Chapter Six
Mara
“I want to see the basement,” I said. “I need to know that this is going to work. I can’t believe this is your hideout. Is there a spa attached too?” I mocked.
My father would never pay up if he saw the cabin. He’d know in a second that he’d been conned. It was a bit of a relief to know that I wouldn’t be spending my few days of fake captivity in a shithole, but I hoped the basement would make a good place to film the ransom video.
“I’m sure you’ll find the accommodations in the basement suit your needs,” he said.
“Well, grab a chair and bring it down there. We need to get moving on the video. Bring the zip ties for my wrists and ankles. Oh, and you’ll need a gag too.”
“That part I completely agree with,” he grumbled.
It was hard to believe that this guy used to be one of the deadliest assassins in the country. He seemed completely clueless about kidnapping, but I guessed they were different skill sets.
I watched him shed his jacket and pick up a chair from the little breakfast nook next to the kitchen. It was obviously a high-quality, handcrafted piece of furniture, but it was rustic too. Hopefully, in the low light of the basement, it would look more rustic.
“You should have brought a metal folding chair or something,” I said as I followed him down the basement stairs.
He didn’t say anything. I looked around when Salvatore flipped on the dim light that barely illuminated the dank basement. The floors and walls were concrete, but off to the side was a small room with dirt and brick instead. It looked like a root cellar from a movie, and I figured that there must have been a much smaller, older cabin at the location in the past.
“I’m going to put you right under the light,” Salvatore said. “I think that will make your scratches and bruises look the worst.”
I stripped off my pants and t-shirt and sat down in. “I don’t think what I’ve got is going to be enough,” I said.
“Whoa, what are you doing?” Salvatore asked when he turned around and saw me in my panties and bra.
“You’re only going to get the full ransom from my father if he thinks I’m still a virgin. If he thinks you fucked me, he’s not going to pay out. We need to make him think that his precious daughter’s virtue is at stake. Plus, I think there are some bruises that won’t show if I’m dressed.”
“Okay, we need to get a few things straight. If I kidnap you and fuck you, that’s rape. You’re talking about it like it’s some casual thing, and it’s frankly frightening. Two, that thing you threw out about not having enough bruises, drop it. I won’t hurt you. I kill bad men. I don’t murder, beat, and rape women,” he said even as he took out the zip tie restraints.
“You killed a woman on your last job,” I said and watched him bristle at my words. “I looked up pictures of her on the net. She was pretty. You sure you didn’t have a little fun with her before you put a bullet in her head?” He glared at me with barely contained fury. “I bet you liked when the kid watched you fuck his mother. I just bet you love that sort of thing.”
“I know what you’re trying to do,” he growled. “I’m not that easy.” Salvatore went back to getting the restraints and gag ready.
“I’m telling you to hit me,” I said. “If you can’t, it’s because you’re a pussy. Fuck you, pussy boy. This is my life, and you’re not going to fuck it up just because you don’t have the stomach for the job.”
“Stop, Mara, or I walk away,” he practically whispered.
So, I did the only thing I could think of. I stood toe-to-toe with him and bitch-slapped him right across the face. He looked a little shocked, but I caught him off guard by kneeing him in the balls. It wasn’t a full force blow, but it was enough to piss Salvatore off. When he stumbled, I grabbed a fist full of his thick brown hair and pulled hard.
“Let go,” he said.
Instead of letting go, I reached up with my other hand and took another fistful of his hair. I pulled with everything I had and didn’t stop until he pressed his thumbs into the bottom of my wrists and my hands involuntarily let go. I stumbled back when I saw the feral look in his eyes. I’d brought the killer to the surface, but he still didn’t hit me. I took one last swipe at him and clawed his neck deep enough to draw a bit of blood.
Salvatore’s hand raised and he slapped me across the cheek. I saw white stars behind my eyes, felt the burning sting where his hand made contact with my face. “Sit the fuck down and stop,” he said and shoved me into the chair.
In a flash, he was up the stairs and through the basement door. I started to make fun of him for running away when I heard a bolt lock slide into place. I ran up the stairs and tried to open the door. I banged on it until my fists were numb, and I had to accept what had happened.
He’d locked me in the basement.