Several days have passed, or so I think. I have no way of judging the time except for the rise and fall of the sun.

Sofia said she was going to sneak the phone tonight and call Logan. I can only hope she can do all this without getting herself hurt. I hate to think of my sister, alone and just as scared as I am. We’ve always had each other to get through a terrifying situation in the past. We’ve both made it this far in life, I’m not about to give up now. I know Logan, and the others will find us.

I tried hard to keep my eyes open and not to fall asleep while waiting for Sofia to hopefully return, but exhaustion won that battle. I jolt, hearing a commotion outside the bedroom door. The door flies open, and a gasp escapes my lips when Jorge strides in, his eyes trained on me.

“So,” he draws out, “it seems my little bird was planning to fly away?” He walks over to the edge of the bed.

Malice drips from his voice with his next words, “First, I hear that your buyer has backed out of the deal, seems he found out you’re not so pure after all.” He runs a cold clammy hand over my breast before squeezing, then rips my shirt open. “Then, you conspire with our little whore to help you escape.”

My heart sinks. They must have caught Sofia. My only hope in someone finding me, gone. I clench my eyes shut, turning my head away. The fear of him doing more making my skin crawl, causing me to visibly tremble.

“We caught the whore talking to someone on the phone. Heard her say the name Logan,” he sneers, not once taking his cold, dead eyes off of me as he peers down.

My head snaps up, looking at him. Giving away the recognition of the name he just said.

“So, this must be the gringo that you belong to,” he states. Pulling a knife from his boot, he begins to run the long blade down my cheek and along the side of my neck. I’m frozen with fear. The sound of my heart pounding in my ears is so loud it’s defining.

“Oh, your biker is probably on his way, but we have plenty of time to have some fun before I go.”

There is absolutely nothing I can do when he takes the knife and cuts my bra, exposing me. I’m tugging on the restraints so hard that my skin has torn and starting to bleed. I watch as he traces the blade around the curve of one breast, then drags it along the curve of the other, this time applying pressure. Immediately I feel the sting of my skin being sliced. Tears fall from my eyes as I beg him. “Please, please don’t do this.”

His eyes are transfixed on where he sliced me and the blood that is dripping down my ribs. His expression blank, like he’s not even here. Blinking, he reaches out, dragging a finger through the blood on my flesh. “Your blood is all I want. Nothing more. There is no better high than watching the life slowly drain from someone.”

His blade begins to trail my body again. The rise and fall of my chest quickening as panic quickly takes hold of me. He pauses, the tip of the knife resting along my side, on top of my ribs, then slashes into me once more. This time I scream, the pain much worse than the first cut. He doesn’t let up. The knife digs into my flesh again and again. I lose count after a few moments. The pain is unbearable.

“Hermosa, beautiful.” I barely hear him say through my screams.

I faintly hear a knock on the door and turn my head to watch Jorge get up and walk over to open it. They start speaking, in Spanish, words I don’t understand. With his back turned, I look around trying to figure out any way to help myself get out of here. I notice his knife lying on the bed, but it’s impossible to reach with my hands above my head. I try once again to tug on my restraints. The pain is excruciating. I look down to see my skin is gashed open in several places with blood seeping from each wound. It’s no use. My struggles does nothing but further weaken what strength I still have.

A few more words are spoken between the two men before Jorge closes the door, making his way back over to the bed.

I watch as he picks the knife up again. “Your biker is almost here. I’m going to make sure he sees you die before I kill him myself.” He puts the knife back in his boot, just as another man wearing the same cut walks through the door.

“Help me take her down to the basement. We will wait for them down there. Order the men to their posts. I want to know the moment he arrives.”

Jorge undoes both my wrists before hoisting me over his shoulder, sending intense, shooting pain through my entire body. Flashes of lights and shadows dance behind my eyes just before I pass out.

When I come to, I’m hanging upright with my hands tied above my head, wearing nothing but my panties. My eyes dart around the room taking in my surroundings. The lack of light makes it hard to see much of anything. I hear a noise to my right. Straining my eyes, I can make out a figure lying on the ground. “Who’s there?” I stammer.

