The Italian Dom by N.J. Adel

CHAPTER 21

Nicky

 

My pulse throbbed in my temples as I knocked off the giant teddy bear that hid the security camera Tino had installed here. It was the only one Lina and I knew about. I hoped Tino hadn’t installed others he never cared to share their locations.

Not that it mattered. There was nothing worse he could do to me if I got caught. By tomorrow, he was going to force me to marry that slightly younger than him but equally vicious asshole or kill me. I was as good as dead either way. But if I made it out of here, I’d still have my whole life ahead of me.

Quickly, I kissed sleeping Nick goodbye, my heart in shreds. Not having a chance to watch him grow was as excruciating as leaving my sister. But I had no choice if I wanted to keep my head.

With a trembling sigh, I found the remote and grabbed the duffle bag. Then I pressed the red button.

Slowly, the covert portal in the ceiling slid open, and I held my breath, my eyes darting at the door, praying no one would come in until I was long gone.

Sweat broke out on my forehead as the hidden steps toward the elevator appeared. My breath stuttered on my lips as I tiptoed toward them, afraid Nick would wake up. His crying would definitely have someone come in and ruin my escape plan.

I took one step after another as careful as I could, but I was so nervous I tripped on the step before last.

“Ahaaha-aaaaaa!” My nephew’s sudden wailing stopped my heart.

“Shit. No, no, no, please no.” My instincts almost had me turning back to him. I couldn’t just let him cry, but my survival instincts took over and urged me to run.

My face contorted as I looked down at his crib. “I’m so sorry.” I had to hurry up and close the secret door as fast as possible.

The dark elevator lit and opened for me, and I jumped in, my chest heaving with labored breath and choking tears. As I pressed the one button inside, I couldn’t believe I managed to leave without getting caught. I couldn’t believe I was about to have my freedom.

I grabbed on the duffle bag like it was my last lifeline all the way to the tunnel. When the elevator automatically shot back up, it was so dark in here. I felt my way through the tunnel, looking for that burner Lina said she left me or better yet a flashlight.

Luckily, the phone was the first thing I found in the bag. I turned it on and illuminated the way. The tunnel wasn’t guarded. It was a total secret Tino kept hidden except from Lina and me. Not even his soldiers knew about it.

I ran as fast as I could, my mind running free with me. At the end of this tunnel was my liberty. My new life with all the possibilities in the world. Yes, I was crushed to leave my sister and nephew and all my dreams of finishing school and becoming an architect. But the best thing about dreams was that you could always have new ones.

Thanks to my beautiful sister, who had proven she was more than capable of taking care of herself and her baby as she’d now taken care of me, who had proven she no longer needed me to protect or save her as she’d saved herself, and now she’d saved me, once I reached the end of that tunnel, I’d have new dreams, a new life away from all the darkness I’d long detested and feared.

A sudden gust of coldness crept toward me. It meant only one thing. I was so close to exit the mansion for good. I sprinted toward the blossoming gray rays of light and finally made my way out to the basement of the abandoned chapel beside Graceland cemetery.

I gripped the rusty iron of the staircase railing and climbed up, unable to believe I actually made it.

Finally, I was free.