“You didn’t know something like this would happen,” Giorgio adds.
“Yeah, but I still loved her.”
“Luca…” Natalia looks up at me, tears welling in her eyes, “… she’s coming home. You two will be together again, I can feel it.”
I wish I had the same damn faith as Natalia.
Letting my head fall back against the sofa, my mind wanders to Lilly.
Is she safe?
31
Lilly
I have been here for one week.
Seven days.
One hundred and sixty-eight hours.
Living in a damn nightmare.
Every day, I implant girl after girl with birth control. Each one of them looking gaunt, lifeless, broken. I don’t know how many women are at this facility. I have lost count.
My nights are spent crying myself to sleep. I don’t sleep much only in small amounts, even though they have set me up in a plush apartment where all I can see out the windows are row upon row of what looks to be warehouses, hidden behind thick forest.
There are two armed guards by my door inside and outside. The windows in my apartment are bolted shut.
Where the hell would I even go if I were able to escape?
I’d die of hyperthermia before I had a chance to go anywhere. We’re in the middle of winter, one night spent out there in below-zero temperatures, and I’d be dead.
Every single day is the same. I wake up, breakfast is slid through a flap in the door, which consists of a slice of bread, pastries, coffee, and juice. They give me twenty minutes to eat my breakfast and be ready for the day. An armed guard then escorts me from my apartment across the graveled parking area and into one of the large warehouses.
They have reorganized the makeshift hospital for me. The latest equipment was brought in—state-of-the-art everything. Then, one by one the girls come in. Many are scared of me and hardly any speak English. There’s one girl, Ilona, so I asked if she could be my interpreter. Eventually, I got my way, and she was able to stay with me. It’s nice having someone to talk to in this damn hellhole. She’s explained her circumstances to me—twenty, studying at a university in Moscow to be a doctor. Unfortunately, her brother is a drug-addict and owed the Bratva a lot of money. They killed him and are making her work off his debt. She has been here for one year.
“Thank you for helping us.” Ilona smiles a small smile. “The girls have been talking at night, and they think you’re their guardian angel.”
Shaking my head, tears well in my eyes. “Don’t say that. I can’t save you. Not yet, anyway. I’m no angel.”
Ilona reaches out and holds my hand. “You’re helping us. Our biggest worry is having a baby here. When you have one, they take it away from you.” I found this out on day two working in the maternity ward, and it made me physically ill. “We know the baby isn’t made out of love, but… it’s still our flesh and blood.”
“I’m sorry I can’t do more.”
“Miss Lilly… you are. You have given us all hope.”
How can these girls have hope in a place like this?
“We feel protected now. We can make it through this nightmare.”
Tears fall down my cheeks as I pull Ilona in for a hug. “I promise you… as soon as I get out, I’m going to come back for you. Do you hear me?”
“Do not worry about us, Miss Lilly. We’ll be fine.”
The door swings open, and an armed guard screams something, I have no idea what.
“Our time is up. Till tomorrow, Miss Lilly.”
I watch as the guard violently hauls Ilona away, the doors slamming behind them.
I sterilize my utensils before putting them all away.
“You’ve been doing a good job. The girls seem much happier.” The good-looking bad guy walks in. He has never given me his name, and I understand why because that would mean I’d know too much. But one day I’ll find out, and make sure he pays for this nightmare place.
“I told you, I would do my job.”
“Yes, it seems you have kept your part of the bargain.” I don’t think he’s used to saying that to many people. I can tell by the look in his eyes.
“Those women are human beings. I know you don’t see them that way, but they, too, deserve some sort of dignity in this shitty life they have been dealt.”
That was the wrong thing to say because quick as a flash, his hand is wrapped around my throat, his fingers slowly closing around it. Panic runs through my veins as I find it harder to breathe.
“Know your place, woman.” Those blue eyes swirl with violence and hatred. “Do not overstep your mark.”
Slowly, I nod my head, letting him know I understand, but he doesn’t let go of me, his fingers ease ever so slightly.
“I bet you’re feisty in bed.”
No. No. No. My eyes widen in sheer terror.
“Don’t panic, I’ll not touch you… unless you want me to.” He smirks while I shake my head slowly. “Maybe not yet.” Those eyes sparkle with desire as he continues, “I’m not ready to let you go just yet.”
Wait! What? No.
“You intrigue me too much.” His hand falls from my throat, and I fall back trying to catch a breath.
“I’m no one special.” The words come out as barely a whisper.
He takes a step forward, and I flinch at his movement, which he ignores. His finger comes under my chin making me look up at him. “Yes, you are. I think you’re extraordinary.”
Then, after dropping that bombshell, he stalks away from the hospital, the metal door slamming shut behind him, the sound echoing through the empty room.
I need to get out of here and back to my room.
After a steaming hot shower to try and rid myself of his evil touch, I looked in the mirror, and there are the faintest of bruises around my neck where he
