“Thanks for the first-aid.”  Valentina took the ice pack from Rooster and stepped out of his grasp. “But I think we should really try to go back to the hospital again.”

“Not gonna happen, babe.” Rooster sighed.

“Why not?”  Valentina asked with growing dread.

“Because I’m not one of the good guys.”

“Why? What have you done?” Valentina asked him while a cold chill ran up her spine.

“It’s not about what I’ve done.” He gave her that sinister smile. “It’s about what I’m doing.”

“What are you doing?” Valentina asked in a shaky whisper.

“Selling you and that pain in the ass cousin of yours to the highest bidder.”

As if on cue the sound of banging came from one of the rooms down the hallway.

“Hey, asshole! I have to pee.” Came the loud shriek.

Valentina turned wide-eyed towards the sound and when she looked back at Rooster again, he had a gun pointed straight at her heart.

“God, that woman is a pain in my ass.” Rooster sighed. Then he nodded towards the hallway. “Move.”

With his free hand, Rooster reached into his pocket, pulled out a key and unlocked the first door on the left. When he shoved Valentina into the room, she almost knocked Gia down. Rooster grabbed the girl by the arm and snarled, “No more goddamn water for you. You piss like a damn race horse.”  Then he pulled Gia out the door with him.

Before Valentina had time to fully process this strange turn of events, the door flew open once more and Gia was shoved back into the room.

The girls ran into each other’s arms and both began babbling at once. It was a frantic and muddled conversation that sparked more questions than answers and left them both terrified and confused.

“I can’t believe Uncle Sal is dead.” Gia sniffed mournfully. “And look at you. Your hair is all burnt in patches, your eyes are all blood shot and you can’t take a breath without wincing. Oh my god, your poor hands!”

“I still can’t believe you’re even here,” Valentina whispered tearfully.

“Me either.  I had just barely gotten to the villa when I got the word that Uncle G was sending me back home. But trust me, I was happy to hear it. I missed you, and security had me on a ridiculously short leash. I didn’t ask any questions and got my ass on the next plane out.  Because it was such short notice first class was booked, and I had to take a flight with two long layovers. On the second one, I was approached by two guys wearing security uniforms. The next thing I knew, I had a piece of cloth jammed up against my nose and I woke up here. That bastard who’s been holding us told me nothing.  And for the record, I have not been peeing that much.” Gia gave Valentina a look of outrage. Then her eyes filled with fearful apprehension when she asked, “Do you know what’s going on? Do you know what he’s planning to do with us?”

Valentina felt the acid fill her stomach and her mouth go dry. Her ribs hurt, her eyes stung and her hands and scalp felt like they were on fire. “He said something about selling us…”

Valentina barely had time to register the horror in Gia’s eyes when the door burst open again.  Rooster threw her backpack on the floor. “Went through it—saw that prescription shit. Figured you might need it.”

“What are you gonna do with us?”  Gia glared at him.

“Well, princess…gonna use you to bait my hook, throw out a line, and see what I can catch.” He grinned.

“What are you talking about?” Gia spoke to him like he was a dull-witted child.

At her tone, Rooster lost the smile and his eyes went cold. “Gonna ransom your ass. That clear enough?”

“No, actually it isn’t clear at all.” Valentina shot back. “Aren’t you one of Prosper’s men?” Valentina’s stomach rolled over waiting for the answer. If the president of the Hells Saints had arranged for her and Gia to be kidnapped then that had to mean his crew was in on it too, didn’t it? She couldn’t believe that Hal would have agreed to this.

“Not a Saint yet, princess. Those assholes extended my probate time for no good reason. I’ve been eating their shit for far too long. Now they’re gonna be eating mine—tide has fucking turned.” Rooster snarled

“Ow!” Valentina yelled out when he took a fistful of her hair and yanked hard.

“You’re gonna get your old man on the phone, and your gonna tell him exactly what I tell you to tell him.” Rooster handed Valentina his cell.  When Valentina looked helplessly at the phone, he yelled at her. “Call him!”

“She can’t do that. My uncle is incommunicado.” Gia took the phone out of Valentina’s hand and shoved it back at him.

“He’s in communicado?  Thought the fucker was in Italy?” Rooster looked genuinely puzzled.

“Seriously?”  Gia rolled her eyes at him. “Incommunicado is not a place, dimwit. It means unable to be reached for communication.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll just see about that.” He shoved the phone back into Valentina’s hand. When she punched in the numbers—to her surprise and relief—her father picked up on the first ring.

“Valentina stai bene? Are you alright?” 

“Yes papa, si siamo beno.”

“Tell him I want a million cash. Five hundred for you and five hundred for that mouthy cousin of yours.” Rooster directed her.

Valentia spoke low and quick

“Papa, Salsa zio è morto, Gia è con me e siamo tenuti per circa venti minuti oltre la linea statale che si dirige a nord. È una piccola cabina alla fine di una lunga strada sterrata. C'è solo un uomo qui. Ha una pistola. Il suo nome è Rooster...”

“Speak fucking English!” Rooster grabbed the cell out of her hand and slapped Valentina hard across the face. Then he hissed into the phone.

“Gianni, listen to me and listen good ‘cause I’m in no goddamn mood to play games. Sebastian Abruzzi gave me one hundred grand to kill your daughter and your niece. Gonna cost you a million for me not to do that.  I’m gonna suggest you turn to your boy, Prosper, and give him all the details. Tell the old sonofabitch that he better follow my directions exact-fucking-ly or you’re gonna have two dead girls on your hands.” Rooster snarled out. “I’ll call the Saints’ clubhouse at this time tomorrow, and Prosper better be waiting by the damn phone. The bitches will be safe till then, but if I don’t get that money? I’m gonna take a nice clear video of me raping them in every goddamn hole they have. Then I’m gonna slice those pretty girls up and send you their rosy pink nipples in a gold gift box all tied up neat and tidy with a big blue ribbon.”

“You are not going to touch them,” Gianni responded flatly.

“Is that fear I hear, Gianni?” Rooster mocked him with a grin.

“Fear?” Valentina’s father paused as if in thought. “No, it’s not fear. A man in my position seldom gets to do his own killing. But for you, I will make an exception. I will slaughter you slowly, one strip of skin at a time. What you hear, my friend, is eager anticipation.”