Shadow of Desire

Grace's POV

My hysterical laughter echoes throughout the empty basement of the house where I'm being held captive. The sound bounces off the cold, bare walls, filling the space with a sharp contrast to the otherwise suffocating silence. I spit out the blood that's pooled in my mouth from the blow dealt by the thug tasked with "handling" me. For a few moments, the brute freezes, seemingly caught off guard by my reaction. His eyes narrow with confusion, but then, as if his pride has been wounded, he resumes his assault, this time with more force, his fists landing harder against my body.

Damn him to hell...

This hit is different. The force behind it knocks the wind out of me, and for a second, I struggle to catch my breath.

"Where is Elio Domenico hiding?!" the man roars, his voice filled with frustration and the weight of his orders, as if shouting could somehow extract the truth from me.

I gasp for air, inhaling deeply once the pain eases just enough for me to breathe again. My head falls back against the hard surface of the chair, my eyes still closed, my body instinctively seeking a moment of respite from the onslaught. My thoughts drift, just for a second. If Elio hadn't kidnapped me, I'd probably be lounging in my bed at home right now, savoring the simple pleasure of doing nothing. This entire nightmare wouldn’t have unfolded. But then again, I wouldn’t have met him—and that, in some strange way, would have been a tragedy.

Sure, our relationship wasn’t exactly a fairy tale. Far from it. But if these idiots think I’ll betray Elio, they’re even dumber than they look. The idea that I'd sell him out? Ridiculous.

"And what makes you think I know where Elio is?" I ask, finally lifting my head and locking eyes with the fool in front of me. My voice is laced with defiance, each word delivered with a deliberate edge.

The slap he delivers across my face is swift and vicious, jerking my head to the side. The metallic taste of blood returns as I bite down on my tongue from the impact. Pain flares, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of a wince.

"Don’t you dare lie to me. We’ve seen you together," he snarls, his voice dripping with fury.

I spit again, blood staining the floor. This time, I aim for his shoe—and I hit my mark. His irritation is palpable, his jaw tightening, fists trembling with barely-contained rage. I can't help but grin, feeling a dark sense of satisfaction. I’ve clearly gotten under his skin, and I know I’ve just earned myself a few more blows for free.

"Just because you’ve seen us together doesn’t mean he tells me everything," I say, my voice calm, as though discussing the weather. "It’s not my business, so why would I care where he keeps all his little secrets?"

His hands clench into fists, knuckles white, the muscles in his arms visibly straining. He’s barely holding himself back from snapping, from losing control entirely. I can see it, the way his body tenses with the urge to hurt me more.

"You’re going to regret this, you know," he hisses through gritted teeth, his words thick with venom. "You’ll regret not cooperating with us."

With that, he storms out, slamming the door behind him. The cold, musty air of the basement settles back into the silence.

Where the hell is Elio? What’s taking him so damn long to find me? My heart pounds, not from fear—no, that’s long been beaten out of me—but from frustration. How much longer am I supposed to endure this? How much longer until he comes?

The reality of my situation weighs down on me. The ropes digging into my wrists, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth, the cold air that seems to seep into my bones—it's all a grim reminder of the danger I’m in. But more than that, it's the uncertainty that gnaws at me. Elio’s a lot of things, but he’s not careless. He wouldn’t leave me here to rot... would he?

No. I refuse to believe that. If there's one thing I know about him, it's that he's always a few steps ahead. And if I’ve learned anything about the man, it’s that he always has a plan. But God, if he takes much longer, there might not be anything left of me to save.