And for once in my life, I didn't know what to do.
I actually didn’t know where to step next.
27
Bonnie
I already felt ashamed about breaking down and crying. But now, I was locked up in my uncle’s basement. My only saving grace right now was the fact that he hadn’t tied me up. I felt it coming, though. Especially with the threat my uncle made to Israel.
I’m a dead woman.
I heard the basement door open and I froze. I straightened my back and made myself look as strong as possible, even though I felt weak and tired on the inside. I just wanted this nightmare to end, whether or not Israel came for me. Whether it ended in my happiness or my death, I just wanted this shit scenario to be done.
I wish you were here, Daddy.
“Well! I’ve got good news,” Pava said.
I nodded. “And?”
He grinned. “Israel’s going to be paying for you after all.”
Relief and horror flooded my system. “Great. Wonderful. Now, when the hell do I get to leave?”
He chuckled. “Who said anything about you leaving?”
I blinked. “But you said—?”
“You know, I honestly didn’t think he’d pay for you. Not after all of the heartache you caused him. I guess the man really does like you, which I can use to my advantage.”
“If you harm one hair on that man’s head, I swear to you I’ll—”
He waved his hand in the air. “Cute, but not necessary. You've caused all of us enough heartache. First, you destroy my plan. Then, you flip sides. Then, you try to sweep my businesses out from underneath me. You really think I’m going to let you go after all of that? Alive?”
My stomach hit the floor. “You’re going to kill me anyway.”
“Of course. It’s what any man in my situation would do. You really should have reminded yourself who your actual family is.”
I snarled. “The only family I’ve got you took from me. I know you killed them, Pava. I know you killed my parents!”
He nodded. “Well, then it sounds like I have more reason to kill you then.”
I teetered on my feet. My God, did my uncle really just admit to killing my parents? I felt sick to my stomach. I mean, Israel paying for me instead of abandoning me was a shock in and of itself. But this? “I’m going to be sick,” I murmured.
Pava shook his head and raised his eyebrows as if unimpressed. “You’ll be kept in one piece long enough for the money to clear. But once I have it? You die. And let it be a lesson to anyone who comes after you: I’m not to be fucked with.”
My back fell against the wall. “You killed them. I—I can’t believe you—”
“Anyway, one of the kitchen hands will be bringing you some food. Your aunt is insistent that we at least feed you, the insane woman. Not like you’re going to need meat on your bones.”
I blinked. “She knows I’m down here?”
He nodded. “Of course, she does. She always knows when I’m entertaining work down here. You would’ve done well to take some pointers from her. Because sometimes, business is nothing but business.”
“Was killing my parents business?”
He shrugged. “Of course.”
I charged him. “I’m going to kill you myself!”
His hand snaked out, wrapped around my neck, stopping me in my tracks. “Your time is ticking down, Bonnie. And rightfully so. I’ll be glad to be done with the collateral damage you’ve become in my life once I have my money because the truth of the matter is, you should have died with them. You should have died with them that night instead of staying behind at the last minute with some kind of babysitter. But you won’t be my worry in a few hours. You won’t be anyone’s worry once I’ve got my money.”
He tossed me to the floor, and I cried into my arm. I tried to keep it as silent as I could, but I couldn't help it. Everything bubbled over, and the truth had finally been set free. Pava had not only killed my family, but he had every intention of killing me too.
My time was ticking down. And I wanted nothing more than a future with Israel.
I wanted to live the full life my parents never got. I wanted to indulge in my love of Israel every day for the rest of my life. I wanted all of the things my uncle ripped blindly away from my family because of some selfish need for more money. But as I laid there crying, a voice sounded in my head.
You won’t get what you want by being weak.
“I’ll see you in a few hours, Bonnie,” my uncle called as he left. “I can’t wait for our party to start.” He slammed the basement door behind him.
I pushed myself up from the floor. “All right, Bonnie. Time to get crafty.”
If I was going to get my ass out of this mess, I had to be cunning. I had to play this smarter, not harder. I wiped the tears away from my face and stood, searching for any sort of weapon. A gun, or a knife, or a crowbar for crying out loud. Anything I could use to defend myself.
I found a broken piece of glass on the floor and drew in a deep breath. “All right. Now what?”
The basement door opened. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m taking it down to her now. Tell the old man to shut his trap.”
I slid the piece of glass into my bra as the guard walked down the stairs with a tray of food. The only light I was afforded was a small bulb that kept flickering with every step the behemoth guard took. And as he rounded the corner to face me, a quick plan formed in my mind.
So, I dropped to the floor and acted like I’d fainted.
“Shit.” the guard froze.
I groaned as I closed my eyes then swallowed hard.
“Shit.” He
