Chapter One

Chapter One

The bar smelt of bleach, sweat and beer. Elena sprayed some more bleach on the counter and wiped it down until her arms ached and the smell of alcohol and sweat was gone.

Her eyes shifted to the ticking clock above the door. It was closing hour. As good as that sounded, Elena despised the long walk home. After selling her car to pay off the rent, Elena was left with no other option but to walk.

Outside, the sky was a patchwork of rain clouds and veins of lightning. A cold breeze picked up in the parking lot. At the far end of the lot, she saw a familiar black sedan waiting for her. 

Elijah sat behind the steering wheel, smoking a cigarette. She smiled as she approached. 

Elijah. Always waiting and watching out for her. 

“I thought you left,” she said, slipping into the passenger seat. " 

"And let a pretty woman like yourself, walk home?” He grinned, mocking offense. "Never.”

His warmth made her chest ease a little. She relaxed into the old leather seat and stretched her stiff limbs. 

" How was work? You seem fagged out,” he asked, glancing over at her.

“Work was brutal," she muttered. 

“What about that old creep, Jeff, is he still sniffing around?" 

Elena snotted. “Thankfully no. He's got a fresh catch. The new girl." 

Elijah laughed. “That's not good. Poor thing won't know what to expect." 

The drive home was silent and fifteen minutes later, he was parked in front of her house. 

“I'll pick you up tomorrow," he said as she got out of the car. “Same time.”

Elena blew him a playful kiss. “What could I do without you." 

The wind howled as she turned towards the house. Elijah didn't leave until she'd walked in. She smiled as he watched his red tail light disappear round a bend.

As she turned around, a frown creased into her forehead. The house was oddly quiet and cold. Something didn't feel right.

“Dad?" She called.

Silence.

The living room was dark, but there was light coming in from the kitchen, casting long shadows on the hallway.

"Dad, are you there?”

She crept forward and froze when she saw him, her father, seated at the kitchen table, pale. Two men sat on both sides. 

"What the hell is going on?" She glanced at her father. “Dad?" 

He looked at her, his eyes hollow. "Elena…”

One of the men leaned back, a smirk on his lips. “This one talks to much." 

“Who the hell are you?" She asked, her tone strong.

“Sweetheart, just sit down, please,” her father begged. "They're not going to hurt us. I promise." 

One of the men scoffed. 

Elena didn't believe that for a second. Still, she managed to lower herself into a chair. "What's going on?

"Elena Brusso,” one of the men said. He wore glasses, a gray tie and wore a kind of expression that meant bad news. "Have you ever heard of the Romano family?" 

Her heart sank. “Dad, what did you do?”

"Now isn't the time to blame your father… even though it is his fault," the man chuckled. “Mr.Brusso here took a loan he clearly had no intention of pa—”

"No,I promised you I'd pay back," Mr.Brusso begged.

“You did what?!" Elena shot out of her chair. “After everything I've done, you're still borrowing money?" 

“It is what it is, Elena. Your father owes quite a large amount of money, one I'm sure neither of you can pay back.”

She stared at the man, her heart thudding hard in her chest. "How much?”

"Twenty-five thousand dollars." 

Tears brimmed quickly but she blinked them back. "Twenty-five thousand dollars?" She stared at her father. “Where did all that money go, dad?”

He lowered his head. "I’m sorry.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, disappointed and stunned. “You gambled away twenty-five thousand dollars?!" 

“Unfortunately," the man added. “And he’s missed the deadline which automatically means he has to live up to his end of our agreement.”

She frowned. "What agreement?”

"I'm sorry, sweetheart.”

“More tears brimmed. "Dad, what did you do?”

"I'm afraid you’ll have to come with us,” the man said and nudged his colleague who immediately got up. “Unfortunately, you were the collateral.”

The room spun quickly.

"This has to be some stupid joke, right?”

“Unfortunately for you, it isn't.”

"And what happens if I don't agree to this?” She asked, glancing between both men.

One of them takes out a gun and presses it to her father's head. "You might as well say your goodbyes." 

The other man grabbed her before she could do anything and pulled her up to her feet.

“Get the hell away from me!" She yelled but the man tightened his grip on her.

“Don't resist, Elena. You’ll only make things more difficult." He sighed. "You don't have a choice here.”

"I'm not going anywhere!” She yelled and tried to wiggle her arms out of the man's grip. 

"Elena, please…”

"No, I'm not going anywhere with them!” She yelled. "Look, I can work. I'll pay off every dollar. Just give me some time." 

The man arched a brow in amusement. “Do you really think bartending will pay off twenty-five thousand dollars?".

She stuttered. "I’ll take up another job. A third one even.”

"We're not here to negotiate, Miss.Brusso. It's already a sealed deal. Your father had months and he's made his choice. Now, it's your turn." 

“I'm not going anywhere," she snapped.

Suddenly, a gun went off and her father fell out of his seat. Silence hung in the room. Elena stared at her father in disbelief, then a piercing scream left her lips.

The other man who had been holding her the entire time, slammed the booth of his gun on Elena's head. She collapsed to the floor with a thud and the room went dark.