A single finger slowly traced the curve of her spine, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake. Despite her best attempt at pretending to be asleep, she trembled at the feather-light touch, unable to restrain her reaction. Her breath hitched. Why did he do this to her? She hated herself for not moving, but her body felt so heavy. What was he giving her? She hated it as much as she hated him. And she hated him... man, did she hate him.

She hated the things he did, the man he was. She hated the way he treated her, the way he handled John. 

Once he reached the small of her back, his finger paused, before tracing a line along her waist. She could feel her body forming goosebumps; she felt the soft fabric of her dress around her forearms, he lifted it up to expose her back, her bare ass. She wanted to douse herself in gasoline and set herself ablaze, melting away in flames to escape these fingers.

 

She wanted to scream. She wanted to pull away. She wanted to run away. But she couldn’t move, she was bound with her wrist above her head. 
She opened her eyes as his finger trailed up her spine again, willing herself not to feel it. It didn’t exist, she told herself. 

She was asleep. This was nothing more than a dream. Or was it a nightmare? 

He was not really touching her. 

His finger reached the nape of her neck and once again paused, this time for longer. Seven, ten, twenty... She counted the seconds in her head, waiting for his next move, trying to think ahead, as if this was a game of chess and she could plan a counter-attack. It was pointless, even wondering. He already captured her. 
Checkmate. 
“Please…” a shallow, whisper-like voice came out of her, it was not planned, he was not supposed to know she was awake.
“Shhhhh….” It came with a long exhale. And he didn’t say anything else. 
Once more, his finger followed the path of her spine, making it halfway down before deviating. It explored the rest of her back, going every which way, making shapes and forming patterns along her warm skin like she was a living canvas. Despite herself, curiosity got the best of her, and she wondered what he was drawing. It felt random, foolish.

 

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, trying to make sense of the movement of his finger, as it seemed to dance along her back. She picked up on the pattern eventually, noticing his finger following the same continual trail, looping, and curving. She envisioned it as he did it, realizing after a moment that he was spelling out a long word in cursive. Fernando. His full name was Fernando Giovanni, and he was there, at her penthouse, and he was touching her. How did he find her? How did he know her real name? 
Her head felt heavy, her sight foggy and everything turned black again. 

*****

What was happening? Was she hurt? Was she alone? She blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust. One, two, three, four seconds passed. She still couldn’t see anything. 
Her breath… she couldn’t find it. 

​

Relax, Marlena. 

​

She tried to rub her eyes, but she couldn’t lift her hands. They were tied above her, and this time her legs were too and she was on her back. 

Smart bastard. 

She rocked back and forth and realized she was still in her bed; it smelled of John. Oh, John! What was happening? What did he want? She never heard John or Stefano, mentioning anything about codes. 

Breathe. 

When she tried to pry her wrists out of the rope, it tightened, even more, chafing over the raw skin. She felt her skin crack open, and the pain seethed. She cried out loud and gasped when she inhaled. Her throat was closing. 

​

Breathe, Marlena. 

​

Each breath shaking her core. “Let me go!” She screamed, rocking in the bed, hoping the momentum would loosen the bolts. “Help me. Someone! please!” Each pump of her body caused the burning in her wrists and ankles to intensify. It felt like they had been sliced with a razor and doused with alcohol. When she stopped moving, she felt dizzy. 

The curtains were shut, so were the windows. The air… it was gone. Not around her, but in her lungs. If John were here, he’d tell her to breathe. He’d try to take her mind off the tightening of her throat, the pressure in her chest. 

​

Breathe.
 

“Marlena…” 
She yelped in surprise. Her heart pounded so hard that it made her stutter.
“Wh-where are y-you?” She didn’t see him, but she had to find where he was. She turned her head from side to side. 
She couldn’t see him. 
She couldn’t feel him. “I’m here.” His breath was hot. It scorched her ear. 
“W-what do you w-want?” 
“That’s not the right question.” She heard his accent again. 
“Wh-what did y-you do to me?” 
“Still not the right question, Principessa.” She couldn’t stop her chest from heaving, and she couldn’t draw in a breath. She expected to pass out at any second, the lack of oxygen causing her brain to shut down.
“But I’ll answer it because I like you, Marlena .” His finger moved over her cheek, and she shook her head to get rid of it. 

