by JA Low
“I’m so sorry that my men have treated you so poorly. Believe me, they’ll be dealt with accordingly. They disobeyed my instructions,” he says with a thick Russian accent.
My eyes widen because I can hear the undercurrent of a threat in his words.
“Please…” I shake his outstretched hand, which is surprisingly warm, and then he helps me onto my unsteady legs. They falter for a moment, but his strong hands are wrapped around my hips, a little too closely for my liking. Now that I’m standing, I realize how tall and broad he is. He could break me in two in seconds if he wanted. I don’t think I should be reassured by his good looks. He is, without a doubt, a very bad man.
He takes a couple of steps away from me. “Here, drink this.” He hands me a bottled water, and reluctantly I take it.
Is he going to drug me?
I stare at the plastic bottle not game enough to take a sip.
“Drink, you must be thirsty,” his deep voice commands.
Still, I stare at the bottle debating if I should or not.
His blue eyes narrow at me, then he realizes what I’m thinking.
“Miss, I assure you no harm is going to come to you under my watch.”
Yeah, whatever, I’m not convinced. I’ve seen his face now, so what’s to stop him from killing me? Isn’t that what usually happens in the movies?
He takes the bottle of water from my hand, opens it, and takes a sip before handing it back to me. “See, okay?”
Reluctantly, I take a small sip.
He reaches out suddenly and grabs my wrists checking the rope burn. His thumb runs over the bloodied marks. “I’m sorry. This should not have happened.” He continues to touch me, making me feel uncomfortable, so I pull my hands away from him.
“Why am I here?” The question sounds timid on my lips.
“We need your help.” Those blue eyes of his stare at me intensely.
“Why did you kidnap me if you needed help?”
“Because it was the only way to buy your silence.” Crossing his large arms across his chest, he raises a dark brow.
“I took an oath as a doctor that no matter what, I’ll help anyone and do no harm.”
He stares at me. “Can’t take risks in my job.”
“If I help, are you going to let me go?” Stupid question. Of course, he is going to say yes. Otherwise, you won’t help him if you know you’re going to die.
“Yes. I promise you. My word is law around here.”
“Okay, then.” Taking another sip of the water to steady myself, I say, “I don’t care about anything else except helping people in need.” I’ll make sure to take in every bit of detail and information there is about this place, just in case I need it.
“Very good. Follow me.” He turns on his heel and walks out of the room. I follow behind him hurriedly because of his long strides. We head down a long corridor, and he opens the last door on the left and indicates for me to enter.
Everything stops.
There is row upon row of girls in a makeshift dorm room. There must be easily thirty women, all various ages, all slender, all Eastern European-looking. When the door opens, the women freeze, but worse when they see the man with me, some of them try and hide themselves from his view. They are one hundred percent scared of him. He pushes me into the room and shuts the door behind him.
“They need check-ups.” His voice is hard and to the point.
The girls’ eyes are wide, but no one dares move.
“Sexual health check-ups?”
“Yes. I want to make sure none of them have diseases.”
Oh, good God, my stomach is rolling around in disgust. This is everything I have been fighting against. This asshole is someone I’m trying to eradicate from this world.
He must see something in me change because he leans down close to my ear and whispers, “I promised you no harm will come to you if you do as you’re told. Stray from that, and there’s a spare bed waiting for you.” Ice runs through my veins upon hearing his words, and I know he will. He has nothing to lose. No one knows where I am, and if they do, he can easily move me to anywhere in the world with a single click of his fingers.
“Is that all you need from me?”
The asshole shakes his head. “Follow me.” He opens the door again and takes me down another long corridor. This time he opens a metal door, and I’m greeted with a makeshift maternity ward.
Holy fucking shit! There must be twenty babies in here with very frail, young women beside them. Some of them are playing with their babies, others are lying lifeless, staring at the ceiling.
These poor women.
“I need you to check the babies and the women over. I need to know how long till they are able to work again.”
My stomach turns. I’ve seen the aftermath of women forced back into work after giving birth.
“The minimum time is six weeks for a vaginal birth, longer if it’s caesarean,” I explain to him. Dear God, I hope none of the girls have had to have a caesarean, this room does not look like it’s equipped for that type of surgery.
“Six weeks?” His voice raises.
Turning to him, I reiterate, “Yes. Six weeks. Maybe if you made the men wear protection, or the women go on birth control, then you wouldn’t have this problem.”
His blue eyes widen, his nostrils flare, and I sink a little inside myself at his stare. Fuck him! I’m doing him a favor, and he can damn-well listen to me. Straightening my back, he’s not going to intimidate me. If I can’t save these girls, I sure as hell am going to make sure I can at least stop any long-term damage happening to them. “If you treated the women better, then you would have fewer problems.”
“Women are easy to find,” he raises a defiant brow in my direction.
“Yes, but then you have to train them all over again. How many women do you lose because they’re new?”
Play this right, Lilly.
