Mafia's Woman

55- The Shot

Ermanno's POV

"Fuck," I whispered. My side and my leg hurt like a bitch, I was quickly bleeding to death, my girlfriend fucking betrayed me, and my best friend was being held captive.

This room was completely soundproof, and there was no way possible to get out unless you had the key. I made certain of that. Now it was biting me in the ass.

"I'm so sorry, Arsenio," I mumbled. I'd gotten him into this mess. I should've known better. I should've questioned her when I noticed some of the suspicious things she said and did. I should have paid more attention, been more inquisitive. But I was blinded by love - no not love, I was blinded by deceit and manipulation.

Arsenio was a strong man, and he could more than hold his own, but he wasn't expecting this attack, and that makes all the difference. They would have the upper hand that time, not him.

I tightened my belt further around my leg. It was the closest thing I had on me to a tourniquet, and it would have to do the job. Hopefully, I wouldn't bleed to death. I tightened the belt to the point that my leg was throbbing in even more pain due to the constriction.

I unlocked my phone again and called Dante before the last battery percent dwindled out and my phone died. He would be here soon, and he would be able to help Arsenio before the worst could happen.

Even knowing that pounding on the door would do absolutely nothing, I still tried in hopes of anyone opening the door. Eventually, I collapsed back onto the floor. I was exhausting my very limited energy and standing up was killing my leg.

"Fanculo!" (Fuck)

Eloise's POV:

The pockmarked, chubby man who smelled of disgusting cigarettes tightened his grip on my arm as he led me through Ermanno's house. The once amicable and inviting home now reminded me of a prison. The once bright and cheerful walls now stared down at me with betrayal and deceit. The homey decorations scattered throughout the house now reminded me of nothing but a shattered family and torment.

I had to think of Jessica's betrayal. If I continued to think of the abhorrent man touching me and leading me to my possible demise, I would most likely begin having a panic attack.

I had to put my mind away from the awful sensation that felt like bugs crawling up my arm and think of something that would allow my adrenaline to course through my body. I couldn't show them I was scared. I needed to be strong and I needed to be angry, and I need to fight if it was necessary. Thinking of Jess and her betrayal was just the right thing to keep me angry and get my fight-or-flight instincts rising to the surface.

The man took me up the stairs and into one of the guest bedrooms where he threw me on the ground. I didn't fight back much because I knew that other people in the house would most likely kill me or worse if I hurt one of their men.

He left the room and started calling for people to come to see what he found. Then I heard the thuds of people walking up the stairs who I previously heard conversing in the basement while the man was bringing me up here.

Three men plus the one that brought me in here all came back into the room. They looked down at me, staring at me with a look that said I was a lamb and they were all wolves. I internally shivered in fear. I didn't like the way their eyes roamed my body. It brought me back to the time when my father's friends would come to the house and stare at me, making vulgar remarks about my body. It made chills of fear crawl up my spine; all I wanted was for Arsenio to take me away.