“I drugged you, and I tied you up again” His lips moved down to the base of her neck. 
“You were on your stomach. So I flipped you over. I couldn’t stop staring at your ass, such a perfect, round ass. John’s tappin’ that, right?.” His laugh was so sinister. “After I flipped you over, I shut down all the windows. You were cold. I liked watching the way your nipples hardened through that dress when they got cold.” Every time his tongue curled around her ear, her stomach churned. “Nice, tight nipples, and one hell of a fucking ass.” He licked the length of her neck and stopped at her earlobe, flicking it with the tip of his tongue. 
“Stop it! Let me go!”
He moved down to the top of her shoulder and nibbled into her flesh. It was impossible to hold in her scream. Tears ran on her cheeks as they streamed from her eyes. He had touched her body. “You ra-raped me.” Her tongue suddenly felt heavy in her mouth, and she almost gagged. 
“I didn’t rape you.” Two long breaths. “But there are worse things in life than rape” He laughed again. This time, it sounded like it served as a confirmation. “I won’t fuck you until John give me what I want. Until then, we’re just going to have some fun.” She should have felt relief. She should have started breathing. But knowing he had seen her body naked, had touched it, hurt almost as badly as the thought of him raping her. 
"Huh? you wanna have some fun with me, Principessa?"
Could she really trust anything he said though? She squeezed in her inner walls, searching for pain.  
She felt nothing. Maybe he was telling the truth. “What do yo-wa-want? Where did you send John?” 
“Wrong questions. Again.” 

The sound in the air told her he was now right next to her ear, “Ohh Momma Mia, you know, this is just how I want you—on your back with your legs spread.” 
He straddled her waist and sat on her pelvis. “Principessa, it’s time you ask the right question.” Her nostrils flared as she tried to breathe. With all of his weight on her belly, he was constricting even more of her air. “Prove to me that you’re more than just a pretty face.” 
“What do you want from me?” She cried out as his fingers crossed her cheeks. “Before you say another word, I want you to think. Stop fucking rambling, and think.” He held her chin, tightly, and she couldn’t scream. So, she whimpered and groaned and dripped tears down her face. None of it helped. “You know why you’re here.” He leaned forward and bit her earlobe.
The pain. She couldn’t take it. She couldn’t breathe. 

“Stop! Just stop! Please! Untie me!” 

He laughed again, his lips moving to her ear. “Would you behave?” She grunted even though she knew the answer would be a lie. “Yeah? Are you going to be a very very good girl, Marlena.” He moved to her other ear, pressing his lips so close that they touched the inside hole. “Or are you going to be, naughty?.” 

Silence. She was sure he was letting her ponder the terrifying reality of what was to become of her, and that was… She had no chance of getting out of these ropes. She had to play along.
“You’re making me wait, Marlena, and I fucking hate it when people make me wait.” He stood and lifted her chin. 

“I’m losing my patience with you, Marlena.” She nodded her head. “When I release you, you’re going to ask the right question.” The right question. After his command, he moved to untie her wrists and legs. 

She laid on top of her bed, untied and panting. “Don’t keep me waiting, principessa.” A warning in his voice. Her lips parted, she swallowed. 

“How-how did you know our real names.” 
“Finally. The right fucking question.” His voice was more sexual than it was commanding. 
“You just made my dick hard.” He sat right next to her, but this time, he didn’t touch her. Still, she flinched. 

“Say those words again, Marlena. My dick wants to hear them again.” She only opened her lips a tiny bit, “How did you know our real names.” “Fuck,” he moaned. “That sounded so fucking hot. Now, make me harder, and tell me who you think sold you out. Come on. It’ll be fun.” 

She shivered when he touched her arm, but kept silence. “Nothing? Ohhhh... I really wanted you to guess. I guess I’ll just have to come out and say it. It was, that dumbass ex-husband of yours!”
Moving her eyes to his direction, she finally noticed he turned on the small lamp at her nightstand. She didn’t know where the courage came from. She hadn’t felt it when she woke up in the darkness or when he was hurting her. But it was raging inside her, and it stirred on her tongue before she could stop it. “You goddamn liar! Roman would never-.” 
His load chuckle burned her ears “You silly little girl. Not only did he tell me your names, but he also gave me your fucking address!.” 
“No!”
“Yes!”
Bouncing toward her, he grabbed her shoulders, staring into her eyes, “he bled so much when I cut him open, the poor bastard.”
“Wh-what did you do to him?!”
“Did you really think that I was that stupid, Marlena? Huh? I saw the way you two love birds were looking at each other at the restaurant. Unfortunately, I lost you before I could strike. Luckily, my good ‘ol Buddy, Roman, kept showing up in my radar. He was there, you see, wherever I went, he was there. What a lousy cup! So one night I arranged an ambush. Oh man, he had told me so much, Doc!”

