Chapter Four

EVA

My head is a fog, my stomach churns, and I’m shivering. A very dull thumping of music drones in the background, clashing with the pounding behind my eyes. The room still swims and spins in unpredictable ways. I’m all kinds of out of it.

My teeth chatter as memories come crashing back to me.

I was taken.

Abducted.

Ivy torn away from me.

My eyes fling open, and El Diablo stares back at me, standing against the wall on the other side of some weird red room. I sit up in a hurry, scrambling back on the bed to get away from him. The red lighting makes me feel like I’m in some kind of dungeon, or worse, a brothel.

Oh God, is that where I’ve been taken? To be pimped out?

His hands come up in a placating manner, but it doesn’t soothe me.

I’m terrified. Sick.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in my room.”

He exhales loudly and takes a few steps closer.

I swallow to try to ease the nausea as I look around the medium-sized space. Between the dull lighting, my vision swimming, and the pounding of my head, it takes a little while for my sight to adjust. My heart hammers in my chest as I take it all in as quickly as I can. There are no windows, only dark walls. But there are two doors—two possible chances of escape.

The bed I’m sitting on is large, probably a king, and takes up most of the room. A long rectangular desk sits against the wall, then a large freestanding wooden closet fits perfectly nestled between two doors. The ornate patterns on the tattered closet doors make me feel like it could hold a multitude of secrets. On the wall next to the bed hangs a large television. It’s cozy, I suppose. I guess it has everything you need. I still don’t know why the hell I’m in his room .

“You’re American. Am I in America?”

He dips his chin. “Tampa.”

“Why here?”

“Does it matter?”

I gnaw on my bottom lip. “Where’s my sister? Is she here too?”

He storms toward me, my eyes opening wide at the anger etched on his face. He stops at the edge of the bed. “You ask too many questions. You’ve been captured. That’s all you need to know.”

I rise to my knees to point my finger directly into his chest, jabbing a few times. “You, sir, don’t answer enough.”

“You shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have done this.” He runs his hand through his thick head of hair and turns with a huff.

Panic washes through me. Does this mean he’ll… get rid of me ? I don’t want to be captive, but I’m not ready to die.

I edge closer to him. “Shouldn’t have done what?”

He turns back to me, his eyes widening when he sees I’ve moved nearer. Softening his stiff posture, he exhales. “I took you. I was supposed to deliver you to someone else, but I didn’t.”

“I… I don’t understand.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Neither do I.”

“My sister?” I beg, sitting up on my knees, desperation in my voice. “Please?”

“She’s gone.”

Fear cripples me, but somehow, I manage to jump from the bed right in front of him, my hands gripping the leather of his vest and shaking him. “What do you mean, gone? Where is she?”

He grabs my wrists, yanking my hands free. I gasp in shock as he throws me onto the bed. “Don’t you ever, ever touch my cut without permission.” He pants like he’s having trouble breathing as we glare at each other, my eyes locked on his.

I should be scared of him.

I should be quaking in my damn shoes.

But there’s something about this man that has my heart racing. And I’m not sure it’s entirely fear.

I sit up slowly, and he watches me, trying to gauge my next move. When I stand in front of him, his eyes don’t leave me for even a second. I place my hand gently over his chest, and he jerks in shock.

My pulse races so hard I feel like my veins might burst, but I swallow the lump in my throat regardless. “Por favor,” I whisper. “Tell me your name.”

His nostrils flare as he takes my hand more gently this time and removes it from his chest, but he doesn’t let go. Instead, he keeps our fingers connected, his thumb grazing gently over my skin.

“You’re an enigma, chiquita . ”

I can’t describe the feelings running through me.

I’m terrified.

But I’m calm.

I know I’ll find a way out of this.

Maybe I can appeal to him as a person. “ Please? ” I beg. “Tell me.”

His hand tightens on mine as he clenches his eyes shut, his face scrunching like he’s annoyed, but then he opens his eyes, and a light shines back at me, one spark in the black. He raises his other hand and gently slides a strand of hair behind my ear. I let him, lean into his touch because I’m scared, and I don’t have the willpower right now to stop him.

His eyes draw me in, trapping me in his intense stare. It’s haunting.

“Nycto,” he murmurs.

I tilt my head in confusion. “ No entiendo. ” I don’t understand.

“It’s my road name.”

Exhaling, I lick my bottom lip. I want to know the man, not some damn persona he portrays. “What’s your real name?” I ask gently.

The light dims from his eyes. I see the moment the wall goes back up. So close, but I lost him.

