Chapter 2 The Casanova

• “Holy shit!” he exclaimed when he saw the injury on her face.
• “What?” the man at the door, Logan, asked.
• “Man, you shouldn't have hit her.”
• He rolled his eyes. “Yeah. I’ll clean her up.” He said sarcastically, approaching the cot.
• “Ha! Your favorite job. Casanova,” Kirk laughed. He slapped Logan’s shoulder when he got closer.
• “She’ll just drown you in the bath.” Said the fifth man, Smith, who had just emerged into the hallway from a room on the opposite side of the room housing Nina, adjusting his belt. He had gone to use the restroom. He also made his way into the room, towards the cot, to see the injury.
• They all burst into laughter.
• The three men loomed over her; their leering eyes peeling her skin. Her heart pulsated, but she remained calm.
• God, please, not three men!
• Logan placed his left foot on the cot and leaned on it. Then, reached out and held her jaw to tilt her head towards them so they could have a better view, but Nina resisted.
• Instantly, his grip tightened, almost squashing her jaw, the black leather glove he wore, harsh on her skin, dragging her face towards them forcefully, and ignoring the tears all over her face.
• Nina shut her eyes; she didn’t want to look at them.
• They all got a better view. A deep bruise and streak of dried blood. “It’s really not good. One day, Logan,” Smith said, starting towards the door, hand still on his belt, “You’ll kill a victim before we even get a chance to capture them.”
• Kirk laughed, still standing beside Logan.
• Logan’s grip loosened a bit as his index finger rubbed roughly against Nina’s lower lip, twisting her mouth open.
• “You should have been a good girl,” he whispered. “Now boss is gonna frown at this.”
• “He sure will,” Kirk concurred, matching Logan’s tone. Then, he lowered his voice further. “Go easy on her. Boss hasn’t said what to do with her yet. Might be special to him considering…” he deliberately didn’t complete the sentence. He just nudged Logan with his shoulder and slowly started for the door.
• Logan was not interested in whatever Kirk was saying. He was focused on what he was doing.
• He released her jaw and dragged his finger in a slow zigzag movement down to her throat, to her chest. “If you be a good girl, I’m gonna make it less painful.” His voice was dangerously low, sending ripples of fear through her. She allowed rage to build instead.
• “After you, Cas” Kirk said to Logan just before he slipped out.
• Nina gasped at that. No, they just can’t seriously take turns on me.
• Her pajamas had already lost the first two buttons, leaving her torso half-exposed.
• Logan slid his hand under the lapel of her shirt that barely concealed her left boob and fondled it roughly.
• Nina’s eyes flung open with a deadly glare. She opened her mouth to yell.
• “Shhhh...” he shushed her, placing his other hand over her lips, while the other remained busy.
• She had the urge to bite his fingers on her lips, but the fear of receiving another punch from the monster above her chilled her.
• Nina fumed; her chest heaved. She felt helpless. Her hands were bound. She was exhausted. But still she dragged both hands up to knock off Logan’s hand from her chest, but he was very fast. He caught her both hands in one swift move. “No, doll, this is no way to be good.” He squeezed her bound wrists so hard that it hurt so much. “You better not mess with me.”
• Nina squeaked in pain.
• “Logan,” Bryan called from the living room. “Give her a break, will you?” He had resumed playing cards with Kirk.
• Logan ignored that and slid his hand back under her clothes, resuming his business. “Don’t worry, doll, we will have more time to spend together and get to know ourselves better.” Nina clenched her jaw in disgust; her stomach turned.
• He saw it.
• He pinched her tit hard as a warning; she groaned amidst her tightened jaw.
• “Logan!” Bryan’s voice was commanding this time. More like a final warning.
• He rolled his eyes. Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand and smirked.
• Nina continued to glare into his eyes through the mask he wore. Bastard!
• He slowly retreated towards the door, still holding her glare with a smug face. Then, he turned dramatically at the door, “See you around, doll.”
• He shut the steel door, locked it, and joined the others.
• Nina could hear them still saying something about her and laughing. Oh God! How did she get here? From losing her world, to the excruciating pain she felt on her cheek, to being molested. Now she is an object of caricature. A soon-to-be sex toy. Why did her world flip so briskly? Without a warning.
• She thought as tears continued to pour. Hot. Her body shook as she let herself weep. Why would someone murder her family in cold blood? What did they want with her? They could have killed her, too. Although her father belonged to a syndicate, he wasn’t ruthless, at least. It was more of a family legacy that he didn’t entirely desire.
• Then, in a flash, she remembered her uncle, Horace, her father’s only and younger sibling. They ran the family business together, but her father was superior. Unlike her father, he was a kingpin under her father’s umbrella in the syndicate, always eager to represent the family in consortia, urging her father to spend more time with his family.
• He was an advocate of power and handled the dirty business for the family. He loved to be feared and to intimidate. But other syndicate bosses would rather work with her father because of his integrity.
• Horace actually made power moves. He could find anybody anywhere in Chicago and the surrounding area. He almost had the whole city in the palm of his hand.
• I’m sure that if he realizes that I’m missing, which won’t take long to happen, he will surely find me. She wiped her tears, feeling a splinter of hope in her heart. Oh, Uncle Horace, please hurry.
• Nina was awakened by the sound of slamming car doors outside the cabin. She sat up and looked around for any possible opening through which she could peep, but none. She waited. She was still bound and hurting.
• A key turned in the keyhole, and the steel door opened wide. A familiar figure stepped inside, imposingly, with men behind him.
• “Uncle Horace,” her voice sounded, faintly. Her eyes, wide with delight.