The Deal

32. Helpless

Isabella Rose

My phone buzzes.
A text from Valentino.

"Meet me in the woods." Is all he says. What does that mean.
What could we possibly do in the woods. Picnic maybe?

Without questioning him I put some new clothes on and start walking to the woods. It's about 10 minutes from the house.

When I arrive I can't see him anywhere. So I decide to call him.
I can hear the phone ringing and follow the sound.
His phone is behind a rock. But not any sign of him. Weird.

What is this. It's starting to feel pretty scary out here.
I pick up his phone. How did he drop it here?

I walk further into the woods. Trying to find him.

Oh my god.

His men are laying dead in the grass. I run up to them shaking one of them. "Wake up! What happened?!" I beg for answers. They are dead.

Please don't let Valentino be hurt. I start running yelling for Valentino. "Val!"

"Please answer me!" I beg starting to panic.

From a distance I spot him. He's leaning against a tree passed out on the ground. I run so fast towards him.

"Val wake up! Please open your eyes!" I say taking his face in my hands.
He's gotten hit in the leg. Pretty badly.
"Look at me" I say trying not to cry.

His eyes slowly open. He freezes seeing me. "Get out now, run." He whispers. I don't understand anything.

I won't leave him like this.

"Isabella run" he warns pushing me away.

"I won't go without you" I say as I grab his arm and putting it over me. Trying to lift him up.
"You have to help me, I can't lift you up all alone" I say as he slowly stands up.

He's bruised and barely able to walk because of his leg. 

"Oh aren't you guys just the cutest." A manly voice says. I voice I could never forget. It will haunt me till the day that I die. Dante.

I turn around still trying to hold Valentino up.

Dante is standing right in front of us with his guards. Their guns pointing in our direction. No. No please let this be a nightmare.

I look at him in shock. Terror.
Not able to talk or move.

"I waited for this moment for so long. To see the expression on your face... oh how it was worth the time" Dante laughs.

"What do you want!" I yell.

"Revenge. I want to see both of you suffer for what you did to me" he says. Is he fucking serious. Is he the one suffering?!

With a swift and merciless hand, his men come up from behind us, and with one hit they knock me out. Black. It all turns black.

***

I slowly open my eyes. Blinking a few times, trying to clear my vision.
My arms and legs are in ropes. Shit. Valentino is across from me.
His eyes burning with fire. I know that look. He will kill Dante the moment he can.
Bound and helpless, we are stuck in a cold basement. A chamber where the air is heavy with the stench of fear and despair.

Dante comes in. Laughing. His laughter echoing off the stone walls.

"Let her fucking go! Your problem is with me, why bring Isabella into this!" Valentino says with so much anger. His jaw tight.