telling him I was going to buy a gift for his birthday so I'd be withdrawing a little money from our joint bank account. I remembered how scared I'd been, how my hands had shook. And I’d had to act for my life when he laid me on the desk and kissed me until I couldn't breathe. I remembered his body moving inside mine with a frantic urgency that had made me shut my eyes and wait for it to be over. He was a selfish lover, but at least it never lasted long.
Carlos had guarded me at all times whenever I went out, and he had irritated me as much then as he did now. He'd taken me to the bank the next day, but thankfully waited outside while I'd headed in, withdrawing my stipend before asking to open a safety deposit box in my name. If Ramon discovered it, he would only be able to access it if he knew the passcode. If he found out before I could escape, I’d bargain with him for my freedom. Those diamonds had to be worth millions.
I went home that night and spent the next few weeks waiting for him to go away on one of his business trips so I'd have time to run. I'd have Carlos take me to the mall then give him the slip. There was a back exit in the changing rooms of Bloomingdales, I'd already sussed it out. I'd bought eight dresses there since I’d hidden the diamonds and knew every worker by name. If it came to it, they might even cover for me.
But that day never came. Ramon came home one night and took me to bed early. He couldn't get enough of my flesh, but his grip was bruising and the scent of port on him had told me he'd been drinking long and hard. When he finally passed out, I heard a window shattering downstairs. He wouldn't wake when I prodded him, he stirred too late when the men burst into our room and grabbed me. He fought with them as Duke dragged me downstairs. I'd struggled will all my strength, kicking him between the legs and managing to run. But we were halfway down the stairs and he knocked me over. I fell, hitting my head on a step. My memories faded away faster than I could hold onto them. Before I passed out, I smelled blood, I heard Duke grunt and slide his hands around me, cursing me. And when I woke, I was reborn in hell.
My breathing was frantic as I stared out at the bank, the street bathed in moonlight. Lin came hurrying up it and Ramon looked to me.
"The code," he demanded.
"I want to see that Nicoli's okay," I said in a sharp tone.
He huffed in irritation, but lifted his phone and made a video call to one of his lackeys.
The man answered promptly and the camera immediately swung onto Nicoli who was chained up in some dingy place, his arms yanked above his head. It looked like they'd been using him as a human punching bag and a choked sob escaped me at the sight of him so hurt. But at least he was alive, his eyes gleaming with a promise of death that would befall everyone in his line of sight if he got free.
"There. Satisfied?" Ramon cut the call and desperation filled me as I was caught in his trap.
"How do I know you'll stick to your word?" I asked, my lower lip quivering with rage.
He rested his hand on my thigh, his mouth twisting down at the corners. "You either tell me now, or I'll have him killed and beat it from your pretty lips instead, my darling. You will have to trust that I’m a man of my word. So what will it be?"
I took a slow breath, knowing I had no choice. I was backed into a corner, and I couldn’t risk Nicoli’s life.
"Three, nine, eight, four, four, seven," I said, bitterness lacing my tone.
He sighed happily, squeezing my thigh. "You could have saved yourself a lot of pain if you'd just given it up sooner, my darling. I only expected you to last a week or two with Duke and his men, you know? But you lost your memories and things got...complicated."
"You left me there to rot," I hissed.
"No...I had a plan in place to bring you home. When you escaped, you went and fucked that up. But when