Angel’s Trumpet by Sem Thornwood

I felt like I was dying. My consciousness was coming back, but it brought a horrible headache with it. I almost wished to go back to being unconscious. I could have just slept right here.

Only I couldn’t. I was lying on a very hard surface. Not a floor but a very bad mattress if that was it. I wanted to massage my temples as I tried to open my eyes but then felt something more horrible than the thing I was lying on. My hands were tied on my back.

My eyes opened wide with horror. My head was throbbing, but I couldn’t even care. I was tied up. Also, I was in a very dirty small room, I realized as I opened my eyes. The room smelled horrible too. It smelled like… blood?

“No,” I whispered to myself in horror. I was close to tears. I wanted to be strong, but it was hard when you were kidnapped and tied up.

The door opened, and I instinctively moved on my place as best as I could. I tried to rip open the thick rope around my wrists, but it was impossible. I was so fucking scared. How the fuck could I be brave in a situation like this?

A dark-skinned woman stepped inside and closed the door behind her. There was a frown on her face, but it was replaced by something softer when she saw me. “Oh, you are awake. That’s good. I was afraid they damaged your brain.”

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to get away. There was nothing to muffle my sound, but that was probably a bad thing because it meant that they were sure my screams were not going to be heard.

The woman came closer to me. Her brown eyes were warm, but I was not in a position to be relaxed in her presence. “I know it looks bad, but believe me, I mean no harm.” She held out a water bottle. “Want some water?”

I realized that I did. My mouth was dry as a dessert, but I didn’t know if I could trust her. What if she wanted to poison me or something?

She must have seen the doubt on my face because she opened the cap with a click. “See, new bottle. I really don’t want to hurt you.”

I wanted nothing more than to drink that water. But there was still a little problem. “My hands are tied.”

“I’ll help you,” she said and moved closer.

“If you are good, why don’t you untie me.”

A hint of sadness crept into her gaze. “If I untie you, they’ll kill me. I convinced them to let me in to check on you because you are more valuable when you are alive.”

She helped me up to sit so I could drink the water and brought the tip to my lips. “Where am I?” I asked tiredly and started drinking the water like it was my last meal. To my realization, it could be just that.

“In a brothel,” the woman explained. When my brows furrowed, she said, “A Russian brothel.”

Russians. Right, they were the ones that took me. Everything came back to me slowly. The headache was making it hard to focus on more than one thing, but I remembered their faces, how they came from all sides, and the horrible pain on the back of my head.

They fucking got into our house.

“They got into the Mansion,” I whispered, horrified. The realization came to me and my eyes filled with tears. “Fuck, they were there, and Verona was there.” I felt like my heart was getting ripped apart. “I told her to go home. Why the fuck did I tell her to go home?”

The woman looked at me with pity, but I didn’t care. I needed to know. “Did they bring her here too? Is she okay?”

She shook her head, trying to console me. “No, just you. Their plan was to take you.”

It still didn’t mean that Verona was unharmed, but at least she was not with them. She was probably back home, safe. Thank God for that. Being kidnapped was horrible, and I was fucking scared of all the things that could happen to me, but the idea of someone hurting Verona was worse than all of this. Even in this position, her safety gave me a sense of relief.

“What are they going to want for me?” I was the wife of a Capo. I knew my price was high.

My price was high since I was a little girl, and it sucked.

Her brows came together. “Want for you?”

“You know the payment for giving me back. It is something delirious, isn’t it? And fuck Sal is going to give it to them.” It was going to create even more conflict, but I couldn’t even care about that. I just wanted my husband to come and save me.

The woman’s face filled with another rush of pity. She looked like every time I talked, her favorite soap opera character was dying. When I was about to lose it, she answered, “They are not giving you back. I don’t know what they are going to do with you, but they are not negotiating with your husband.”

That didn’t make sense at all. “What is the point of kidnapping me if they are not going to ask for something in exchange?”

She looked at the door like whoever was at the other side could have been listening. Then she leaned closer to me to whisper. I didn’t move back this time. I didn’t even know her name, but probably no one else was going to give me the information she was about to.

“If they kidnap you, that means war, and Salvatore Vasile is powerful despite Ricci. They want him weak. If he goes crazy, it is easier for Igor.”