“Depends. But I’d say around thirty percent of the new women are lost,” he replies so casually.
I’ve never wanted to murder someone before until now, but this asshole standing in front of me, I could easily slit his throat. Fuck the Hippocratic Oath and all its righteous bullshit!
“How much does it cost to acquire a girl?”
Easy does it now, Lilly.
“About one thousand American dollars.”
Is human life worth so little?
“Did you know implanting a contraceptive only costs around one hundred dollars.” Those blue eyes narrow at me. “Seems like a savings, doesn’t it? Especially if women are out for six weeks giving birth, if not more.”
“I’m not sure what you’re playing at, doc.” His words turn like ice, and his face goes blank.
“I can’t stop what you’re doing here…” I wave my hand through the air, “… but I can, at least, help these women live a better life.”
“You care that much about these whores?”
Stay calm, Lilly. Stay calm.
“I’m sure most of them didn’t have dreams about becoming whores.”
The asshole bursts out laughing. “It must be nice to live in that gilded cage you occupy, doc. Looking down from your high-in-the-sky perch while thinking that people like me are the scum of the earth.”
Stay strong, Lilly. Don’t say anything.
“What these women are doing is helping their families. The money they earn goes back to them, helping them keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, siblings in school. They have sacrificed their life for their families.”
Hold the tears in, Lilly.
“Can’t you make the sacrifice worth it, then?” My comment surprises him, his tattooed finger taps his chin as he thinks over my words.
“Why should I care?” His voice is now deep and demanding information.
“Why should a farmer care about his flock when they are just going to be slaughtered?”
A small smile falls across his face. “You…” he points his finger at me, “… you have
balls, doc.” He chuckles. “You’re right. The better the condition of my flock, the better price I can get.”
I may not be able to save them yet, but as long as the girls are healthy, that’s the best I can hope for.
“I’ll get you what you need, doc. Anything to make these girls better. You have my word.”
30
Luca
“You better let me in, so help me,” a woman screeches at the front of my apartment building. I have just been for a run and still as I watch the commotion unfold.
“Signora, you aren’t allowed in here. If you do not step away, I’ll call the police.”
“Then, I will go to the media and tell the world that your beloved prince killed my sister.”
Security stills at the woman’s words.
What the hell is she talking about?
“Lauren, come on, babe… we’ll find Lilly another way. You can’t end up in jail.” A blond man tries to pull her away.
Oh my God, that’s Lilly’s sister.
I rush toward the entrance and call out, “Lauren?”
“Where is she?” Lauren screams, her blue eyes are red-rimmed, her hair a bright rainbow of color. “Please, Luca… where is she?” Her fiancé holds her tightly as she begins to crumble.
“Let them in.”
My security gives me a strange look but ultimately does as he’s told.
“Please… let’s discuss this upstairs.”
Lauren calms a little, and they follow me to my apartment.
“Can I get you anything? Water, juice, coffee?”
“Where’s Lilly? Is it true what they’re saying on the news that a doctor has been kidnapped? I haven’t heard from her, Luca.” Tears are streaming down her face as her fiancé holds her tightly.
“Yes, it’s true. It’s Lilly who has been taken.”
“Oh, God… no. No. She’s my family, Luca. My family.”
“I know. I promise you… I’m doing everything in my power to get her back.”
“It’s been twenty-four hours. Shouldn’t there be some kind of ransom or something?” Lauren asks.
“We believe it’s not a traditional kidnapping. They’re not after money.”
“Then what the hell do they want from her?” Lauren’s bright blue eyes remind me of Lilly so much. You can see the family resemblance between the sisters. “Oh God, they are going to sell her. Lilly is beautiful. Smart. She’s going to be someone’s…” she trails off.
Reaching out to Lauren, I grab her hands. “Nothing is going to happen to her, I promise you. They wouldn’t dare touch a hair on her head.”
Lauren looks up at me. “You’ll make them pay if they do.”
“I promise you I’ll burn everything to the ground if they touch her.”
After setting Lauren and Alistair up in a hotel and reassuring them I’ll keep them in the loop with anything to do with Lilly, I’m able to sit down with the people Giorgio recommended could help. Sitting on my sofa, I nervously wait for the people who are going to help us to arrive.
“Would you relax?” My brother halts my leg from bouncing with his hand. “They are the best. They know what they’re doing, I promise.”
“How do you know them?”
“You don’t need to know how,” Giorgio replies mysteriously. I don’t have time to work that out. All I care about is getting Lilly home safely.
“Guys, they’re here,” Natalia announces as the elevator doors open.
We all stand and watch as three serious-looking people enter my apartment. A blond version of the Hulk. Another man who looks like he could simultaneously hack into your system while fighting a bear. Then there’s this tiny blonde woman who gives off some sort of super scary vibe.
“Your Highnesses…” the woman greets us. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I certainly wish it was under better circumstances.”
Is that an Australian accent?
Who are these people?
