Breaking Midnight (Il Paradosso Series Book One)

Chapter eight

The cool evening air blew onto my bare skin as we moved away from the serenity of the station, pulling me further from hope.
The strong grip of his hand was digging into my forearm, putting pressure on it while we walked closer to the vehicle parked at the far end of the lot.

I was slowly succumbing to my fate while lowering into the back seat. Not because I no longer had any fight left in me, but because running would lead me nowhere this time. I had no options to run to.

Sinking into the leather, I wondered what torture methods were waiting for me at our final destination. I knew it would come, but the feeling of the unknown was heightening the level of my anxiety. I just wanted it to be over and done with. I prayed they wouldn't pull my nails out because that was bound to hurt like hell.

The man seated next to me in the navy suit was engaged in a conversation on the phone, which I presumed was in Italian. He continued it for the majority of the ride, making it even more awkward than it already was.

Bull kept glancing in the rear-view from time to time, but I paid him no attention. His nose was still covered in a cast.

I had to restrain myself from smirking at his battered face, wishing I could give him one extra kick before I died.

The streets of the city had already begun to die down as the time approached the early hours of the morning. The car turned into Madison Avenue, pulling into the penthouse garage, entering a gigantic space with a variety of vehicles parked neatly in them.

I kicked and screamed against Bull's chest when he swung me across his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and stepped into the elevator. Navy suit was still fidgeting on his phone, unfazed by my tantrum. I was put down and held against the wall, with an elbow to my throat.

My breaths were shallow, panting and pushing my knees up to ram into Bull's legs, but he was blocking every hit.

"Looks like Bubba here wants another nose job," I grunted through clenched teeth. Navy suit cast a quick glance over his shoulder, only to resume his normal lack of regard to the struggling behind him.

"Tase lei."

Fuck.

The air left my lungs as bolts of electricity shot through my body, causing me to drop to my knees. The door slid open and I was dragged by my upper arms, unable to move the lower half of my body. My legs were still tingling with a numbing sensation.

My muscles twitched convulsively as I sagged into one of the grey sofas in the living area. The apartment suite was much different to where I had escaped from. This one was decorated and fit for a crazed King.
I was surrounded by dark, brooding colors, only a narcissistic psychopath like the man before me would find pleasurable.

Navy suit put away his phone and bent down on one knee, leveling before me.

"It's almost time, lucciola."

I kept my head hung low, avoiding eye-contact with him.

"Take her to one of the spare rooms and make sure she's strapped in. You fuck up again and you're all biting the dust."

Bull scooped me up and carried me over his shoulder. This time, I had no strength to contest. Navy suit followed us up the long flight of stairs.