41. Camila

41

Istep out of the taxi, my heart pounding as I see Columbia University's campus. The weight of my decision to flee the Barone brothers presses down on me, but I know I've got no choice. I need to find Sergio to warn him about the danger we're both in.

I make my way through the bustling crowds of students, my eyes darting around as I search for my brother. The fear of being tracked by the Barone brothers is ever-present, and I resist the urge to check my phone. I switched it off before getting into the taxi, knowing they might be able to use it to find me.

I navigate the bustling campus, my heart racing as I search for any sign of Sergio. The unfamiliar surroundings and the constant fear of being found by the Barone brothers only add to my anxiety. I've got no idea where to start looking for my brother, but I know I can't give up.

Determined to find help, I make my way to the main building. The impressive structure looms before me, and I take a deep breath before pushing through the heavy doors. The lobby is filled with students and staff going about their day. I approach the information desk, where a friendly-looking secretary greets me with a smile.

"Excuse me," I say, my voice trembling slightly. "I'm looking for my brother, Sergio Aguilar. It's an emergency, and I really need to find him."

The secretary's expression turns sympathetic. "Of course, let me check our records." She types something into her computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard. After a moment, she looks up at me. "Sergio Aguilar, right? It looks like he's staying in Hartley Hall, room 305."

Relief washes over me, and I feel a glimmer of hope. "Thank you so much," I say, my voice filled with gratitude. "Could you please tell me how to get there?"

She gives me detailed directions to Hartley Hall, and I listen intently, committing every word to memory. I thank her again before hurrying out of the building, my heart pounding with renewed determination.

As I make my way across campus, following the secretary's instructions, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched. I glance over my shoulder, half-expecting to see Elio or Renzo lurking in the shadows. But there's no one there, so I try to push the paranoid thoughts from my mind.

I finally reach Hartley Hall, my heart racing as I climb the stairs to the third floor. The hallway stretches before me, and I count the room numbers until I find 305. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves and knock on the door.

There's a moment of silence, followed by rustling and muffled voices from inside the room. My heart leaps into my throat as the door swings open, revealing a disheveled Sergio. His eyes widen in shock as he takes in the sight of me standing before him.

"Camila?" he asks, his voice a mixture of surprise and confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Before I can answer, my gaze is drawn to the figure behind him. A half-naked guy, his toned chest glistening with sweat, stands in the middle of the room. He looks as surprised to see me as Sergio does.

"I... I needed to talk to you," I stammer, tearing my eyes away from the stranger and focusing on my brother. "It's important."

Sergio's brow furrows, and he glances back at the guy in his room. "Can it wait? I'm kind of in the middle of something."

I shake my head, the urgency of the situation hitting me like a wave. "No, it can't wait. It's about our family, about the danger we're in."

Sergio's expression shifts, and he steps aside, allowing me to enter the room. The half-naked guy quickly grabs a shirt, pulling it over his head, shooting me a curious look.

"Camila, this is Jake," Sergio says, gesturing to the guy. "Jake, this is my sister, Camila."

Jake nods in greeting. "I'll see you later, okay?" he says.

Sergio nods. I'd always suspected that Sergio was into guys, but he'd never told any of us. Father wouldn't approve, so I guess that's why he's hiding it.

Jake walks out, leaving me alone with my brother.

"Sergio, we need to talk about the Barone brothers, about what they've been doing to me. We're not safe and need to figure out a way to protect ourselves."

Sergio's eyes widen, and he takes a step toward me. "What are you talking about, Camila? What have they done to you?"

I take a deep breath, preparing myself to tell him everything. The secrets, the lies, the twisted games the Barone brothers have been playing with me. I know it won't be easy, but I also know that Sergio is the only one who can help me now.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves as I face my brother. "Sergio, the Barone brothers... they've been holding me captive. They kidnapped me, threatened me." I leave out the fact that I willingly fucked them both at the same time and sucked their friend's cock.

Sergio's eyes widen in shock, his face paling as he processes my words. "What? Camila, what the hell are you talking about?"

I close my eyes, the memories of my time with Elio, Renzo and Dante flooding back. The fear, the pain, the twisted pleasure. I can't bring myself to tell Sergio the explicit details, the shame and guilt weighing heavily on my heart.

"They used me, Sergio," I whisper, my voice trembling. "They manipulated me, played sick games with me. I couldn't escape, couldn't fight back. They had me trapped."

Sergio's hands ball into fists, his jaw clenching with barely contained rage. "Those bastards!" he growls, his voice low and dangerous. "We have to call Dad, Camila. He needs to know what they did to you."

I shake my head, panic rising at the thought of involving our father. "No, Sergio, we can't. You know how Dad is. He won't help us. He'll just use this as an excuse to start a war with the Barone family, and we'll be caught in the middle."

Sergio runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face. "Then what do we do? We can't just let them get away with this!"

"We need to get back to Mexico," I say, my voice firm despite the fear coursing through my veins. "We have to leave before they come after us, before they realize I'm gone. Once we're safe, we can figure out our next move."

Sergio hesitates, his eyes searching mine. I can see the conflict within them, the desire for revenge warring with the need to protect me. Finally, he nods, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "You're right," he admits, his voice heavy with resignation. "Dad wouldn't take our call anyway. We've got to do this on our own."

Relief washes over me, and I hug my brother tightly. "Thank you," I whisper. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Sergio holds me close, his arms providing the comforting warmth I've been missing for so long. "We'll get through this together," he promises, his voice fierce with determination. I won't let them hurt you again."

I watch Sergio grab his laptop, his fingers flying over the keys as he searches for flights back to Mexico. My heart races with a mixture of fear and anticipation, knowing that we're about to leave behind the nightmare I've been living for the past few weeks.

"There's a flight to Puerto Vallarta tomorrow morning," Sergio says, his brow furrowed in concentration. "It's not as soon as I'd like, but it's the best we can do on such short notice."

I nod my throat tight with emotion. "Book it," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Sergio nods, his expression grim as he enters his payment information. The seconds seem to stretch into hours as we wait for the confirmation, both of us holding our breath in anticipation.

Finally, the screen changes and Sergio lets out a sigh of relief. "It's done," he says, turning to me with a small smile. "We're going home."

Tears well up in my eyes, and I can't help but let out a choked sob. The thought of returning to Mexico, to the safety of our family's estate, is almost too much to bear. I've been through so much and endured so much at the hands of the Barone brothers that the idea of escape seems like a distant dream. And a part of me is crying because I'm grieving the loss of them. Perhaps this is what Stockholm Syndrome feels like.

Sergio pulls me into a tight hug, his arms providing a comforting warmth I've been craving for so long. "It's going to be okay," he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. "We'll get through this together, I promise."

I cling to him, my tears soaking into his shirt as I let out all the fear I've been holding inside. For the first time in weeks, I feel a glimmer of hope, a chance at a future free from the twisted games of the Barone brothers.

But even as we hold each other, I can't shake the feeling that our escape won't be as easy as we hope. The Barone brothers are powerful, ruthless men who won't let go of their prey so easily. I know that we'll have to be careful, that we'll have to watch our backs every step of the way.

But for now, in this moment, I allow myself to feel a sense of relief. We're going home, and no matter what happens next, I know that I have my brother by my side, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.