I knew who Igor was, and I knew he was working with Ricci, but I never would have guessed for them to make a weird plan like that. Good old kidnapping and asking for something was so much better for me. Turning Sal into Crazy Eyes so that he would make a mistake was too smart for them.

“They are gonna make him think I am dead?” I asked. That would definitely drove him crazy. But why keep me alive then?

She shook her head. “Your bodyguard, he helped them. Salvatore is going to think you accepted help from Igor so you can run away with your bodyguard. I heard that there were photos of you two kissing.”

“That fucker,” I rasped. I remembered how he said he was sorry right before I was attacked. I knew Mateo since I was a little girl and always trusted him. My father, my brothers, and Sal, all trusted him to protect me, and he fucking played me.

I fucking wished that I told Sal when he kissed me. It was suspicious, but I could only see it now. At the time, I never even considered such a thing just because he was acting weird.

I was a fool.

“He won’t believe it,” I whispered to myself. He knew I loved him. How could he believe I would betray him like that? How could he believe that I’d leave him?

She rubbed my shoulder. “You sure? If you are, no problem. I am sure he will save you.”

She didn’t know shit. She didn’t know Sal or me. It was nice of her to console me, but she was still on the Russians’ side. “Who are you anyway?”

“I am Pam. I work here, but the guards listen to me more than the other girls. I am kind of a mistress.”

“To whom?” I asked not so nicely.

She nibbled her bottom lip nervously. “Igor Zakharov.”

Mistress of the man who kidnapped me and was currently trying to ruin my family? “Why are you trying to help me?” What game are you playing?

“I am trying to be nice. What he is doing to you is wrong.”

A joyless laugh escaped my lips. “Nothing they do is right. They are mobsters. You have something to gain from helping me.”

“I am trying to make friends.”

Oh, so Pam was not happy as Zakharov’s mistress. Who to ask for help better than Italians? But a bottle of water was not enough. I needed real help. I didn’t want to believe that Sal would fall for this trap and lose hope in me. I didn’t want to accept a possibility like that, but a memory of Sal finding me having coffee with Nate played on my memory. He was jealous, and the way he tried to make sure I was only his afterward gave me doubts.

I shook the thought away. He knew I loved him. He knew I was his. I was not going to let Russians play with my mind, but I was also not going to sit here and wait for him to save me. I could not leave it to chance.

“If you want friends, untie me.”

Pam looked so very helpless as she said, “I can’t.” Then she checked the door again. “They will know it was me.”

“Help me get away from here, and then you can come home with me. I will help you.”

To that, she shook her head immediately. “No, that won’t work.” Then thought for a moment. “There is no lock from inside. If you can get the guard to come inside and disarm him, I can clear the way out for you. There is a warehouse that is connected to here. I can take you there and then you’ll go to the forest. Then you’ll find your husband and then help me.”

It sounded good, but it was unrealistic. “How the fuck can I disarm him when I am tied up? Just untie me.”

“I can’t risk them finding out. They’ll kill me.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “I know a way you can beat him, but I don’t know if you’d do it.”

“I’ll do anything.”

She nodded absently. Maybe it was stupid to trust her, but she seemed like she was telling the truth. She really looked desperate and helpless. But of course, after Mateo’s betrayal, I didn’t trust my judgment so much. I only knew that she was my best choice, so when she said, “Okay, listen.” I listened despite how ridiculous her plan was.

 

Mia safe and sound away from me.

That was the answer to my question. If she left me, I would be ruined, I would be in great pain, but it was a better option than her pain. Her pain was something I could not take. And if someone would tell me she was dead, even I didn’t know what I was capable of doing.

I wanted her safe, but I also couldn’t bring myself to believe she betrayed me. “She didn’t leave me,” I whispered to myself. My office at Vista was looking too small right now. Without Mia, even breathing was a challenge for me.

Antonio rubbed my shoulder. He was acting calm and calculated, but I knew that was not the case. He was as angry as me. He was freaking out.

“Of course, she didn’t,” he assured me. “Zakharov is playing us.”

I was going to snap his neck for that. The consequences be damned.

“We are going to end him. We just need to get Mia and cleanse the rats. After that, we can attack. We will win this war.”

“I don’t give a fuck about winning!” I snapped. “I only want my wife.”

