Chapter 9

AFTER THE KIDNAPPING

I was dragged out of the glass box after the high roller won and felt panic invade my entire system.

Reality came crashing down on me like an avalanche of earth, carrying with it fear, pain, insecurity and an unstoppable sense of death. It was as if I was being dragged into the abyss of hell, to be delivered into the hands of the Devil.

My eyes were covered, but all my senses were activated. I heard the voices of the people and I knew the way they were taking me; it was the same direction where Mauro's cursed one appeared. However, this time they took me to the right.

A door closed and the empty silence of a room remained.

I jumped in surprise, feeling a coat cover my body; the temperature rose again and I sighed with relief. However, I was not confident and was still alert for any sign of danger.

Like that insistent presence behind me. Surely it was the man who had offered an unimaginable amount to have me and feared for my life, as I was not a virgin as they were supposed to say.

My fate was going to be painful and torturous.

I felt warmth on my back, before what seemed to be his hands, slowly moved up my arms. A cold current ran down my spine, as he pulled my hair back and closed the buttons of my coat, wrapping his arms around my body in the process.

His manly scent enveloped me and for a moment I found it strange, as it smelled familiar. However, I had no hope for anything.

It was a similar cologne, just that.

The bubble was burst when the door opened again and a pair of footsteps could be heard entering it.

"It's all set, sir. The helicopter is ready at the helipad and the jet is waiting for you on the private airstrip at the airport," a male voice reported and my heart started pumping blood as if that was the last thing it had left to survive.

"Would you like us to put her to sleep?" a second voice asked and I gasped.

"Is it safe?" the first voice, questioned. As if the man behind me had no word of his own.

"Yes, he will sleep for approximately twelve hours."

"What do you think, sir?" I waited for some response from the man behind me, but nothing came, "Fine, I'll carry her to the helicopter."

I didn't know what was happening, until I felt a needle pierce my skin and the liquid mix with my blood; I began to feel the world move back and forth, as if I were on a boat.

A strange tingling invaded my abdomen and I felt the need to laugh, as if I had just had my reality altered. I didn't know what was so funny, but involuntary laughter increased when the man behind me carried me in his arms.

"I see black," I said with mock surprise, "Are those stars? They're pretty. I thought I'd never see stars again," I commented, seeing bright spots in the darkness. However, I was distracted by the touch of hands on my skin on my legs and waist, "You're tickling me, stop it," I jerked back and felt like I was levitating, "Am I flying?"

"Are you sure he's okay, what did you give him?" I heard for the last time a new voice, it came from whoever was carrying me, but it was distorted. His chest vibrated as he spoke and I gave one last laugh before falling into darkness.

-----

My eyes opened like saucers after having a nightmare and I sat up in bed, only to realize that the nightmare had crept into my reality.

Sunlight was streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows and my body was wrapped in white silk sheets. Clearly nothing there seemed familiar, not even the fruity smell in the air.

I got out of bed, walking towards the window and my eyes widened as I saw a huge villa surrounding my feet; in the distance I could see the roofs of what seemed to be houses, but they were quite far away and in the sunset I could see a very crystalline sea.

Where was I?

I was still wearing my brown coat, which had seemed particularly familiar. However, I didn't worry about that, but about where I was.

I opened the sliding glass door, which led out into the huge garden, and made sure no one was around to get out.

I had never been in such a nice place and I was sorry it had been that way. I was prey to a millionaire who thought he would have me as a slave, but I was going to find a way to get out after finding out where he had taken me.

I stopped my steps when I heard voices on the other side of where I was, however, no matter how much attention I paid, I did not understand what they were saying.

Were they speaking Italian?

"L'uomo ha portato una donna."

"Davvero?"

"Sì, è chiusa nella stanza degli ospiti."

I peeked out a little to see two women dressed in black suits, who were holding or grooming sets in their hands.

It was implausible that they spoke the same language, but it gave me a hint of where I was. However, it didn't look like a city in Italy to me and I had already done some research on it when I met the despicable Mauro.

His country seemed so interesting to me, the culture, the architecture and the cuisine, but I was worried that I had come to that place for an auction.

I needed to get a phone number to contact the police or someone with the power to help me, like Dante.

I didn't know how much his affection was for me, but I hoped enough to get me out of the arms of a greedy millionaire.

Leaving the women aside, I found the living room, where there was a white cordless phone waiting for my arrival. I just had to make sure I didn't get caught by anyone.

I opened the glass door very carefully and walking on the tip of my toes, I picked up the phone and dialed Dante's number, after the respective number of my country.

I don't answer the first time, but the second time, I heard a duplicate voice.

"Parlate con Dante Di Marco, cosa posso fare per voi?" I heard the voice of who was supposed to be my savior, both on the other side of the line, and behind my back.

And when I realized who my captor was, I felt like my soul was being dragged by the Devil himself into hell.