Beyond the Omerta

pte

na.

the crowded hall searching for the caller. T

best friend, Emily exclaimed, slightly out of b

hen did you arrive?" Luciana sm

ry, I should have

ught you wouldn't

laughing lightly. "plus I miss you, and boss wouldn't pardon

took two glass of champagne

ssion turned serious. "How is your mom doing?"

rs sagging slightly as she replied,

, her eyes welling

k to your dad about the nightmares?" Emily

ead lightly, her eye

tly having dreams of being kidnapped by a

of her overthinking about her mother's co

isted, she knew s

e increasingly detached s

e when the charity gala was announce

someone with a heart of an angel to

arm tightened. "You

eyes locking onto a tall, dark-haired man in a black

taring at me?" she asked, h

ly followed her

black tuxedo... He's

ee anyone" E

persisted. She k

na's arm. "Stop worrying. You look stunn

the feeling. But her eyes drifted back to t

me fresh air," Emily suggested, leading

nerves. She rested her arms on the bal

ard from him or seen him in months." Luciana said.

mil

tion in an hotel for us to stay the night

we homeless?" Luciana asked,

m,

proached them with a tr

leman," he said, off

y have one".

. He requested you have this." T

ow. "Well, looks like

d you someone was watching me,

ng great. He's probably ju

uciana handed her frien

u especially need to get drunk. Let's go ba

ure something wasn't adding up. She couldn't shake o

e strange man again, but he

was right. Sh

* *

too much to drink. She swayed, her visi

lurred. "You can go ho

narrowed. "may

sively, stumbling slightly

re to herself. She pulled out her ph

leaned against the wall,

dering a taxi, faded into the b

ng down the taxi. It pulled over,

ing on the paper and handed it to the driver. "Make

into the backseat, E

Em," she

Luciana realized something was off. The d

sit up straight, the effect of t

e's the meter?

rs face, a hand from the passenger seat

straints. She tried to kick her legs, but they fe

l herself slow

to a halt, and Lucia

isoriented, her head pounding. She tried t

scent of lavender wafted through t

e covering her mouth. Her hands and feet were tied to a

truggled to free herself, but

d through the room, growing l

as a baritone, husky voi

to your

iana was left with only one t

everything