Finding Beauty in the Darkness

by Ash, Nikki

  “Are you aware that Mr. Hightower owes me a significant amount of money?”

  “Weston, is this true?” One of the other men speaks up.

  “Gentleman, I can explain.”

  “You absolutely can explain, Mr. Hightower, right after you show me the progress you’ve made on getting me my money. I hope you aren’t planning to wait until the last second to obtain that amount of money.” Giovanni never raises his voice. The way he speaks you’d think he was placing a to-go order at a restaurant, yet his voice is strong and assertive. Every emotion is made known without even needing to yell. This man means business.

  “I can pay you back some more of it. I don’t have it all. Come with me into my office.”

  “Rome, Caesar.” Giovanni says two names and instantly two big burly men enter the room. They are similar to Giovanni in appearances, both in suits which fit them perfectly—great physique and good looking—but they don’t hold the room like Giovanni does. They aren’t calm like he is. They must be his backup, his enforcers. They look angry and seem to lack the patience Giovanni has.

  The two men grab Weston by his arms to escort him to his office, making me realize I need to speak up now before it’s too late.

  “I need your help, please.” My voice comes out hoarse from recently gagging, so I clear my throat and say it clearer. “I need your help, please.”

  “Shut the fuck up, Aria.” Weston tries to get out of the men’s hold, but they just tighten their grip on him. It gives me the confidence to stand. This might be my only chance to be set free.

  “H-He…Weston…He’s holding me captive. Please, can you call the police?” I stand, and then remembering I’m naked, I wrap one arm around my chest to cover my breasts, and with my other hand, I try to cover my sex the best I can.

  Giovanni assesses me for a few moments. “Who are you?”

  “She’s nobody! Don’t worry about her!” Weston’s outburst has Giovanni smirking. Weston just showed his cards.

  Moving closer to Weston, Giovanni lets out a soft humorless chuckle. “I think I will worry about her because you seem extremely worried about her. Now shut your mouth.” He walks over to me until we’re only a few inches apart. “Who are you?”

  “I-I’m Aria. My mom died…well, I’m not sure how long ago. But he’s been holding me captive in the—”

  “Shut the fuck up, Aria!” Weston bellows, effectively cutting me off, and for the first time Giovanni shows a hint of anger. He stalks over to Weston and punches him right in the face. His head jerks to the side and blood instantly pours from his mouth. “I told you to shut up.”

  “Can you please call the police?” I beg.

  Giovanni walks slowly back toward me. Instinctively, I tighten my arms around myself. He studies me for a moment before he raises his hand to my face. I flinch out of habit, fearful he’s going to strike me, but instead he wipes a falling tear from my cheek, his face completely devoid of all emotion. “Please,” I repeat.

  “No, I’m sorry but I can’t do that.” His hand leaves my cheek, taking its warmth with it.

  “No.” The word is meant to be a question, but I heard him correctly. It hits me that this man isn’t going to save me. More tears well up in my eyes, and my chin trembles. My hands are shaking, and I’m about to lose it. A sob escapes and tears of hopelessness gush down my cheeks.

  “No.” I repeat the word one more time to force myself to accept it.

  “Maybe I’ll just take her as payment.” He’ll what? Did this guy just volunteer to take me as Weston’s payment?

  “Boss.”

  “No fucking way.”

  One of Giovanni’s men and Weston both speak at the same time, sounding as confused as I feel, but Giovanni ignores them both, keeping his eyes on me for a beat longer. I think maybe he’s going to save me, but then he turns his back on me and walks out of the room with Weston and his men.

  “Please!” I implore as the door closes, leaving me in a room with Weston’s associates. I drop to my knees at how cruel life can be.

  Chapter Five

  GIOVANNI

  “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.” I stand and shake the hand of a high-power defense attorney. He’s married with two kids and he’s just paid a small fortune to be an exclusive member of La Stella’s Gentleman’s Club. Just another example of a man not being faithful. But who the hell am I to judge when it means more money in my pocket.

