Aiden.

I'm dying.

I can smell the brine of saltwater near, but it's overpowered by the moldy pungent scent that seeps in through the small barred hole that's on the metal door.

That's all I know of my location.

I've been in a dark and damp concrete basement, chained like an animal for weeks. The thick chains are heavy against my blood-soaked skin. The iron shackles their restraining me in have dug so deep into my skin from my attempts at escape that if I were to somehow survive I'll be scarred for life.

I don't know the men who took me, I know the Matarazzo's are dead, so I know it isn't them. Who else did I piss off? Fuck.

I hope Ricky and Howard followed my orders perfectly, if anything were to ever happen to me, they were to take Emilia and Ashley to the safe house and keep them under lock and key for a while.

I can't imagine how they feel right now, I knew if anything like this ever happened, I would be a dead man. I didn't want Emma chasing a ghost, I wanted her to think I was dead and buried since it won't be long until I will be gone.

I can't fathom what it was like for her attending my funeral.

The metal door creaks open, breaking my daydreams and letting a sliver of artificial light come through.

A man walks in, carrying a bowl of food. He slides it across the concrete. "Eat." He orders me, like I'm a dog. Few words have been spoken since I've arrived.

"Fuck you." I respond, kicking away the bowl with the short mobility I have with the shackles around my ankles. I will not eat off the floor.

Why don't they just kill me? Why hold me here and give me no explanation? No one has come to talk to me, threaten me, anything. It's almost like they're waiting for something. But man have they tortured me.

What kind of man will beat another man while he's chained up and defenseless? I fucking hate having no control. I scream at them, spit, they keep torturing me without telling me why.

I wish they would kill me and get it over with, what's the wait?

I'm not afraid of death, but I've done everything in my power to escape. If I could just get back to Emilia, we could run away. But while I'm locked away, she's safe. That's all I can ask for.

They've gotten smarter. Before I was only in handcuffs, now I'm chained to the ground in shackles. After killing two of their guards with my bare hands after I easily got out of their restraints, they decided this was how to hold me in. It's working.

The only solace I find is that I know Ash and Ricky are safe with my Emilia. I can die knowing I protected them.

I've never worried about another human other than myself until she danced into my life.

From the moment I saw her she completely captivated my attention and heart. I've always told her she was mine. Even in my death, she will always be mine.

I wish I were good enough for heaven because we all know that's where she will be many, many years from now after she has a long full life.

After she moves on.

Meets another man. Fuck.

Has his children. Oh, God.

Forgets me.

My end is coming.

I hope Emilia Achelois Banks knows how much I adore her.

♠️