Her eyes widen at the realization. He was telling the truth. 
“No,” she breathed out, a lump forming in her throat. 
“Yes,” Fernando hunched down to look at her face hidden behind her hair. “That’s what he did; he completely sold you out ” In a moment of madness, to save herself from whatever he had planned, she reached for his gun on his side holster. She fumbled to grip the cold, metal handle and pulled it out. Standing up. Though it was heavy, she was sure not to drop it, holding it with both hands. She lifted it high enough to aim at Fernando's head, as he stood upright with mute shock. 

“Where did you send John?” She said, clicking back the hammer while blinking rapidly to clear the fog in her watery eyes. He pointed a long finger at her, warning, “Put that down.”
“You didn't anticipate I'd grab it, did you?” Her voice was the wrong side of confident, but she was not confident. Not at all.
“You should have known better than to free my ties” His nostrils flared in the shadows. 

“Where the fuck did you send John?!” She screamed, tearing her throat to shreds. He didn’t say anything, so they watched each other for a moment, the atmosphere thick with tension.
“And where is Roman now?  What did you do with him?! Answer me!”
She was not sure who was the prey.
Inside, she felt it was her. She was scared. Fernando walked into the barrel of the gun, hunched down, and pressed it to his forehead.
“Do it,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “Or give me the gun, Marlena.” Her face crumpled with defeat and anxiety and she whimpered. She couldn’t actually shoot him. She was just trying to scare him. She didn’t really know where John and Roman were; she needed him alive. That prick.  

She didn't know what he wanted from John or where did he leave Roman after he was done torturing him. She held Fernando's black gaze. He was not at all afraid; he was a mercenary for most of his life, why would he?

She was, because she was certain he was going to abuse her for the next few days. John threatened his life but clearly, he wasn't there to stop him. 

“Go on, Principessa,” he said more relaxed this time. “Shoot me.” 
“If I don't, you're going to do terrible things to me.” He nodded, making the gun move in her grasp. “You're right. I am.” There was something playful in his voice; he liked it. He wrapped his fingers around the gun to hold it in place on his head. 
“Do it!” he yelled, making her squeak and jump in her skin. “Just know that if you do, John’s dead” he hissed, an evil grin spread on his chiseled face. 
“What are you talking about?” Her voice broke
“I have, you can call him, an associate. I’m giving him a call every two hours, just to let him know things are moving according to plan. He has a direct order to kill John if I’m not doing so. So, it’s your funeral” taking a step toward her, squeezing the gun even tighter to his forehead, folding her arms, “stop moving! You’re-you’re Bluffing”
“Try me. Fucking do it if you want to do it!” Exhaling shakily, she let go of the gun. 

He threw it over by the bedroom door. It landed with a heavy bump that made her flinch. He then grabbed her around her arms, imprisoning her with all his strength. 

She stiffened in his hold, panting heavily, trying to gather her wits. He didn’t do anything right away. He was just holding her in place, looking down at her. 

“I need to speak to John,” she said, lifting her eyes to his. Fernando quietly scanned her face, his expression unreadable. 
Or to her his expression was unreadable. She was so dizzy; it has been hours since the last time she ate or drank anything. “I need to talk to him. I-I need to ask him something!” She yelled in Fernando's face. 
It made her dizzier. “To do what?” he said. “To check on that loser ex-husband of yours?” She wanted to yell, but her gaze was foggy. 

“I want something from you then”. Give and take, was that what this was all about? She was afraid to ask, “you promised John not to hurt me” Her voice was low, almost childlike. 
“Ah, la mia bella, I’m not going to hurt you. It’s been 24 hours since my arrival” as if he was a guest at a hotel. “You have been through a lot. You need a shower.”
Her eyes bored a hole into his; she stared at him.
“And I want to watch you while you take it.”
“You are mad” she gasped
“So, I guess Mister Roman Brady would bleed to death on the side of the road.” 

She couldn’t agree, could she? She needed to save Roman! She nodded in a weak manner, as his hands drew down her hands, and he pulled her to him. “Perfecto.” 
She couldn’t stand it. His silence seemed to magnify his presence. 
“May I speak to John?” She said, wavering under that powerful stare of his. “Fernando” More silence. She tried to convince herself that she could see pity in Fernando's eyes as he studied her, but it was a lie her mind has played on her. 