“I’m Sophie, this is Mac…” she points to the hulking man, “… and this is Trent.”
“Please, take a seat.” Giorgio points to the living room opposite us while Natalia busies herself in the kitchen.
“We have looked through all the media transcripts of what’s happened,” Sophie starts.
“We also looked into the security footage from the clinic and the surrounding areas,” Trent adds, opening his laptop.
“Thank you for the information about Kosovo, that was extremely helpful,” Mac states.
“So, we have been concentrating on that area. Due to the ongoing conflict in that region, the Bratva is able to easily move without much worry,” Sophie advises.
“We have a rough idea of the area and where the Bratva has safe houses, but the important places aren’t so easy to find,” Trent adds, showing us a map of Kosovo. “This is the last known ping from Lilly’s phone.” A little green dot is highlighted on the map. “This road here…” he points, “… is the main highway between Albania and Kosovo.”
“So, she could be anywhere?” I thought these people were experts.
“No. I know it doesn’t look like much, and it may seem like we’re searching for a needle in a haystack, but trust us, we will find her,” Sophie attempts to reassure me.
“The good thing about all this is that Lilly is a doctor,” Mac adds. “Which means they need her for something.”
My eyes widen at his comment.
“She specializes in women’s health, doesn’t she?” Sophie asks.
I nod my head.
“They must be having problems with their girls.”
My eyes widen at her words, and one in particular—girls.
“Lilly is passionate about human trafficking. That’s why she was there.”
Sophie nods her head in understanding. “Both of my sisters were kidnapped by the Bratva. Unfortunately, they were on the sold side of the business.” Shit! “We got them back, thank goodness. But that’s why we have this business because it’s our passion to save women from this life.”
Lilly would like Sophie so much, they both share a deep passion for saving women. They have so much in common.
Natalia sets down glasses of water on the table. “Do you think Lilly has a chance?”
The three of them look at each other.
“Yes. If she’s smart and does what she is told,” Sophie advises me. “If she tries to escape, they’ll kill her.”
Fuck! Running my hand through my hair, I think, Please, baby, don’t be brave. I’m coming for you.
“Most people who have been kidnapped think they’ll try and escape, but in reality, they never do,” Mac advises.
“Like I said, Lilly is a doctor, and that’s a hot commodity to have. She could be there to save the boss’s life, his wife, his child, or maybe he’s just doing the right thing and looking after the girls he has. We don’t know yet, and that’s the million-dollar question.” Sophie tries to sound positive.
“How long do you think it will take to get her back?”
The three of them look at each other, and I don’t like the looks they are sharing.
“It’s hard to say. There are many variables in this scenario. I don’t want to give you false hope.”
Shit. No. I can’t lose Lilly.
You stubborn fucking fool, I should never have given up. She’d be safe and in my arms right now.
“We’re the best,” Sophie reminds us.
“They are going to bring Lilly home, Luca.” Natalia curls into me on the sofa.
“They are the best, Luca,” Giorgio reassures me.
“I should never have let her go.” I press a kiss to my sister’s head.
“You didn’t know something like this would happen,” Giorgio adds.
“Yeah, but I still loved her.”
“Luca…” Natalia looks up at me, tears welling in her eyes, “… she’s coming home. You two will be together again, I can feel it.”
I wish I had the same damn faith as Natalia.
/> Letting my head fall back against the sofa, my mind wanders to Lilly.
Is she safe?
31
Lilly
I have been here for one week.
Seven days.
One hundred and sixty-eight hours.
Living in a damn nightmare.
Every day, I implant girl after girl with birth control. Each one of them looking gaunt, lifeless, broken. I don’t know how many women are at this facility. I have lost count.
My nights are spent crying myself to sleep. I don’t sleep much only in small amounts, even though they have set me up in a plush apartment where all I can see out the windows are row upon row of what looks to be warehouses, hidden behind thick forest.
There are two armed guards by my door inside and outside. The windows in my apartment are bolted shut.
Where the hell would I even go if I were able to escape?
I’d die of hyperthermia before I had a chance to go anywhere. We’re in the middle of winter, one night spent out there in below-zero temperatures, and I’d be dead.
Every single day is the same. I wake up, breakfast is slid through a flap in the door, which consists of a slice of bread, pastries, coffee, and juice. They give me twenty minutes to eat my breakfast and be ready for the day. An armed guard then escorts me from my apartment across the graveled parking area and into one of the large warehouses.
They have reorganized the makeshift hospital for me. The latest equipment was brought in—state-of-the-art everything. Then, one by one the girls come in. Many are scared of me and hardly any speak English. There’s one girl, Ilona, so I asked if she could be my interpreter. Eventually, I got my way, and she was able to stay with me. It’s nice having someone to talk to in this damn hellhole. She’s explained her circumstances to me—twenty, studying at a university in Moscow to be a doctor. Unfortunately, her brother is a drug-addict and owed the Bratva a lot of money. They killed him and are making her work off his debt. She has been here for one year.
