Wrath

Prologue: Kidnapped

Prologue: Kidnapped

Zara

The purr of an engine made me blink my eyes open. But all I could see was darkness. The place was cramped and smelled of gasoline. It didn't take me long to realize that I was in the trunk of a car.

Events from tonight came rushing back to me like a punch in the gut.

The attack.

Those three men.

I closed my eyes again, desperately trying to hold back the tears. Images flitted through my mind, of the men hitting me and tying me up, all the while their hands roaming all over my body as they sneered about how their boss was going to make me pay.

I took deep breaths and shook my head.

It is going to be okay. You're smart enough. You can get out of here.

I chided to myself in a miserable attempt to calm my wildly beating heart.

It was almost impossible to move my hands and feet. The rope around them was so tight that it was digging into my flesh. The gag in my mouth made me want to throw up.

The car hit bumps on the road, making my stomach lurch even more. But I held the nausea in.

Fumbling around the trunk, I blindly searched for something that could help me cut through the ropes. I felt my feet nudge at something hard but it was impossible to reach it. I would have to bend halfway but the ropes restricted my movement.

That's when I felt something hard and thin digging into my right breast.

My pocket knife!

I hastily started fumbling over my clothes. Twisting my wrist in the process I reached inside my sweater and my bra. I almost laughed out in relief when I felt the blade rested below my right cup.

I couldn't have been anymore thankful for carrying this knife around. Ever since that night, two years ago, I had taken every necessary precaution to be aware of my surrounding and to keep myself safe.

With great effort, I finally reached inside my bra and took out the small knife. Flipping open the sharp blade, I started cutting of the ropes. One by one, the fibers broke from the friction of the sharp blade and it loosened around my wrists.

After my hands were untied, I removed my gag and set to work on my legs, quickly cutting open the ropes and wriggling my feet out of them. I also reached down to feel what was lying at my feet.

It was a wrench. And heavy enough to be used as a good weapon.

I didn't know how long we were going to travel in the car, so I lay there in the trunk, formulating a plan on how to get out of the situation.

It felt like years had passed when the car jerked to a stop. The engine died down and I could hear the doors opening and slamming shut.

My heartbeat picked up as I heard footsteps coming around and stopping in front of the trunk.

"You go ahead. I will bring this puttana." I heard a male voice call out, as he clicked open the lock of the trunk.

I took a deep breath.

It was now or never.

As soon as the trunk opened, I shot my leg out and kicked him straight in the crotch. He yelled in pain and fell to his knees, clutching the front of his pants as a string of colorful curses left his mouth. I did not wait to see who he was and what he could do. I swung my right hand forward and rammed the wrench on his head. Blood started trickling down his front as he yelled and groaned and fell on the floor, writhing in pain.

I jumped out of the car, looking around frantically to see anything I could recognize or anyone I could call for help. The only thing I could figure out in my haste was that we were in the back alley of some building, lit by yellow lights and utterly deserted.

I didn't wait to turn around and see who was coming when I heard voices being raised and doors being slammed.

I ran.

"Come back here, you bitch!" someone yelled behind me, but my steps did not falter for even a second. I kept on running.

Past the trashcans and stray cats that jumped out of my way, I ran. I could hear them shouting behind me, telling me to stop. I glanced behind, long enough to see that they were now pointing guns at me.

Where was I even going? It was like a maze.

Frantic and on the verge of passing out, I turned another corner.

Only to run into a wall.

Except, it wasn't a wall. It was a man.

The running footsteps halted a few feet behind me as I kept on staring at the man in front of me.

"Help me. Please." I begged breathlessly, clutching at his jacket.

Without a word, he gripped my arm and pulled me behind him.

"Stefan." one of my kidnappers stepped forward cautiously, his gun aimed high.

Did this man know my kidnappers?

"We don't want any trouble." my kidnapper continued, "Boss Romano just needs the girl."

"Well," the guy in front of me started in a deep, velvety voice, "your fucking boss is always going after things that don't belong to him."

He raised his hand, bringing up his own gun. Before anyone of us could react, he fired twice.

The shots echoed in the dark alley over and over, so terrifying that I had to raise my hands to cover my ears from blasting sound.

A grim, sickening thud followed, as both guys fell to the floor, their chests oozing with blood. I turned away, my stomach lurching at the sight.

He turned to me, his face blank under the ugly yellow lights.

"Good evening, Zara. I never imagined our next meeting would be like this."