The entire ride in Dante’s car had been a nightmare. I had no idea where we were going. He barely spoke and when he did, it was like he’d transformed into a different man. He was no longer the serious, sophisticated business executive. He was a man who wanted me to know that no matter what I did, no matter who I told, no one would believe anything I said.

“What is it you think I’m going to say?” I asked as the miles between me and the office, me and my home took me further and further away.

“You know, Nova, you are a beautiful woman. You don’t need me to tell you that. I’ll admit that I’ve had some affairs but my wife, well, she hasn’t been herself for some time. She’s ill. And time is short.”

I thought of the note on his planner. Her time wasn’t short. It was up.

“You and I could make a difference. You belong in a place like I’m going to show you. We can make a deal and believe me when I tell you, it’s a sweet deal, especially for someone like you.”

“Someone like me?”

“Come on now. What are the chances you’d ever meet a guy like me, let alone have him decide he wanted you as his wife.”

“Wife? My gosh, Dante. You don’t even know my middle name,” I gasped.

“Like that matters. I’m looking for a real woman.” He grabbed onto my thigh tightly. “I’ve been with Florence for so long I can’t take it anymore.”

“Let go of me! Get one of your other secretaries to shack up with!”

“Right. Because you’re too good for this. You’re too good to bed down a millionaire. But you’ll let an ex-con like my stepson take you in a garage. See, call me crazy but that sort of turns me on. And the fact you so quickly and willingly went off with him is just confirmation that you are an opportunist.”

“How do you know I went off with him?” It was scaring me how much he knew.

“I’ve had you followed for quite some time. You actually lead a rather boring life. That’s another reason why I’ve decided to break you in.” His choice of words made my skin crawl. “I’ve found it’s the quiet ones who are most open to suggestions.”

“I don’t believe you. If you’re just trying to scare me, fine. I’m scared. I want to go home. I’ll leave RIT and never say a word to anyone,” I pleaded.

“Don’t, hush, honey.” He let go of my thigh only to stroke my hair and let his hand fall down my shoulder and brush across my breast.

Instinctively I slapped his hand away. Wrong move. He backhanded me so hard across the face that my teeth chattered together. I saw stars for several seconds before the shock wore off and the pain set in. I held my cheek and tried to think of a way to escape. What was he going to do to me?

“You don’t really want to marry me or anyone else, do you?” I croaked.

“No.”

“Then what do you want me for?”

“I want you to do something for me. Something that will help my wife and also get rid of her son.”

“And if I say no?”

“Well, I’ve got a couple of rich friends who are always looking for fresh faces to present to their clients. You’ll go to a nice tropical island, probably get a simple room all to yourself. That will be your permanent residence. The word will spread you are there and men will come from all walks of life visit you. Naturally blonde American women fetch the highest bid. You have no idea how much you are worth.”

When we pulled up to this monstrous mansion, I swear my heart stopped beating. I could disappear in this place alone and no one would ever find me.

“Dante, I’ll do whatever you say,” I blubbered. I felt like a traitor to Alex and myself. What was I saying? Was I really so willing to make a deal with the devil? “You’re right. I don’t have any family. No one would miss me except maybe…” I stopped short but Dante finished my sentence.

“Maybe Alex?” He scowled. “Maybe my pathetic stepson is worrying about you? The man who will be back in jail before the night is over? You think he’s even thinking about you? Not hardly.”

Playing the good girl wasn’t going to work. Playing the bad girl would be a ruse I didn’t think I could pull off. But maybe, if I just tried to escape I’d be able to make it. Wait for an opening and then jump at it. Isn’t that what they do in all the movies?

“Now. You are going to come inside the house with me. You aren’t going to try anything because I have security cameras, guards, and dogs at my disposal. I’d hate to have any of your body scarred up before I’ve had a chance to taste it for myself.”

I tried to swallow but I had no spit.

“Get out of the car nice and slow. And don’t force me to use this.” He held up a stun gun.

I sighed in defeat and again did as I was told. When he came up behind me, he took hold of my arm and squeezed it so hard my knees wobbled.

“Come on. There are a few people you need to meet.” He dragged me up to the front door. I was terrified. My heart pounded as I stared at the big wooden doors. I expected to see the sign, ‘forsake all hope ye who enter here’ stamped into the brick above the door.

The door was open and we walked right in.

