Psychotic Love (a mafia love story)

Chapter 45

ECHOS POV

I hear Luca's cavernous voice from above me.

"LUCA!"

He continues to talk. He really can't hear me. It doesn't make sense, I hear him perfectly, but he speaks; not a single sound from me interrupting his words.

"LUCA, PLEASE. IM HERE." It's no use.

I start pulling my wrists from the chains even more. I figure if I can get free I can bang on the door. I'm certain he'll feel the vibrations.

My wrist is red and burning, but I don't care. I keep pulling until my hand has slid its way from the chain. I look around the dimly lit room. My eyes land on a steel pipe. I reach out for it, but I can't reach. I even try getting into my stomach and pulling it closer by my feet but it's still not close enough.

I still hear Luca. He rambles on about business while sweat drips from my forehead trying to get this damn pipe. He didn't come here for me. He has no idea that I'm here.

I try releasing my other hand. Luca's conversation with Arturo seems to be coming to an end, but Arturo decides to stir things up.

"Have you found...Echo? I believe that's her name."

My ears tune into silence. Luca doesn't say anything. I think about the expression that might be on his face as I tug at this chain.

"No. I haven't. You wouldn't have any idea of her whereabouts, would you?"

"No, I already told you, I don't know."

"LUCA PLEASE, IM RIGHT BENEATH YOU. LOOK HARDER. IM HERE." I'm right here. He's so close, yet so far.

"You know, suddenly I'm not so sure of that? Were you at that auction?"

"The one held by Ivan Petrov? No, I wasn't there," Arturo says.

"Would you happen to know where Ivan is?"

All of these questions and none of them are going to get him closer to me. This chain, it's crushing my bones as it gets to the largest parts of my hand.

"No, last I heard, he was in Moldova," Arturo says.

I hear nothing else from Luca. My hand finally slips free of the chain. I grab the pipe and make my way to the door above. I bang the pipe against it. I still hear nothing above me. I think they left the room.

After banging for an eternity. I hear footsteps. I stop, my heart pounding in my chest. The door unlocks and opens to reveal a very pissed-off Arturo.

I back myself down the steps and into the room. I hold the pipe, behind my back.

"He's gone. Left just in time before you started banging."

"I'm...I'm sorry," I shudder.

He laughs. "Get on your knees."

No. I'm not doing that again.

Luca is not going to save me so I have to save myself. I can't sit here hoping that he will find me. He's been only feet away from me twice since I was taken. He found me neither of those times. He won't ever get me out of here. I have to do it myself.

"GET ON YOUR FUCKING KNEES, YOU PATHETIC LITTLE SLUT."

He moves in on me. I tighten my grip on the metal pole before swinging it, connecting it with his head. Arturo falls to the ground. I don't even allow myself time to see if he's passed out or not. I run up the stairs and out of his office.

I rush through the house, trusting my intuition to take me to the front door. After making a few wrong turns, I finally find myself at the front door. Thank goodness I didn't run into any guards.

As I reach my hand for the doorknob, I am pulled back by my hair. Arturo slams me into the ground causing my head to collide with the tile floor. Pain shoots through my head, bouncing off the walls of it.

He makes his way on top of me. Blood drips from his forehead and onto my face. Arturo pulls his hand back before striking my jaw with a punch. I scream and kick at him but it only angers him more.

He punches me repeatedly. My face and stomach, over and over again. The hits to my stomach become unbearable.

"STOP. Please."

I curl myself into a ball and cover my head, but he continues with his attack. As he hits the parts of my head I can't cover I feel myself becoming faint.

"You stupid fucking bitch. This is your fault." He stands, pulling my hands away from my face. "Did you really think you'd get away that easily?"

"Move your fucking hands, or I'll beat you until your dead," he shouts.

I keep my hands where they are. Does he not understand? That's all I want. I want him to kill me. I want to be dead. There is no other way out.

He pries my hands away from my face, before sending a punch to it. My entire body stops moving. I can't control anything. That one punch takes everything out of me. Arturo doesn't stop. He punches me more. Anywhere he desires, and it's easier than ever without me defending myself.

"STOP, ARTURO. THAT'S ENOUGH!" A voice shouts from down the hall.

He stops, and as I lie nearly lifeless on this cold and hard floor, I watch the ceiling spin.  I feel blood spilling from my lips. I feel the warmth in my face as it swells, and the heat as bruises begin to form on my battered body. Even in all this pain, I feel at peace. Peace, because I feel this is it. I feel myself deteriorating, slowly fading away. I feel myself leaving my life of hurt behind.