 

This man didn’t pity her at all. “Fernando?” She snapped, balling her hands. He pulled her phone out of his jeans back pocket, dialed and passed it to her. 
With a shaky hand, she took it and put it to her ear. 
“Doc?” John's husky voice almost broke her. “Can you hear me—” 
“John,” She whispered, cutting him off, squeezing the phone in her grasp. “Oh my god, Marlena, are you okay?” He sounded worried. “Are you alright? Please do not tell me he hurt you?... because if that son of a-” 
“No. He... he's here.” She glanced up at Fernando, who was watching her intently, then she turned her back on him, holding the bedpost with one hand so she wouldn’t collapse . “John, its-its about Roman” 
“Baby, what about him?” 
“That’s how he knew our real names, our address, Roman revealed it all,” she said with hesitation, afraid that Fernando might take her phone.
“What?”
“He... he says he-he tortured him.” 
“Oh no, where is Roman now? Did he say?” Every word she said was like she was punched in the chest,
“No. John, you’ve got to find him.” 
“Doc, listen to me, don’t worry about Roman, I’m already on my way to find Stefano, but I’ll inform the police, and they are going to find him, don’t worry. But-“ he stopped realizing something that was hard to ignore, “how did you call me? Why would Fernando want to help Roman out? Why-“
She hasn’t said a word. 

Taking a deep breath, he spoke quietly; “Marlena... what did he ask you to do?...” she blinked into oblivion, swallowing past the lump in her throat. “Doc...Is he going to- to hurt you?” 

There was a long pause, before Fernando snatched her cell phone from her hand, finishing the call., “That is enough” she cupped her mouth in one hand. Her head was hurting. 
“You wanted to talk to him. You did. Now..”
His words echoed while her world narrowed. He got closer, leaving a small gap of air between their bodies. “How about that shower now, Principessa” it was not a question. 
John was right to worry. 
“No. No—please,” she squeezed out every word, clenching her fists so tight her fingers ached. “Look, I'm sorry if you had a bad life because of Stefano I'm sorry for... what he did to you. John will bring you what you asked for, I’m sure.. just please!” There was nothing but silence while he stared at her, a smile in his eyes.

 “Don’t try to shrink me. You asked for something. I agreed. There were terms. Now, be a good girl, and hold up your end part of the deal” 
“No...” The ability to breathe abandoned her. Marlena tried to hold back the tears, to beg for her life, but Fernando took her by her wrist. 

“No!” She screamed, attempting to free it out of his grasp but he pinned her to the wall with one arm over her chest. 

“Let me go!” She gripped his wrist with both hands, trying to pry him off but his body was too powerful. “I’m not finished talking to him!”
“You are.” He shoved her phone in his jeans back pocket. “You told him all about that little snitch.” “No. He-he was going to tell me something about the codes.” She was shaking out of control now, and Fernando was so close that she could smell the beer he drank while she was unconscious, that sweet-musky smell from his mouth. She wished he'd back up so she could think of a way to get him away from her. 
“Why didn't he tell me this in person?” 

​

Answer, she needed an answer. 

​

“He was going to tell me because he wanted to talk to me, not to you, you bastard.” 
“But, that doesn't make any sense, little girl.”
She shook her head to get rid of that vertigo.
“You just let me talk to him, and -” 
“We're not gonna keep going over this, Principessa,” his voice deepened with authority as he said that, determined to get off the subject.
“When I decided I wanted you, back there at the hotel-“
“You stay away from me! You should know better than to go against John. He warned you .. you-you can’t do this.” 
He shrugged. “Get used to it.” That was hard to digest. She couldn’t imagine letting him watch her taking a shower. 
“Fernando.. please...” she started to say.
“I will not go to the police, just… just let me go...” her mind was too chaotic. She didn’t even know what to say. 

“Don’t be scared, baby,” he whispered, cupping her face with his free hand. “I’m not gonna hurt you.” His sudden gentleness confused her for a second but she recovered fast.
“Liar,” she snapped like a child, and he stood back, releasing her from the control of his body. “You just admitted that you're going to do terrible things to me.” She couldn’t stop herself from thinking about what he said. 
Bending at the knees, he put them at eye level. “If you misbehave, then yes I will hurt you.” Her shoulders sank, shooting him a daggering glare. “What have I ever done to make you want to hurt me? What have I ever done to make you want to do this to me?” There was a moment of visual power exchange. She didn’t think he enjoyed that she just asked him that. 

