clothes were bought for me. Food was brought to me. And none of it cost me anything. The sheets were buttery against my skin. The products in the bathroom were more than I could ever afford, no matter how much I tried to trim my already thin budget.
And, to be honest, it was unexpectedly nice to share some time with another person.
Sure, I spent all my days with people: bakers and customers and Liane and even my father.
But my nights were quiet. And, if I would let myself admit it, lonely. I didn't remember the last time I shared a meal with someone. Watched a movie with someone. Made coffee for someone.
It had been nice, in a twisted way, to play house. To let myself forget that I was supposed to be railing against this, not settling into it.
I had to get myself the hell out of this situation.
And if my father didn't make it, I had to find a way to deal with this damn family too. I wasn't going to spend my whole life under their thumb, having them squeeze more money out of me every year for the rest of my life.
I was going to get out of this.
One way or another."Oh, hey there, sweetheart," a new guard called to me the following morning, sitting on the couch with a newspaper instead of standing guard at the elevator like I knew he was supposed to be. "I was told you would be done sulking eventually."
"Sulking?" I hissed, teeth clenching. "He said I was sulking?"
"That was the word he used," the guard agreed, giving me a nod.
I recognized him.
He was one of the guys standing around when I'd been moved from one trunk to the other. Not Anthony, the other one. I don't think I caught his name. But I remembered he'd been wearing a giant belt buckle in the shape of a lion. This morning, the lion was replaced with a vintage ship and hula girls.
"Well, he's an asshole," I declared, moving off into the kitchen, going for the coffee pot.
"He sure is. A lovely young lady like you would never sulk, right?" the guard asked, sarcasm heavy in his voice.
"Lovely young ladies like me don't typically find themselves kidnapped and held for ransom, so whatever reactions we have to said situation, we are justified. Who are you? Where is Christopher?"
"Chris has other jobs some days. So you're stuck with me. Emilio," he clarified when I raised a brow.
"Emilio. So, are you an asshole like your boss too?"
"Depends. I was the one who sent him to pick you up in the first place."
"So that is a yes."
"But I went to Lorenzo because the man who was initially supposed to pick you up is the most vicious bastard I've ever met in my life. And I don't think I need to tell you this, but I have known a lot of vicious bastards in my line of work."
"So, what, I'm supposed to thank you? Gee, thanks so much for sending the slightly better of two evils to rip me out of bed, throw me in a trunk, and hold me captive."
To that, I got a small chuckle, like this guy didn't let much get to him. "You know, Lorenzo didn't say you had such a mouth on you."
"No? Because he calls me hellcat. To my face."
"And you didn't do anything to deserve that name, huh?"
"Oh, I deserved it alright. And he has no idea how much worse I can be."
"But now you're all pissy at him, so he's about to find out, right? I know the deal. I have sisters."
"And they condone you being a part of kidnapping other girls?"
"Let's just say this is an isolated incident. We don't snatch women or girls off the streets in this family."
"Just me then. What did I ever do to be so lucky?"
"Look, we finally heard from your old man today. Hopefully, everyone can come to an understanding. And then you can go back to your life."
This was the first time they'd heard from my dad?
That was, well, unsettling. At best. He hadn't noticed I wasn't around? He hadn't thought to look for me? To go down to Cape May to check the house? Notice that all my stuff was still there, but I wasn't?