The gag cloth and wrap around my eyes are suddenly, forcibly removed. I fall on my ass as my hair tie gets broken in the process. My hair fans around me, obscuring my view of her until someone uses it to pull me up. I swallow down the sting and focus on the fact that at least they didn’t pull my weak shoulder. I don’t want to give Penelope more ammunition against me.
My hands are tied in front of me and while getting yanked to my feet, I realize they never took my gun.
They never thought to frisk me because Penelope doesn’t know this version of me. The one married to a Federal Agent who made sure she knew how to fire a gun and defend herself.
A burst of adrenaline shoots through me, and I feel myself smirking as my eyes finally meet my sister’s.
I let my eyes drift over her, taking in the subtle changes since I last saw her two months ago.
She’s thinner, her ivory skin pale contrasting her brunette hair that’s pulled up. The dark circles around her eyes and her hollowed out cheeks are evidence of the change in her lifestyle.
I look around the room, noticing there are only two other men in here: one standing next to her and one behind me.
From the looks of it, she didn’t have enough time to plan any of this out.
We’re in what looks like a house with no one living in it. Only a table and a handful of chairs occupy the room we’re in and looking past my charming sister, I can see a kitchen bare of any appliances, not even a fridge or microwave in sight. There’s a hallway beyond the kitchen but I only spot two doors.
A sheet has been draped across the sliding doors to my right, leading out to a backyard but the sheet they repurposed as a curtain is blocking me from seeing anything past the shrubs on the side.
I have no idea if there are neighbors that can hear me scream for help.
A chair scrapes back, turning my attention back to my captor.
Penelope bares her teeth at me, almost growling in annoyance, which only makes me smile wider.
The entire time I’ve known her she’s been cruel to me and I’m not going to do her any favors by making this easier for her.
“What the fuck are you smiling at me for?”
I shrug, my hair sliding across my cheek.
“I’m simply happy for you.” I raise my bound hands. “You got what you wanted.”
She raises an eyebrow at me, crossing her feet. She’s sitting on a wooden chair, a gun resting on the table next to her, its barrel pointed straight at me. Her fingers dance around it, like she wants to make a point that she’s going to shoot me.
The thought of her little production makes me roll my eyes which spurs Penelope to jump to her feet and head straight to me.
Her henchman still has his hand wrapped around my hair but at her approach, he lets go and I hear him take a step back.
Penelope is a few inches taller than me, so I lift my chin up to look at her as she comes to a stop in front of me. Her hand comes out, wrapping around my throat and she squeezes.Hard.
I curl my fingers inward, letting the bite of nails cutting my palm distract from her chokehold.
“I’m going to kill you.”
Her voice drips with disdain, her hatred for me palpable.
I simply return her glare, choosing not to speak so as not to give her the satisfaction.
She abruptly lets go, making me falter on my feet for a second as I gasp for air. She laughs again but this time in a way I can only describe as nasty.
Her mouth tilts up, her eyes light up and she looks almost giddy at my discomfort.
“Got nothing to say now, Alessandria?”
“What do you want me to say? You won, Penelope. Are you happy now?”
She scoffs then, her eyes turning wild with fury.