​

He sighed, blinking at her, his temple ticking. “Back in Lugano, you played me for a fool, you knew I wanted you, you let me touch you, kiss you...you were the perfect slut, but then you disappeared. But now, it’s payday, baby” he said quietly, glancing between her eyes as if he was explaining something important to a small child. 
“But John said-“
“I know what that arrogant prick said, but there are other ways to hurt someone when you really want too, and… damn, I really want to, you know? Although, believe me, there’s nothing that I want more, than to bend you over that bed and fuck you senseless.”

​

He wouldn’t? Would he?

​

With one push and a grunt, he knocked her onto the bed, and she fell with a bounce. 
“It's shower time. Take off your dress.”
“No.”
“Do it” taking the black gun from his rear pocket, he flipped it sideways, pointing it to her head.
She flinched at the sight of it but didn’t move. It might have been a foolish way to go, but she didn't plan to go down without a fight. 

One big step brought him forward, he grabbed her wildly by her shoulders, and stood her up. Her hair tossed and covered her face, and she shifted when his warm fingers moved a stray hair away from her parted quivering lips. 

“You really are a Bonita little thing,” he whispered, his expression feral as he tipped his head. “I've never seen a woman as beautiful as you are.” He leaned down. 
“You need to let me go,” she said in a panic, trying to shove away from him because he was going to try and kiss her. He pushed her arms further up her back. She winced, squeezing her face in agony. Her arms felt like they were going to pop out of their sockets. 
“Stop fighting me,” he said, then his lips sealed over hers, catching her pleading, no! Everything went blank. She couldn’t see a thing, nor could she breathe. The air has caught in her throat. He hummed with pleasure, his lips crushing hers. She thought about biting his tongue as it probed at her mouth, but she didn’t. She just kept her lips together. 

“C'mon, Marlena,” he rasped. His breath smelled of alcohol. “Let that iron guard down.” 

​

Never!

​

She shook her head, trying to keep her lips shut but it was so hard, he was too strong, too demanding. 
“You'll let me kiss you.” His stabled covered face rubbed across hers as he put his mouth to her ear, breathing heavily, making her shiver with fear. “If you don't, I'll bend you over that bed and fuck you.” Fear belted through her, and her eyes flew open. They looked at each other for a split second. His face was dark with lust. His eyes almost looked black because his pupils were dilated. An evil smile spread across his face, drawing her into his darkness. 

Marlena gasped, horrified this was happening. She couldn’t help her panic. Fernando took the opportunity to invade her as she gasped. Tipping his head to the side, he dipped his tongue in her mouth, moaning with satisfaction. He tasted her in endless, leisurely licks. “You're sweet,” he said in her mouth, massaging his tongue over her. “Eso es Bueno. So, fucking, sweet.” 
“Fernando,” She squeezed out his name, but before she could say anything more, he closed his mouth completely over hers, making them airtight. He groaned with such passion. The sound vibrated through his chest. She whimpered into his mouth. 

“That's it,” he rasped out. 
Letting go of her arms, he held her around the waist in one arm and yanked her up, so her feet weren’t touching the floor, making her squeal in shock. He put them chest to chest. His was solid muscle, and her heart was pounding with anxiety. He kept his other hand in her hair at the back of her head, holding them mouth to mouth. 

​

Breaking the kiss he lowered her back to her feet, and watched as she moved her hand slowly against her lips, trying to eliminate his taste from her mouth. It only made him laugh. 

“I have waited too long, a deal is a deal, now come on, take off your dress, Marlena, or I will,” he said in a deceptive voice. He was staring at her ,It was almost too dark to see him, but she could. His tall, intimidating broad frame was blocking her way to the door. He stood there prepared for battle, with his legs slightly spread open. He thought she'd try to fight him, and he was right to assume that because she will. 

​

“Let me—ahhh!” Something sharp stabbed her in the arm, and a cold, dopey feeling rushed through her veins. Within seconds, her brain got fuzzy, and she fell into Fernando's arms, her legs buckling under her. 
“Wha... what have you done to me?” She said breathlessly, trying to grab his shoulder but her hands were all floppy. “Shhh. S'all right, Marlena,” he whispered in her ear as he held her, stroking her hair back out of her face. 

“Go on,” Fernando said, his heavy feet glued to the floor. Standing on her feet, she clutched the dresser with one hand. She tried to gain focus so she could fight him, but she was still dizzy from whatever he gave her. When he reached her, she weakly grabbed his wrists, but he twisted out of her grasp and pinned her hands at her sides, making her groan in a mixture of fear and anger. 