  “Thank you, Mr. Valentino.”

  I walk him out of my office and down the hall to the common room to meet Cecilia, so she can help him pick out the woman he’d like to spend time with. “I’m looking for a companion. It’s not about sex,” he said. If I had a dollar for every man who walked through my doors and tried to convince me and themselves that it’s not about sex, I would be even richer than I already am.

  “Cecilia, this is Mr. Steele. Please show him around. He’s looking for a companion.”

  “Will do, Sir.” She beams at Mr. Steele, giving him a flirtatious wink.

  I walk over to the bar and have a seat on one of the cushioned stools, in need of a drink. “Emilio, whiskey neat.”

  “Sure thing.” He makes my drink and sets it on the bar top.

  As I sip the whiskey, enjoying the warmth it brings, my mind can’t get off the beautiful woman at the senator’s house. When she begged me to save her, it took everything in me not to pick her up and take her out of that house. And the fact I even considered it, scares the ever-loving shit out of me. What got me was the desperation in her eyes. I’ve been raised around whores my entire life. For God sakes, I lost my virginity to a whore at this bordello, courtesy of my father when I had barely hit puberty, who told me it was time to become a man.

  But the difference is, every one of those women choose to spread their legs. The women I employ make the choice to have sex with men for money. No woman here is ever forced to do anything she doesn’t want to do. While a member has the right to request a particular woman, she in return has the right to deny him.

  And watching that girl—who I recognized from the picture in the senator’s office—looking so helpless in the living room, gutted me. When she informed me he was holding her captive, I saw red. But taking her then would have made me look weak. I’m a businessman, and my only business with Weston is the money he owes me.

  I tried to ignore her. I tried to deal with the issue at hand, but when she stood and looked at me with such pleading, broken eyes, there was no ignoring the beautiful woman. Shiny golden-brown hair came down in waves along the outline of her face. When she looked up at me as I wiped the falling tear from her cheek, her eyes nearly knocked me on my ass. Deep sea-green, clear and luminous, with a darker blue rim around the outer part of the iris—in contrast to her brown hair and bronzed skin—had me in a trance.

  But what got me the most was how dim her eyes were as she pleaded with me. The light in her eyes had been switched off. As she stood in front of me—naked and vulnerable—trying to cover her clearly malnourished self, I knew right then and there I would give this woman anything she asked for. And so, I had no choice but to turn my back on her. If I took her, I would have to keep her. She would be Weston’s payment and I wouldn’t be able to let her go. She would be forced from one prison to another, so to speak. But at least here, she would be fed properly and taken care of.

  My chest tightens as I think how beautiful she’d be if her eyes were lit up once again. How badly I want to be the reason her eyes light up, again. How defeated she looked when she realized I wasn’t going to be her savior. How badly I want to be her savior. Fuck! But I wouldn’t be her savior. I would be her capturer. Sure, I’d be taking her out of that shitty situation but only to bring her into another one. But on the other hand, she’s better off being held captive here than with that piece of crap senator.

  Without thinking another thought, I put my drink down and text Johnny to bring the car around. It’s time to pay the good senator one last visit. It’s been thirt
y days. I’ll be getting paid today one way or another.

  We get to the senator’s house and his car isn’t in the driveway, so I knock and wait. When nobody answers, I give Johnny a nod. “Let’s take a look around.”

  Johnny chuckles and goes about breaking into the house. Once the door is open, I start searching through the house. I check the living room, reading room, kitchen. Nobody appears to be home. Then I hear water running.

  “Do you hear that? Where’s that water coming from?”

  Johnny looks around. “I think from here.” He points to a door off the kitchen.

  “I’m going down to check it out. Wait here. Text Rome and Caesar and tell them to meet us here.”

  “You got it, Boss.”