Antonio opened his mouth to answer with a tad of sadness in his eyes, but someone knocked on the door. I jumped to my feet immediately. I knew who was on the other side. “Come in.”

The door opened, and Franco Ricci came inside with the young girl I met at my wedding. I couldn’t even try to hold myself. I was gone. I pulled the girl by the neckline of her t-shirt. My eyes were drenched with madness. “Where is my wife!” I growled like she was the one who kidnapped Mia.

Bianca Ricci’s eyes widened. She didn’t say anything. Antonio pulled me away from the girl, and Franco wrapped an arm around his sister. He seemed startled.

What the fuck were they expecting from me when my wife was missing?

“She is here to help, Salvatore. Relax.” Franco ran a hand down her arm, making sure she was okay. The young girl didn’t seem as frightened as seconds before.

“I can’t be relaxed while my wife is missing. Now tell me, what else did you hear?”

Bianca looked at her brother. Her eyes were filled with uncertainty. “I will tell you more, but I want something in return.”

“Fucking Riccis,” I spat out. Even this little girl was bargaining with me.

She swallowed visibly and declared her price before I asked. “Even if you kill my father, my brother is going to force me into marriage. I want you to not give your blessing for that. Actually, I want my guardian to be Franco. If you give me my freedom in that regard, I’ll tell you everything I know.”

Little fox. “So, you didn’t tell everything you know to Franco?”

“No. I needed something, so I can ask a favor in return.”

I didn’t understand why she wanted Franco but didn’t give a shit. I would give my empire to get the information to save my wife. “You can have it. Now tell me, Bianca, what do you know?”

She twisted her fingers, looking down. “Well, I don’t know about your wife. I don’t know if they kidnapped her or if she is really the rat.”

“She is not!” I pressed hardly.

A doubt touched her young face. “Are you sure? She had pictures of kissing that other man. At least, that’s what I heard.”

My hands turned into fists. Even the mental image of Mateo kissing Mia was enough to put me on edge. The only reason I didn’t attack Bianca was the fact that she knew something that could save Mia.

“Stop with your assumptions and what you don’t know, Bianca. We don’t have time. Tell us what you do know.”

She swallowed thickly again. “Well, I heard about a location. I left my phone in his car one time to track it. As far as I understood, it is a warehouse where Russians keep their drugs, but there is also a brothel. Not a public one. I heard Igor Zakharov even keeps his mistress there. It is for VIP guests only. It felt like the elite meeting spot. I don’t know if your wife is there, but I know dad left for there. He was going to meet Zakharov.

It was very likely that Mia was there too. I didn’t think they were going to put her too much away from them. They wanted her close.

I needed to get there to save my wife and kill the fuckers before they could hurt her.

“Can you send me the location?”

She nodded.

Good.

I jumped up from my seat. “Antonio ready the soldiers. We are going for a bloodbath.”

A rare devilish smirk appeared on Antonio’s face. Beneath all that ice, there was a fire of anger for the kidnappers of his sister. “Perfect,” he declared and followed me out, sending out orders in his phone at the same time.

I was going to get Mia even if I have to kill every Russian walking on this earth.

 

It was a disgusting plan, but since Pam was certain about not untying me, that was my only chance. I was a big girl, after all. Even if Sal believed Igor Zakharov, I was not going to let our love die. I was going to save myself and run to my husband. I was ready for whatever it took.

“Is anyone there,” I shouted to the door. Pam said the room was not soundproof, just that we were in a deserted place. I wanted to get the attention of the guard with my exhausted, sweet voice.

“Please, my wrists hurt.” I tried to keep all the vengeful feelings away from my voice. “I need to go to the bathroom. Don’t be so cruel.”

The door opened, and a guy with short blonde hair glanced at me with disgust, but luckily for me, there was also something dark and sinful in his gaze. Pam made sure I looked ready to be devoured when she left. I mean, I didn’t think I could look like that when I was kidnapped and just woken up from an unconscious state, but everybody had their fantasies. Lucky for me, this guy liked me messy.

“Shut the fuck up,” he ordered.

I tried to move towards him. “Oh, please help me. I just need the bathroom.”

“You can’t go to the bathroom.”

Fake tears filled my eyes. “What am I supposed to do then? I am a small girl. What can I even do to you if you just take me there?”

