Chapter 4

His eyes settled on my face for a moment, then moved to Raffaella.

Tears flooded Raffaella's eyes, and she started shaking all over.

"I..." Matteo opened his mouth, conflict flashing in his gray eyes.

He took one step forward, then drew back.

"Can't make up your mind?"

The leader laughed and slammed his bat into the floor right next to Raffaella. She screamed.

"Don't hurt her!" Matteo lunged forward a step.

The bat swung the other way and smashed into my stomach.

Pain exploded through me. I doubled over and hit the floor, chair and all.

I tasted copper, and for a second everything went white.

The second blow hit my side. I curled up on the floor, the ropes cutting into my wrists, a small pool of blood spreading beneath me.

The third blow struck my stomach again. It felt as if every bone in my body was breaking. Pain tore through me and scattered my thoughts.

"Elena!" Matteo was shouting my name, but I could barely hear him.

My vision blurred. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Raffaella in her chair, the ropes loose around her. Her head was bowed and her shoulders shook.

But her face was calm.

The bat hit the floor beside her, and she screamed right on cue, twisting like she'd been hit.

Fake! It's all fake!

Matteo's eyes went back and forth between Raffaella and me again.

"Raffaella's pregnant." His voice was low and heavy, as if he were trying to convince himself. "I'll get her out first, then come back for you."

He went over and untied her. She threw herself into his arms, crying so hard she shook.

"Matteo..." I lay sprawled on the floor, cramps tearing through my belly in waves. "I'm pregnant too. With your baby..."

Matteo stopped.

He didn't look back.

"Elena, this is really low."

He didn't even try to hide his disappointment.

"Raffaella's already scared to death, and you're still lying? I know you feel like things aren't fair, but can't you read the room?"

With that, he carried Raffaella out.

Over his shoulder, Raffaella looked back at me and smirked.

Their footsteps faded, and the metal door slammed shut.

One of the kidnappers came over and cocked his head, studying me as if I were an animal waiting to be slaughtered.

"All right, quit staring." The leader jerked his chin at his men. "Get rid of her. Keep it clean."

Someone grabbed my legs and started dragging me toward the door.

The pain in my stomach and palm had blurred into one dull ache, but I barely felt it.

All I could feel was something deep inside me sinking, little by little.

I closed my eyes and felt the life inside me, only six weeks old, slipping away.

I had no strength left. I lay there like a flame about to go out.

Is this really how my story ends? What a lousy ending.

Suddenly, the warehouse door was smashed open from the outside.

Blinding headlights shone through the doorway, flooding the warehouse with harsh white light.

Measured footsteps drew closer, steady and commanding.

Gunshots rang out, short and precise. The two kidnappers dragging me grunted and dropped.

A deep, rough voice came from the doorway, steady as a rock.

"Who dares lay a hand on a Siciliano?"