  Opening the door, I notice a dark staircase. Looking back into the kitchen, I see a light switch next to the door. I flip it on and the stairs illuminate. I pull my gun out just in case and walk cautiously down the steps. When I get to the bottom, the water is being turned off and out stumbles the woman from before. Only this time, her face is completely bruised. She’s sporting a fat lip and two black eyes. She’s naked once again and there are black and blue marks marring her body. She’s hunched over and limping slowly to her bed. She looks up and sees me, her eyes going wide for a split second.

  “Great. You here to cause more trouble?” she hisses, wrapping herself up in the nasty looking blanket on her bed. She isn’t even phased by the fact I’m holding a gun in my hand. I place the gun back into my waistband and advance toward her.

  “Trouble?” I question.

  “Yeah, trouble. When you came here the other day and I opened my mouth. As you can see, Weston wasn’t too thrilled with me begging for you to save me.”

  My heart squeezes and my breath catches. I’m the reason for her looking like she was run over by a train several times. I didn’t even think about the fact that Weston would punish her. When I saw her, she was giving old man Nelson head. They weren’t beating her. Fuck! I should have seen this coming. He brutalized Natalie twice. I was so busy trying to get Aria out of my head, I ignored what was going on right in front of me.

  “Johnny!” I call up the stairs.

  “Are you guys going to rape me?” The woman who was just giving me lip suddenly looks at me with fear that just about has me dropping to my knees.

  “No, sweet girl. I’m about to get you out of here.”

  For the first time, she smiles, and the way it fucks with my heart, I know I’m the one in trouble.

  Chapter Six

  ARIA

  “No, sweet girl. I’m about to get you out of here.”

  They are the sweetest words I’ve heard in a long time. He’s going to get me out of here. With the dirty blanket still wrapped around me, I try to stand but my body isn’t cooperating. I have been beaten and taken advantage of every which way over the last week to the point that I have blacked out several times. I’m convinced I have several broken ribs, and the blood coming from my vagina can’t be a good thing. On top of all that, I haven’t been given a single drug in days, so I’m feeling every ounce of pain and I’m pretty sure my body has been detoxing cold turkey.

  Taking the blanket off of me, he removes his jacket and wraps it around my body. It’s thick and warm and smells clean with a bit of a woodsy scent to it. Carefully, he picks me up and, holding me bridal style, walks us up the stairs. There’s a man holding the door open, the one he called Johnny. He gives me a sad smile, one that looks a lot like pity, but I ignore it. I’m getting out of here. They can look at me however the hell they want to. We get upstairs and make it to the foyer when the door swings open and in walks Weston along with Derek, and behind them are the two men I saw with Giovanni the last time he was here.

  Giovanni sets me down, still holding onto me, but I’m already planning my escape. There’s no way I’ve made it this far, only to be shoved back down in that basement. I see the side door leading off the kitchen and wonder how long it would take me to hobble to it and try to make a run for it. I know realistically I wouldn’t get past all these men, but at this point I’m so desperate, I’m willing to chance it.

  Like he can hear my thoughts, Giovanni leans down and whispers, “If you run, I will catch you. You’re mine now.” The heaviness of his words spread goosebumps down my arms.

  Weston must hear him because he starts to freak out. “You can’t take her. She’s not yours!” He stalks toward us, and just as I’m about to make a run for it, Giovanni picks me back up in his arms. His men grab Weston and hold him back. He starts bucking his body, attempting to flee the men. Giovanni holds me tighter, walking around Weston and his men.

  “I’ll meet you back at the club,” he says to his men. “Just make sure his heart is still beating when you’re done with him.”

  “She’s mine, Valentino!” Weston spits out.

  Giovanni turns around and gives him that same smile I fell for the other night. “Consider your debt paid in full. You’re welcome. And if you so much as breathe near her, I will personally end your life. She’s mine now.” Then he walks us out of the house, Johnny opening and closing the door behind us.

  The cold air hits my face and I shiver. It’s been months since I’ve been outdoors. I take a moment to inhale the fresh air before Johnny opens the passenger door to the Cadillac sitting in the driveway. Giovanni places me on the seat then waits for me to move over before he edges in next to me, closing the door.