“You trust your neighbors that much to leave your door open?” I tried to sound tough but came out sounding like a little girl trying to distract the neighborhood bully by making myself seem more like a person and not just an object for their amusement.

“No. But they trust me.” The door slammed shut with a loud thud before Dante slipped the deadbolt into place. That was when my situation went from bad to worse. “Come! You need to meet my wife.”

He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me through the house to a winding flight of stairs. Had I not been kidnapped and threatened with rape and being sold into slavery, I might have looked around at the house and seen something beautiful in it. But as it was, everything reminded me of a cold mortuary.

“No! No!” I tried to pull away, but Dante was stronger and as we reached the top of the stairs, he threw me into the wall. I hit my head and spots floated in front of my eyes. Before I could try and get away, he took hold of my hair and yanked my head backwards. He pressed his lips against mine, his other hand feeling over my chest and between my legs.

I bit his lip. It was the only thing I could think of, but I quickly realized it was a bad idea. He cried out, pulled back and slapped me again. I fell to the floor in a daze. My mind tried to find the ends of this dream. Like somewhere was the edge of this veil and once I grabbed hold of it, I’d wake up in my bed. None of this was really happening. None of it could be real. This just didn’t happen to people.

Not to rich people, my inner voice said cruelly. But you aren’t rich. You are disposable. People at work will think you quit or better yet, got fired. No one will look for you. No one will miss you. Dante’s got that right.

I bit my tongue to try and keep from crying but it was no use.

“You’re being a very bad guest. I really don’t think the lady of the house would appreciate you acting the way you are. I think you should meet her.” Dante’s smile had turned from sinister to evil. This was no longer just a guy with a hard on. There was something more diabolical about him.

Once again he reached down and wrenched me up by the arm. I cried out in pain, making him smile even more. He led me down the hallway to a room with a closed door. He knocked.

“Honey? Are you decent?” he called. There was no answer. The blood was racing through my veins as I froze, not wanting to see the horror behind the door. What had he done to Florence Ramsey? I didn’t want to know. But when he pushed open the door, I felt my heart break in my chest.

I’d seen all the pictures of Florence Ramsey over the years. She was a handsome woman with striking features that may not have been the stereotypical signs of a beauty but made her distinguished and unique. I admired the way she’d looked with her late husband. They’d looked as if they’d had a secret between them and swore to guard it, but every once in a while they’d hint at it with a smirk or sly grin.

What I saw wasn’t Florence Ramsey. It was the shell of her. She was too young and too thin to be in a wheelchair.

“My God! What have you done?” I cried.

“You see, my beloved wife has chosen drugs over me. It’s only a matter of time before an overdose claims her life.”

Again I thought of that journal entry I’d seen set for two days from now.

“You monster! How can you do that to her!”

Dante rambled of a string of insults at me. I barely heard them as I stared at Florence Ramsey. She was wafer thin and her eyes drooped heavily as she looked at me. But I had no idea if she could even see me. If she knew anything was going on she didn’t acknowledge it.

I tried to fight. I struggled and scratched and slapped at Dante but I was no match. Then someone came up from behind me.

“Is there a problem, sir?”

“Hold her down.”

I tried to scream but a thick hand clamped over my mouth. My purse, which had been slung over my shoulder, got caught and the leather strap dug deeply into my shoulder before snapping and falling to the floor. My phone fell out and to my shock it was still on.

“What is that?” Dante screamed. “You called him?”

I looked at Dante and for the first time saw fear in his eyes. It made me brave. At least as brave as I could be with two men the size of linebackers in front of me.

“Donald, go check all the doors and make sure they are secure.” He looked at me with such hatred I was afraid. The reality of the situation suddenly sunk in. If I didn’t try to do something, I was going to die in this place. But not now. Not while Dante was here, holding me in a grip so tight my arms were going to be left bruised and sore.

Donald left the room and Dante whirled me around so my back was against his chest. He slipped on arm around my waist pulling me painfully into him. With the other he ripped my blouse open and yanked up my skirt.

I started to cry as I looked to Florence Ramsey. Regardless of what Dante thought, she could see what was happening but likely couldn’t do anything about it.

“You can’t do this in front of her.” I wept.

“Yes I can,” he growled. I felt his other hand fumbling with his belt and pants but before he could finish a shadow fell across the window.

It was Alex!