Chapter 34

Iris' Pov

I glare daggers at her, jaw tensed in pure hatred as I sit soaking wet on the uncomfortable metal chair, a pain in my neck and my ass sore from sitting in the same spot for such a long time. Not to mention rope tied to tight cuts into my skin.

Lila cackles cynically a hose in hand, droplets of water dripping from the nozzle which had previously blasted me with icy cold water.

"Oh, don't be such a fucking baby. It's just a little water." She teases, dropping the hose on to the ground.

I roll my eyes sarcasm dripping from my tone. "Yes because little water translates to hose blasting full force of water."

"Stop whining, I did you a fucking favor. It was hot as the Sahara desert down here, you looked as if you could use a quick hosing off. " She shrugs.

Rolling my eyes once again, I sigh heavily feeling as my shirt clings to my soaked body, hair as well.

I have to be honest though despite the whole dripping wet situation she was right it had cooled me down significantly.

"Well, now that you're awake we can get started." She grins broadly, sauntering over to the rusty table which daunts many glittering torture devices.

Shit.

"Would you like to pick what we get started with?" She questions, her hands hovering over the silver handles.

"Sure, I'd love it if you could let me go!" I growl, with a feral sneer, struggling even more against my binds.

She taps her chin with her ruby red manicured pointer finger. "How about.....no."

"Wonderful." I deadpan, my lips pursed.

She glances at me over her shoulder, cracking a sinister smirk. "So much to do but what to choose. Hmmm, perhaps I could cut lengthy slits into that precious skin of yours or maybe crack a few of those fingers with this hammer here." She picks the hammer up, turning it around in her hand with an inspecting eye.

I swallow hard, biting my tongue as I listen to her rave on like a fucking lunatic.

"Or better yet." She murmurs getting s weird look in her eyes. She strolls leisurely towards me, all the while a crawling sadistic look on her face, her vivid green eyes wild with madness. "We can take it slow."

"Wha-?"My question ends in my throat as a plastic bag covers my head, drawn tight against my face so that my face is pressed against the plastic.

Thrashing against the bag which is pulled against my face harshly, I shake my head from side to side trying yet failing miserably to free myself. I can't breathe, I try to suck in nonexistent oxygen.

" Shhh. " Lila hushes, applying even more force.

I can feel my lungs burn for the need of oxygen, tears starting to fill my eyes.

I'm going to die.

Lila pulls the bag off my head and I gasp erratically, sucking in every gulp of fresh air that I can. Filling my lungs up as much as possible as I tremble.

Lila outstretches her finger, her polished nail running across my cheek, an action which makes me shrink away. Lila clicks her tongue making a sort of humming sound.

"You know I always envied everything you had," Lila confesses, resting her hands on my shoulders as she pushes a lock of my hair away from my face. "I wanted to be Iris Harding, the prim and proper beauty who had the body, the brains, the money, the boys, the family.....everything you had yet never seemed to care for very much. "

I'm on the verge of sobbing. "Lila-" I try to reason.

Again I'm cut off by the bag encompassing my head. Dammit!

Lila pulls it off again after what she felt was adequate tortuous minutes which for me were hell, hissing loudly. "Shut up, if wanted you to say something I'd have asked you to."

I close my mouth, silencing the whimpers which threaten to fly from my lips. fresh tears streaking my face, my shoulders shake as I sob though I try my best to control my sobs as I don't want to anger her further.

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted, your life was this sweet paradise while mine was just falling apart at the seams." She continues, twirling a strand of my hair around her finger as she reminisces. "My dad was a drunken asshole who'd beat the crap out of my sister and I. My mother was always sick, my house hardly had a roof, food barely on the table. I was flunking classes, I was getting bullied by pieces of shits and what were your problems? You couldn't decide what the hell you wanted for Christmas. Boo boo, right?"

So her motive is jealousy?

"I despised it, I despised you but you know what I let it go for a while until you stole my man, not once but twice." She growls, digging her nails into my shoulder and I whimper in pain.

What?

"Do you remember prom?" I hesitantly nod and she continues with a humorless chuckle. "My boyfriend broke up with me, Jason, the star quarterback. He gave up on us because of you!"

"He wanted you, Iris, all the guys in the school did. They would bend over backward just to receive a smile in the hallway from you." She seethes, her voice raising an octave higher.

"And you, you were and you still are just a selfish oblivious fool." She sighs sadly, her hands leaving my shoulders. "Do you want to know what broke the camel's back? Why I simply just had to take revenge?" She slams her hand down on the table.

I say nothing, my eyes trained on the dirty concrete floor and her designer nude heels as I swallow, fucking terrified.

My head is snapped back forcefully as Lila buries her hands in my hair, her talons digging into my scalp. "I asked you a question, fucking naive bitch."

I squeeze my eyes tightly, fresh tears wetting my cheeks. "Yes."

"Tsk, you're such a weak ass bitch." Lila tsks, releasing her death grip on my hair before coming down to eye level with me. "Luca, it was Luca."

"W-what? " I hiccup, tasting my salty tears.