  “Where to, Boss?”

  “To the club,” Giovanni confirms.

  “You got it.”

  After a few minutes of silence, I get up the courage to speak. I don’t know how far it is to this club, but I know I only have a short time to convince him to let me go. Where I’ll go? I have no clue. I have no money, no clothes, and I’m in desperate need of medical attention. I need something to take the pain away. At this point, I’ll take anything. My heart rate starts to pick up, my body going into emotional overdrive as I work myself up. An anxiety attack is building quickly, and I can’t do anything to stop it. “Can y-you please let me go?” I’m freezing cold and my teeth are chattering. My hands are shaking and I’m on edge, needing something to calm me before I hit rock bottom. I need something to numb me before my body goes into full-on panic mode. My head’s pounding and it feels like I’m having a heart attack.

  Giovanni looks up from his phone and puts it back in his pocket, twisting to face me. Framing my face between his hands, he locks eyes with me. “What drugs are you on?”

  Pulling out of his grip, I look down, ashamed of what my life has become. “I’m not a druggie. Can you please just let me go?”

  “You’re coming off of something. Don’t lie to me.” With his thumb and forefinger, he lifts my chin, so I’m forced to look at him.

  “You are mine now. What drugs are you on?” Mine. That one word causes me to slip over the ledge. I yank my face from his touch. My hand goes to the door handle in an attempt to escape, not even caring that if I jump out and the car is going too fast, I’ll likely hit the concrete and die. I’d rather my life end now and join my mom in heaven than live another day in this hell on earth.

  Hands grab my waist and suddenly I’m being pulled into Giovanni’s lap. My brain and body finally snap. “I’m not yours! I’m nobody’s! You can rape me and drug me and force me into another basement, but I will never be yours!” A great tremor overtakes me as sobs break free from the deepest part inside me. My fists pound against his chest as I beg him to let me go. Streams of fear and devastation flow faster than my elevated heartbeat as I release every pent-up emotion I’ve had to keep down. I have no idea what this man is going to do to me for my outburst, but I can’t stop. It’s like being in the middle of a tornado—the basement door has been swung open and there’s no closing it. All I can do is ride out the storm and pray I make it through alive.

  “It’s okay,” he says soothingly as he rubs my back. “It’s okay, sweet girl. Let it out.” And I do. I yell and scream and continu
e using his chest as a punching bag. I cry and beg, and when my body and mind and heart can’t take it anymore, I shut down and everything goes black.

  Chapter Seven

  GIOVANNI

  What the hell did I just do? I’m not saying I’m a standup guy because that would be a boldfaced lie. I’m in the fucking mob for crying out loud. I own a bordello—a fucking whorehouse! Albeit a high class one, but still a whorehouse, nonetheless. I’ve killed when necessary and sometimes just because it’s what I felt should be done. But never have I resorted to kidnapping a young woman—or any woman for that matter.

  I went into the senator’s house with the intention of finding her, but I wasn’t prepared for what I would do once I found her. I wasn’t prepared to see her beaten and bruised and broken…so fucking broken. One look at her and my heart felt like it was put through a grinder and was bleeding out. The look of pain in her eyes nearly brought me to my knees. Without even thinking about the repercussions of my actions, I picked her up and took her. Taking her as payment means she’s mine and there’s no going back on that. Not for her own safety and sure as fuck not for my reputation.

  At first, when I took her, she was quiet. I knew she was hurt, but I figured she’d be okay until we got to the club and I could have Vivian come check her out. But then when she tried to jump out of my car, which was doing at least seventy down the highway, I realized she wasn’t okay. I pulled her into my arms and listened to her while she lost it until she finally blacked out from exhaustion.

  Now, as she lies against my chest, passed out in the back of the car, I contemplate all the ways I’m going to torture Senator Weston Hightower before I bury him alive for physically and emotionally hurting this woman.