39. Kali

39

KALI

S uarez looms over me, filling the room with an air of menace. He wants to know about Matias—his weaknesses and vulnerabilities. But even as Matias began to show me a softer side, our interactions were predominantly physical. I know little about his past or his inner workings.

"Talk," he demands. "What are his weaknesses? What does he fear?"

I shuffle nervously, the chains binding me to the chair. "I... I don't know. He never really talked about himself."

His beady eyes narrow. "You expect me to believe that? You're his woman."

I flinch at the word. "Yes, but?—"

"But nothing. Tell me something useful, or this'll be painful for you." His hand brushes over an assortment of sharp tools laid out on the table, making my heart race.

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the fear that's building inside me. "I don't know anything! We barely talked. He just liked to use me for his pleasure."

A twisted smile spreads across Suarez's face. "Then perhaps I'll enjoy using you too."

He grabs one of the tools, and my eyes widen in horror.

"No, please—I don't know anything!"

"Then you'd better start praying for a miracle. Because I'll tear you apart piece by piece if you don't give me what I want."

The cold metal chair digs into my back as I squirm, trying in vain to loosen the tight chains binding my wrists. "I'm telling you the truth," I plead. "Matias and I... we don't have that kind of relationship. He never confided in me."

He seizes a handful of my hair. "I can see it in your eyes. You care for him, perhaps even love him."

The idea stuns me. Love Matias?

Is that what I feel for him? I hadn't given it much thought, but there's no denying our connection. Yes, our relationship was built on fear and domination, but slowly, he's shown me a different side of him. A side I could love.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the memories. Matias's calloused hands caressed my skin with unexpected gentleness. His dark eyes softened as he gazed at me, stripped bare in more ways than one. The way his body molded against mine, rough yet protective, as if shielding me from the harsh realities of our world.

A sharp sting across my cheek snaps me back to the present. Suarez struck me, his face twisted in rage. "Answer me! What are his weaknesses?"

I fight back the tears. "I don't know," I whisper, my voice cracking. "He never told me anything like that. I thought you already had a trap ready for him. So, why does it matter?"

Suarez ignores my question. "Useless." He grabs a wicked-looking blade from the table, running his thumb along the razor-sharp edge. "Maybe this will loosen your tongue."

As he advances on me, I can't help but think of Matias. Is he even looking for me? Or have I been foolish to believe there was anything real between us? My heart aches at the thought of never seeing him again, never experiencing that strange tenderness that made me feel...

The blade presses against my skin, biting into the tender flesh of my neck. I suck in a sharp breath, bracing myself for the pain to come.

I miss Matias. God help me, but I miss him with every fiber of my being. The blade digs deeper, and I let out an involuntary whimper...

A scream tears from my throat as the blade slices into my skin. The pain is blinding, all-consuming. I can feel warm blood trickling down my neck, soaking into the collar of my shirt.

"Please," I beg. "I've told you everything I know. I swear it."

But my captor is relentless. He presses the blade harder, his eyes alight with sadistic glee. "Not good enough. You're holding something back. I can feel it."

I shake my head frantically, tears streaming down my face. "No, no, I promise. Matias never?—"

The man backhands me across the face, the force of the blow snapping my head to the side. I taste blood, my vision swimming.

"Don't say a fucking word unless it's what I want to hear," he snarls.

My body trembles uncontrollably. I've never felt so helpless, so utterly alone. Is this how it ends for me? Tortured and broken, with no one coming to my rescue?

As if sensing my thoughts, Suraez leans in close, his breath hot and rancid against my ear. "He's not coming for you, you know. Matias. He doesn't care about you. You're just a plaything to him."

I want to argue, to scream that he's wrong, but the words stick in my throat. Deep down, I know there's a chance he's right. Matias is a predator who thrives on domination and control. Why would he risk his life to save me?

I may have fallen for him, but I don't know if he feels the same for me.

A cruel smile plays on his lips. "But don't worry. I'll take good care of you. You won't even remember his name when I'm done."

He raises the blade again, and I brace myself for the pain. A searing agony rips through my body as the blade tears into my flesh again and again. I scream until my throat is raw, the sound echoing off the damp, cold walls of my prison. My vision blurs, the edges darkening as unconsciousness threatens to pull me under.

Through the haze of pain, I hear Suarez swearing viciously. "Fuck! Stay awake, you useless puta!" He slaps my face, trying to force me back to alertness. But it's too late.

The blessed darkness is already sweeping over me, dragging me into its merciful embrace. I welcome it, eager to escape this nightmare, even for a little while.

As my eyes flutter closed, a sense of relief washes over me. The pain is fading, replaced by a numb, floating sensation. I know I should be afraid, terrified of what will happen when I wake up.

But right now, all I can feel is a twisted gratitude. Gratitude that, for a few precious moments, I don't have to feel the blade slicing into my skin. I don't have to look into those cruel, merciless eyes and wonder how much more I can endure.

I can simply drift away, letting the void take me. It's a small mercy, but I'll take what I can get in this hell.