A grin tugs at her lips and she allows it, a look of pride on her face. Clasping her hands behind her back, she straightens herself up and strolls in front of me.

"Luca Donario, He is my soulmate, he and I are meant to be." She sighs, head tilted to the side as she daydreams. "He's such a man."

"Before you, he and I, we shared a bed together. We shared a night, a wonderful fabulous night together, one that I will never ever forget. "

I laugh a bitter, humorless laugh through my tears. "Please Lila, spare me your bullshit." I spit at her, hating that I had no choice but to listen to her talk nothing but lies.

She snorts and turns to me. "You can't really call bullshit when you barely know the man."

"And let me guess you do? " I hisses, narrowing my wet eyes into slits at her.

"I do. What you know about him is only what little he tells you. " She chuckles an action which angers me to no end. "I mean you didn't even know he had a sister or even a brother. Your marriage is built on deception, Ri, a business contract brought you together while fate brought Luca and I together."

"You are delusional." I shake my head in disbelief, sitting back I try not to listen to the she-devil who stands before me.

"Am I, Iris? " She questions, her tone one of triumph. She's calm and cool and has an easy smile on her face. "You didn't know he could code, you don't know his affiliation with the police, you don't even know he's a part of the mafia. You don't know anything about Luca Donario and you never will."

"Shut up! " I yell annoyed with all her lies. "You are a crazy psychotic liar who needs serious help. I am done listening to you spit all your bullshit lies. He would have never ever sleep with you and he never has."

"Please, honey I can assure you he did. I know all about his expert skills in the bedroom, you're not special." She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You know you really aren't very smart, he gives you these vague ass answers to what his family business is, he has the word omertá literally tattooed on him, his family one of the wealthiest in America and not once do you feel the need to investigate the man you were binding your life to. All you had to do was fucking research."

I keep quiet, eyes looking off to the side. Shit, She has a point.

"Naive little bitch. I bet you thought he really loved you too." She grips my chin with her hand, a delighted smile on her lips. "He never loved you, Iris. Contrary to your belief he tells all the girls that to keep them happy. What good would it be to have his own wife trying to take him down when he's in the middle of getting one of the biggest opportunities in the business world?"

I almost believe her, almost.

She pushes my hair behind my ear, assuming a sorrowful expression. "You poor dumb girl. Why would you ever think Luca Donario would fall for such a bland broad like yourself?"

"Wow, bravo. I'd clap but.." I whistle, looking down at my confines. "That was impressive. Did you think I'd actually fall for that?"

"Suit yourself, Harding." She shakes her head with a scoff.

My own taunting smile slips on to my face. "After hearing you spill your guts I have to say, you truly are a sick deranged bitch who deserves nothing more than to rot in the pit of hell. You need some serious psychiatric help, sister." I sucked my teeth. "And if there is even a sliver of a chance that maybe you two did sleep together, I know that it must have been in a cold, dark and dingy hotel room on a rickety ass bed cause you are a nobody who doesn't deserve the finer things in life."

Lila clenches her jaw so hard I thought her jaw would shatter, her face turns an ugly shade of red and her green eyes blazes like an eternal fire. If looks could kill I would have been ten foot under by now.

But damn I was satisfied with what I'd said and I didn't regret it one little bit.

"Is that so?" She swallows and inquires, her fists balled by her sides in anger. She's about to hit me, I know this but before she can, her pager sounds.

Humming, I sit back prideful of my small triumphant.

"Smile and revel in your 'victory' now, Iris because very soon it'll be the last time you do." She growls, nostrils flaring.

Lila gives me one last menacing look, her green eyes burning themselves into my mind before she saunters out of the room, heels clicking angrily on the concrete floor.

I'm awake and alone, left to only my thoughts and the surrounding darkness. I slump down, shoulders sagging in exhaustion.

My heart is pained as I think of how my once true friend had completely played me for a fool and has locked me in a basement.

I also think of Luca and how I miss the sanctuary of his arms before I know it I'm sobbing uncontrollably in the dark. I cry until my tears cease to fall leaving me feeling utterly drained and parched.

Instead of sitting there feeling sorry for myself any longer, my eyes scan the room looking for any other possible ways of escape besides the apparent doorway.

Unfortunately, there is none.

How the hell do I get out of these?

My weary eyes land on the table which was not too far off, a knife lays on the edge not too far away. I can use it to cut my binds.

Glancing at the doorway I look for any sign of life however thankfully none is found, remembering what I saw in a movie once, I rock the chair from side to side careful as not to make a too violent motion which will send me toppling.

As I near the table, the knife is just a bit out of reach. Shuffling closer I almost got, my fingers brushing the jangle when the chair is suddenly pulled back by what seems to be a chain, sending me catapulting to the ground.

My head slams hard against the concrete and I groan loudly, my eyes becoming disoriented as my head throbs wickedly.

My head lulls to the side again and I fight hard, really really hard to keep my eyes open but to no avail, I can't.

Not again, I mutter mentally as my bison swirls before blackening and I descend into the darkness.

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