Chapter Three

Anya's POV

A sound to my left startled me and my eyes widened. I realized I was deep inside the woods. Fuck. I did not even recognize where I was going. I tried to find my way back but it was all pointless.

I kept my eyes straight that I did not see the slope in front of me. I slipped and fell.

Pain exploded through my body as I tumbled down. The world spun around me, nothing but dirt, rocks, and chaos. My arms flailed, grasping at empty air.

Branches scraped my skin, tearing through my clothes. My back slammed against something hard, a rock, a tree, I didn’t know.

I kept rolling, my body bouncing against the ground like a ragdoll and my ribs felt like they were being crushed. I tried to stop myself, to grab onto something — anything, until I hit the ground, hard.

The air rushed from my lungs, and for a long, terrible moment, I couldn’t breathe.

My whole body throbbed, pain pulsing through every inch of me. My head swam, dizziness making it hard to focus.

I swore underneath my breath when I felt a sharp, stinging sensation burning through my leg. I forced myself to move, biting back a groan as I lifted my head.

My jeans were torn, and blood seeped from a deep gash along my shin. The sight of it sent a wave of nausea rolling through me.

I swallowed hard, forcing down the panic rising in my chest.

With shaking hands, I tore a strip from my ruined shirt and wrapped it tightly around the wound. The pain was unbearable, but I clenched my jaw and tied the shirt as best as I could.

I picked myself up and continued walking despite the pain. I don't know how long I kept on walking, my wristwatch was broken and I lost my phone during the fall.

I came to an abrupt stop when a mighty force pushed me down. I looked up and saw a bloodied man looking at me with panicked eyes. My legs were wobbly when I stood up.

“Who are you?” I muttered.

His response was to shove a bloody parcel in my hands and he took off. I stared at the parcel in confusion and was contemplating what to do with it when I looked up and saw three guys pointing their guns at me.

My eyes widened in fear when the middle guy shot the guy who was running away. I started moving back slowly but paused when I felt a sharp searing pain at the back of my head.

My knees buckled and I tried to keep my eyes open but I was failing badly. I heard voices around me but I couldn’t point out what they were saying, I tried to remain awake but darkness pulled me in.

**************

I woke up to the incessant banging at the back of my head. My head hurts so much. I opened my eyes and everywhere was spinning.

I stayed in my position until my vision cleared. I looked around me and saw the three guys from before.

“Matteo, she is awake.” The tall, cute looking guy said.

“Welcome back, sleeping beauty.” The guy called Matteo said.

I realized he was the one who shot that bloodied man.

I stared at this big burly guy in front of me. He had a hollow jaw, pointed chin, a long nose and his lips was set in a hard line.

This man was beautiful. I tried to move my body and I realized I was tied and my mouth was taped.

“Who are you?” I asked even though they couldn’t hear me.

Matteo motioned to the tall guy to remove the tape from my mouth. He walked closer to me and removed the tape from my mouth aggressively. I winced and glared at him.

“Who are you guys and what am I doing here?” I seethed. I looked at their dark clothing and it was then it dawned on me that I have been kidnapped.

This was too much for me to bear. I can’t take so much in one day. First, I was to be sold to Vincenzo, then Zoya and Alek’s betrayal and now this.

This was too much. The universe is really against me.

“The question should be, who are you working for?” Matteo asked.

I stared at him like he’s grown two heads. What nonsense is he is saying now?

“Why did you steal it?” He asked again.

“Steal what?” Now I was confused.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what we are talking about.”

“Hey! Why would I want to pretend about something I obviously know nothing about?” I asked angrily.

“The parcel was right in your hands, so you must have known that guy.” He said.

“What are you talking about? I did not know that guy.” I insisted.

“Then what were you doing in the woods?”

“I lost my way.” I said.

“You expect me to believe that?” He smirked.

“Yes, because that is the truth.”

“Take her away.” He ended the conversation just like that

The two guys came forward and untied me and led me away. I looked around for possible means of escape when Matteo’s voice stopped me.

“Hey, if you don’t want to die right now, follow them quietly.”

I gulped fearfully and allowed myself to be dragged. I was taken to a small room and the asshole who brought me here pushed me to the floor and slammed the door.

I winced at the pain I felt in my legs. It was hurting so much, I massaged my legs to ease the pain.

This is my shitty life.

I suddenly thought of Erik and I remembered I lost the phone during the fall.

If this people kill me now, Erik would be left all alone. I can’t leave him all by himself in the hands of my uncle and aunt. That was too dangerous.

The thought of not seeing him again broke my heart. I had to find a way to get out of here alive. I looked around and noticed that this room had only one small window but it was big enough for me to pass through.

I was so small so I knew I could fit through the window. I looked around for something I could climb and found a stool. I brought it closer and climbed it. My legs were hurting but I ignored the pain.

I tried to fit myself through the window, it was hard but I succeeded. There were trees everywhere. I looked down and saw the guys who kidnapped me but they were with another guy.

I couldn’t see his face. I calculated the distance from the window and the nearest tree, it wasn't that far.

With all my strength, I jumped and caught the attention of the guys below.

Damn! They can’t catch me now.

I jumped from trees to trees. I heard shouts from the guys below buy I did not concentrate on them. I kept on jumping until I slipped and fell on my bad leg. I looked back and saw them closing in on me.

With great difficulty, I picked myself and continued running. I ran with everything in me and the next thing I heard was a gunshot. I gasped and came to a stop.

Everywhere was spinning. I gasped and gasped for air. Memories from the past came crashing on me. I held my head in pain, I couldn’t breathe. I felt someone holding me but I couldn’t look up.

“Hey, calm down.” He told me but I couldn’t. I kept on hearing the sounds of gunshots.

“Breathe in, breathe out.”

I concentrated on his voice and he kept on repeating “Breathe in, breathe out.” I did everything he said until I was calm. I looked around and all eyes were on me.

I need to leave but this guy was still grabbing me.

“I need to leave, please.” I begged.

“You need to die.” The guy that was holding me said. I couldn’t look at his face, his voice sounded scary.

“Please, I can’t die, he needs me now.” I cried.

“You need to die.” He said again.

“No please. I did not steal anything.” I pleaded.

“That is what they all say. But at the end, you will confess.”

“I won’t.”

“Then you will be making everything hard for yourself. By the time I am done with you, you will be begging for death but death won’t find you.” He said in a very cold voice and right there, I made up my mind.

I was going to tell them what they want to hear, then maybe they won’t kill me. After all no one listens to me unless I say what they want to hear. My feet was shaking, I won’t find Erik again and that made me shed silent tears.

We walked back into the mansion and a bloodied guy ran outside. He saw us and tried to run away but one of the men outside grabbed him and pushed him towards us.

“Boss, please I am sorry.” He said to the guy holding me.

“You tried to run away from me.” He said.

“Please boss.”

The boss guy left me and brought out a knife. He kicked the man and he fell on his knees. He stabbed his knees and dragged it downwards. Both the guy and I screamed. I turned and threw up whatever I had in me.

He wouldn’t do that to me, right? I watched in horror as he sliced the guy’s finger except his thumb in one go.

“This is what I do to people who lie and try to run away from me.” He said, looking at me.

I gulped fearfully when he told them to take me inside.

My life is a mess right now, what on earth were they going to do to me in this place?