No one answers.

The lights come on without warning, and sitting on a chair in the middle of the room is Jorge.

I scan over to where I heard the noise seconds before and gasp when I see Sofia, chained to the floor, beaten so badly her eyes are completely swollen shut.

“He’ll kill you,” I seethe.

“Good, I see you’re ready to fight. I’m going to enjoy watching that light fade from your eyes.”

Striding over, he places the tip of the blade on my inner thigh. “Be still now. If you move it will be much worse.”

Of course, I don’t listen. I try to kick him but it’s no use I’m too weak. I unwillingly scream as I feel a hot, searing pain. His blade sinks into the flesh of my leg.

“Just inside the inner thigh, is the main artery, and if you puncture it just right, the blood will slowly leave your body. If I cut any deeper, you’ll die within minutes,” he boasts, satisfaction in his eyes as he watches the blade sink in.

The tears continuously flow down my face, as I sob. I will myself to stay strong, but the pain is winning. Looking down I watch my blood slowly trickle from my inner thigh, forming a small puddle at my feet.

“Now, we sit and wait,” he declares, with his arms spread wide.

Instead of pleading for my life, which at this point would be useless, I concentrate on my breathing. I do my best to calm myself and clear my head. Logan is on his way, this much I know. I need to make sure I hold on that long.

Time slows to a crawl. It’s so quiet. The only thing I hear is the beating of my own heart. Looking down, I notice the puddle of blood at my feet has gotten bigger. I feel so tired. I want to close my eyes so bad. It’s taking everything in me to keep them open. This is it. I’m not going to make it. I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen to my sister. Is she okay? Did they find her? And why didn’t I ever tell Logan I love him? I should have told him. Suddenly, I hear men shouting and gunfire erupting above us.

A loud pop and the sound of heavy footsteps echoes outside the basement door. I manage to lift my head up just as the door bursts open. I watch as Logan’s eyes scan the room, stopping as soon as his eyes land on me.

“Angel,” he whispers, taking a step forward.

I’m too weak to speak fast enough.

The click of a gun cocking catches his attention. The overhead light switches on, and both men have the barrel of their guns trained on one another in a standoff.

“You got here just in time to watch the rest of her life drain from her body,” Jorge gloats. “Your club killed my father, and many of my men the other day. Now, you get to watch as someone you love dies,” he hisses, spitting at Logan’s feet.

“Your father was a coward who was caught trying to run and leave his men behind.” I hear Logan say, his voice full disgust.

Keeping his gun trained on the twisted, deranged man in front of him, Logan assesses me. His eyes scan over my body, taking in the lacerations going across my ribcage and under my breast. He stops when he sees the bright red blood oozing from my thigh and the puddle of blood at my feet.

His eyes connect with mine. I silently try telling him I’m sorry, that I love him.

Cracking his neck, I watch as Logan sets his attention back on Jorge. “Motherfucker, your father was a spineless pussy, who was caught trying to flee instead of fighting like a man. The barrel of the gun that was pressed between his eyes as he stared death in the face...it’s the same one that your sorry ass is staring down right now. The only one dying here today is you,” Logan rages.

A red dot appears on Jorge’s forehead, just before the back of his head explodes, blood splattering everywhere. I don’t have time to process anything else. Logan is over to me in two strides, undoing the restraints. I fall in a heap into his arms.

“Shit, Bella, stay with me,” he pleads, taking his cut off and covering my exposed body. He then hoisted me up in his arms and carries me out of the room.

I hear voices all around me but can’t make out who they belong to. I force myself to speak. “My sister?” I croak out.

“We got her. She’s safe,” Logan declares.

An exhausted breath leaves my lungs. Relief washing over me. I feel light, like a feather drifting on a breeze. I reach my hand up, touching Logan’s warm cheek.

“I love you, Logan,” I murmur, with a jagged breath.

I’m so tired.

I close my eyes...only for a moment, but not before hearing Logan’s voice whisper in my ear, “I love you too, Angel. Stay with me.”