“And what does she think about all this?” I gesture to the room, to my prison cell.
“What does she think?” He repeats. “It’s none of her business to think anything about it.”
“Okay, so what do you think?” I’m quick to snap back. He raises an eyebrow, but I reiterate before he has a chance to answer. “What did you think was going to happen, having me here as a hostage?”
He laughs. “A hostage? Is that what you think you are?”
“Fuck you!” I say and move forward to slap him, try to, however he catches my arm by the wrist and squeezes.
“If you were a hostage, that would indicate that I was holding you with the expectation of some kind of payment.” I try to pull free but he tightens his grip and pulls me back toward him. “That would also mean that there’s someone willing to pay a ransom to get you back.”
He pulls me closer this time and twists me so that he’s behind me. Still holding my arm, his breath hits the back of the neck. “And sorry to break it to you sweetheart, but nobody’s coming to save you.”
My heart stops. Well, there it is. My father’s dead. A lump develops in my throat, and I’m grateful Antonio has my back to him because I can’t let him see my weakness in the tears pooling in my eyes. I can’t believe what I’ve been doing here, I can’t believe I let him take my virginity! I can’t believe that Antonio turned out to be exactly what he said he was! A ruthless fucking murderer. He leans closer still so that his lips brush against my ear. “I’m all you’ve got, and you’d be good to remember that.”
“Fucking dick!” I yell, struggling to get loose. My tears have breached my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.
He tightens both arms around me but is interrupted when, to my surprise, it’s his sister I see at the door. There’s an unfamiliar urgency to her face. “Antonio, come quick!”
“What is it?”
“He’s not breathing, please, Antonio.”
They both run out but much to my despair, Antonio remembers to lock the door. Alone in my room, I hear them disappear down the hall, then the whole house suddenly erupts with noise.