He drops his hand from mine and takes a step back.

“That’s not for you to know.”

Anger swarms through me. Dammit. I thought we were making progress.

“ Where is my sister?” I ask through gritted teeth.

He turns away from me, then walks over to his desk, putting distance between us. “She was sold. As were you.”

“What do you mean?” I whisper.

He faces me, his eyes not faltering as he looks into mine. “She’s gone, Eva. That’s all you need to know.”

Tears flood my eyes, but I blink them away as an overwhelming sense of heaviness weighs on my shoulders. I told her I would always protect her. My baby sister. Sure, she just turned twenty-one, but she’s still so young at heart. She doesn’t comprehend the world like I do. I had to grow up quickly when our parents died. I became the adult. Ivy doesn’t know how to survive, not on her own.

“Why me?”

“You’re not suitable for that life. You’re too… good. Too pure. I couldn’t stand watching you go to them.”

“Them? Who’s them? ”

Nycto runs his hands through his hair in frustration. “This is going nowhere. You’re staying here, in this room, until I tell you it’s safe to come out. Your sister is gone. Grieve. Scream. Deal the fuck with it however you need to, but get used to the fact. Your life is here now.”

What the hell does that mean?

With a frustrated yell, I push him hard in the chest. He takes a step back, and I take one forward, getting right up in his face. “ Tú hijo de puta .” You son of a bitch. “You think I can just let my sister go? She is everything to me. Everything . All I have left in the world.”

“Now, chiquita, I’m all you have left, so deal with it.”

He turns, heading for the door, and I follow, my feet stomping like lead weights. “Nycto.” He doesn’t stop. “Nycto, if you keep me here, I will make your life a living hell. This, I promise. Do you hear me?”

He turns back to face me. “I’m already in hell, sweetheart.”

With a flick of the handle, he opens the door. I rush forward, but he’s too quick. Nycto slams the door, keeping me inside his room. I slam my fists on it, banging as hard as I can. “You can’t keep me locked in here. You need to get my sister back. Please, I’ll do whatever you want if I get my sister. Please!” I scream, but it’s no use. I rip at the door handle, but it won’t budge. The bastardo has locked me inside.

With a sniffle, I turn and slide down the door. My eyes glisten as I take in my new prison. I don’t know where I would be right now if Nycto hadn’t kept me, but maybe I would have been with Ivy. Anywhere would have to be better than being locked in here. I don’t even know where here is. All I know is it’s a bedroom with no windows and a red light in somewhere called Tampa. I mean, who in their right mind lives like this?

I can’t sit around wallowing.

I have to fight.

Escape.

I need to do something.

So, I stand and go in search of something to break me out of this room.

I head to the desk first. One by one, I open the drawers, but there’s nothing in them except for some notebooks, pens, a pack of cigarettes, and a fucking line of condom foils. I grimace as I throw them back in the drawer, wishing I could disinfect my hands. After sliding the drawer closed, I notice the other door. My chest squeezes. Surely, it’s not another way out. Luck hasn’t been on my side today, so I doubt it’s going to be with me now, but there’s no harm in trying.

With quick steps, I make my way over to the door and turn the handle. It releases. I slowly nudge the door open an inch, cringing at the creak of the hinges. The room is dark, so I sweep my arm over the wall, searching for a light switch. I flick it on, and a dim but warm light fills the room. Better than the red, but I still have to squint to see.

What the hell is with the lighting in this place? Is this guy nocturnal or something?

As I take in the room, the basin hits me first. There’s a bowl—dark or black, I can’t be sure—with a copper faucet. I take in the tiles on the floor, black and white diamonds, leading to a spacious shower alcove. A black feature wall lines the space where brass fixtures are fitted for the faucets and showerhead, and a clear glass half-screen stands from the floor to the ceiling. This place is strange. Spend too long in here and I may never readjust to seeing sunlight.

I had no idea what was behind this door, but, of course, a bathroom makes sense. This room is something Ivy would love—the masculine industrial look.

I move to the edge of the basin and stare into the mirror. I’m a mess. My hair is knotted. There are mascara lines down my cheeks and blotches in places they shouldn’t be. Why Nycto chose me over Ivy astounds me.

A few tears run down my face as I think of my sister and what she may be going through.

She must be so scared. I wish I were with her.

I want to be there to help her through whatever hell she’s in right now.

All I know is, when I get out of here—and I will get out of here—I’m going to do everything in my power to find her.

Hold on, Ivy. Hold on. I’m coming.