Placing her back onto the bed, she almost fell over; her limbs felt heavy. 
“Just relax,” he said, his breath warming her face, and she could feel his fingers tickling her cheek. “You must feel light headed.” He smirked.  

Resisting the urge to scream at him, she let her head roll to the side so she could move her hair from her face. “What did you give me?” She asked, staring into the darkness. “Just a little something to put you down so you couldn't resist,” he whispered. “But don’t worry, it'll wear off.” When his hands over her loosened, she slipped out of his grasp and slammed her fists into his chest, knocking him back a few steps. She was not at full strength, and her head was so cloudy that she couldn’t think straight. The last twenty-four hours were like looking into a black hole. She strived to focus her mind, desperate to figure out what was really happening, and what is the truth. She remembered talking to John. She remembered Roman was out there, bleeding to death. 

She stared at the floor, remembering Fernando couldn’t actually have sex with her, but that just made the whole thought process worse because she had no idea how he was planning on getting his kicks. 

She imagined an abuse was on the cards tonight. Men like Fernando enjoyed doing that. 
“John is going to kill you,” she said, striving to gather her courage, “he- he will get here, and you’ll be sorry for ever stepping a foot at our home” 

​

In silence, he gazed at her like he wanted to devour her soul, diminishing her courage. She crawled back across the bed on her elbows to put some more space between them, her heart roaring in her ears. “Well,” Fernando said finally, tilting his head, “John is not here now, does he.”  

Her entire body sank with anxiety. When her back touched the cold wooden headboard, she shut her eyes and hugged her legs.  Fernando was going to break her, little by little. “You're like a beautiful, wild lioness,” he raspier in the half-lighted room. She could hear his heavy breathing over the blood roaring in her ears, but nothing else. The room felt so quiet. The minutes creep by, and nothing happened. Eventually, she had to open her eyes to look at him standing there at the foot of the bed.

“You are not allowed to hurt me,” she warned, and she was stunned by how even her voice came out. 

“So I'm told.” His dark eyes checked her out from head to toe, and he was smiling to himself. It was like he was mentally taking her right there on that bed. She hated that. It was so personal. She wished she’d knew his plans. As she blinked away from Fernando, trying to center her thoughts on anything else but this, he rounded the bed. His eyes were on her the entire time. He was beside her now, the barrel of his gun leisurely trailed her forearm. 

“Now, take off your dress.”
Slowly in her half-drugged state, she unbuttoned her dress; his eyes fixated on her shaky fingers as she slowly opened the top one. She didn’t want to look at him, tried to keep her eyes on her lap.
“Yes. Keep going” His eyes were drawn down to her chest as she unbuttoned two more buttons, making it as slow as she could go. He took in the sight of the swell of her breasts, the tip of the barrel drifting from the side of her neck down to her cleavage. Shattering her.

Lacing his fingers with hers, he unbuttoned her remaining ones and pulled down the lacy cups of her bra to stroke his thumb over her nipples.

She did nothing but shiver, but then she stroked. 
“I'm not fucking doing this with you!” She yanked back. 

Leaning over her, he traced his fingers on her cheek, very slow, almost lovingly, just as he stopped, his hard fingers closed around her chin. Her stomach tightened from the skin to skin contact. She instinctively went for his wrists to stop him from touching her. He paused, “Are you gonna fight me?” he asked. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her face. She didn’t look at him. She just shook her head and sobbed. 
“Too bad.” 
“Go on then. I’m waiting ”

A beep vibrated in his jeans. 
Marlena jumped when the familiar sound broke the silence in the room. Trying to stand up, he was quicker and placed his gun to her shoulder, blocking her move. “Let’s see who it is, shall we?” Taking her cellphone out, he looked at it for a split second before raising his eyes to catch her wild ones. Tapping on the screen, he started the voice message:
 
“Marlena, me and the kids will be arriving soon. Don’t worry about supper; I brought us something from the pub. I’ll see you soon.”

​

“Caroline-“ she shrieked, putting her palm to her mouth. Her eyes widened with fear. 
“The kids. How lovely. I love kids” his evil gaze pierced her soul. 
“Don’t you dar-“ she raged
Quickly putting his finger to her lips, her eyes shut, “Shhhhh… principessa, it looks like we’ll have to postpone your shower. We need to get ready; we’ll have some company coming over soon”.