CHAPTER 59: A knife to my neck.

CHAPTER 59: A knife to my neck.
CHAPTER 59
SOFIA.

“What did you just say?” Isadora asked, her eyes widened with shock. She turned sharply to the back seat, staring at me. “You're the one who visited Giovanni the day of his disappearance? Fuck, I should've known.”

“What do you mean, Isadora?” Collins asked, turning to face her.

“It's always been pretty obvious, hasn't it?” Isadora said, her voice reduced as she continued. “I'd always known there was something off about Lucas and his strange overprotectiveness towards her, and then the sudden wedding too! There's something going on, I'm very sure of it.”

“Oh, well if you're curious, she's in the right place to grant you the answers you seek, I guess,” Collins said, shrugging. Isadora turned away from him, fixing her gaze on me as I lay still on the backseat.

“Who the hell are you? And what exactly is your role in all this?” Isadora asked, glaring at me. I said nothing as I returned her gaze coldly. “I promise to have your guts rooted out if you don't start speaking right now. I'm not that patient, so you better start talking!”

“You don't have to use threats all the time, you know that, right?” Collins interjected but Isadora snapped at him, shutting him up promptly.
“Quiet! You'd better be mindful of your words, you're still under my payroll, so it's my rules and mine alone,” Isadora said, raising her voice in anger.

Her phone rang immediately, and she picked it up, yelling at the caller. “What?!” She stayed silent for a while, listening to what the caller had to say. She interrupted the caller off at some point, her words an angry mix of English and Italian.

“Now, listen to me and listen well. You're going to do as I say, or I'll have your ears cut off and served to you on a plate. Non faccio minacce a vuoto, quindi non sfidarmi,” she said, speaking angrily into the phone.

She paused to listen again, and then she angrily yelled, visibly filled with rage now. The call got her a bit distracted, and then Collins turned to me, swiftly passing something on to me. I glanced down at the object, shocked to realize that it was the keys to my cuffs. His gaze locked onto mine, looking intently at me, and then he nodded slightly, turning back to the front.

I froze, my mind racing wildly with thoughts as I tried to make sense of his gesture. What was he trying to do? My confusion deepened as I wondered if I could bring myself to trust him one more time. I looked up at them as Isadora ended her call, visibly angry now.

“Who was that?” Collins asked, facing her.

“Some stupid asshole who thinks he's beginning to grow wings,” Isadora said, hissing. “Drive.”

Collins hesitated, slowly turning to her. “Are you sure you're good to move now?”

“Drive, Collins! I gave you an order, not a suggestion!” Isadora snapped, shooting him an angry look.

I felt a fresh wave of panic as Collins backed the car out of wherever it was parked and nosed it down the narrow path, heading towards the highway. It was already late into the night — a little past midnight — and the roads looked bare as the moon shone brightly above, illuminating everything in its path to a shining silvery shade.

The surroundings were quiet except for the silent hum of the car engine, my mind raced with lots of thoughts. I glanced down at the key lodged lying beside me on the backseat, and I began to devise ways of a possible means of escape. I looked up at Isadora, who simultaneously turned backwards, taking a quick glance at me and stared intently at her as she rolled her eyes at me with scorn.

My heart jumped as Collins began to reduce his speed, bringing the car to a slow halt. Up ahead, blue lights flashed, and I immediately knew it was a police checkpoint.

“Turn the car around,” Isadora said, but it was already too late. They were already in close proximity with the officers.

“I can't do that,” Collins said, shaking his head. “They'll come after us.”

The officers approached the vehicle, and Collins turned off the ignition. An idea slipped into my mind, and I became alert. Without thinking further, I tried to scream hoping someone would hear me, but the gag muffled my screams.

“Quiet!” Isadora snapped, turning sharply towards me. I ignored her warming, still screaming as much as I could, but froze to my bones she slipped out a pocket knife and flashed it before my eyes. “One more noise from you and I'll cut you so bad and have you bleed to death right here. Don't dare me!”

I swallowed hard at the sight of the knife and promptly went silent as she turned to Collins, looking coldly at him. “Make sure she makes no single sound. I'll have you killed if anything goes wrong due to any mistake.”

She opened the passenger door and got down from the car, walking towards the police officers. Collins swiftly turned towards me, pulling the gag out of my mouth.

“Where are you guys taking me to?” I asked immediately, my heart beating loudly against my chest.

“Shhh,” he said, hushing me and I went mute. “Keep your voice down. You don't want us killed, do you?”

“I'm as good as dead already, so just tell me where rhe hell you're taking me to!” I insisted, ignoring his words.

“Look, Sofia. You've got to calm down. I know you might not believe anything I say right now, but then I handed the keys to your cuffs to you so you can make an easy escape whenever you've got the slightest opportunity, if things get out of hand,” Collins said, his voice in an almost whisper. “All you have to do is stay quiet, and you'll be safe. We really don't want to offend Isadora now, she could be very dangerous.”

“So, what? I'm going to remain tied up like some animal being taken to the slaughter?” I pressed on.

Collins hesitated, inhaling sharply. “Just stay quiet. If you remain still, I'll get you back to Lucas.”