“I have orders to obey Vasile.” He spat my last name, but for some reason, it felt like this was turning him on. Seeing someone who belonged to Salvatore Vasile so weak must have been satisfying for him.

“Can’t you make an exception?” I asked. When he waited for a second to answer, I sweetly fluttered my lashes to him. Hopefully, my eyes would have that bewitching effect everyone always talked about since I was a child. “I would do anything,” I added.

He stepped inside just a little. Something playful and passionate in his blue eyes. “Anything?”

I nodded and bit down my bottom lip. “Anything. Please, I really need to go.”

This time he checked outside to see if anyone was there. Of course, no one was. Pam said she was going to make sure of that. When he was satisfied with the empty hallway, he stepped inside further and pushed the door closed. There was no lock on it, so it was enough to just pull in order to open.

Great.

He got closer to me, and there was a clear bulge in his pants. I tried too hard not to squirm or gag. I was allowed to look a little scared but no disgust. I needed to be sweet. I needed to look like I would really do anything for a chance to go to the bathroom.

He cupped my chin and brushed a thumb along my bottom lip. He seemed mesmerized. It was not about my beauty or anything. I was valuable because of Salvatore. He was excited to steal the cool kid’s toy.

How stupid.

“I can’t fuck you,” he whispered to himself, and I couldn’t help but flinch. He didn’t care. “If boss decides to give you back, Vasile won’t want you tainted.”

I tried my best to not gag. That mindset was sick in so many different ways but kidnapping a woman was also sick in many ways. Although it was obvious that they didn’t know Salvatore at all. They really believed that he would leave me if they raped me. This plan was making my stomach more and more upset.

“You can suck my cock,” he said, rubbing himself over his pants.

Good.

I didn’t hide the fear in my eyes but acted a little shy. “Would you let me go to the toilet?”

“If you do it nicely, I will.”

I pretended to think for a moment, and my heartbeat got so fast I was worried that it was going to rip a way out of my chest. This had the potential to go very badly, but if I played my scared little girl role, I could probably pull it off. I tried to stay in character and nodded.

The guy made a low growling sound and started undoing his pants. When his cock sprang free, I quickly took the sight in. Luckily it was smaller than what I was used to, so it was going to be easier. Still, I was nervous and didn’t bother to hide it. Nervous was okay as long as I was obedient. Good thing I had quite a bit of experience in that.

He brought his cock to eye level with me. Probably because of my sweet act, he didn’t push it into my mouth. It was a bargain. He didn’t want to force himself physically. He wanted me to do it. That would be much more humiliating. Not for me. He didn’t care about my humiliation. It would humiliate Salvatore. His wife giving another man head just to use the bathroom.

God, how I hated this guy.

I looked at it like I was considering my choices for the last time. “Come on, you’ll like it too,” he encouraged me.

I don’t think so, asshole.

I tilted my head to the side and brought my lips to his cock. I trusted my very regular dentist visits and the fact that I always chewed gum while painting. I must have strong teeth and jaw. At least I prayed that I had.

Without worrying myself further, I took him in my mouth halfway and bit down his dick as hard as I could. I needed to be fast and give as much pain as possible. When my teeth buried into his shaft, he screamed and reached to my head to pull me back. I had every intention of leaving anyway. Didn’t want to have his cock in my mouth longer than needed.

I held it between my teeth with great effort that made my jaw hurt. Then I pulled my head back in a rushed move. A side of me hoped that would allow me to rip his dick off, but it turns out I was not that good. Still, the movement let me scrap out a way down his shaft.

The guy cried out in pain and stumbled backward. There was blood on his groin and on my mouth. I knew he was going to get mad and attack me. I didn’t have much time. I jumped to my feet without even spitting out the blood. It just trickled down to my body from my open mouth. Luckily Pam made me practice getting up with my hand-tied, so I was quick. My first instinct was to kick him, but he was already having pain in his groin. I needed to get him out before he could reach a weapon. So, I went with my head. I literally hit him with my head like I was a bull.

He fell to the ground since he was already clutching his groin with two hands. He was screaming a lot with pain, and even though Pam said that she would clear out the close places in case of sound, I didn’t want to risk it. I needed him to shut up as fast as possible. I kicked him in the face. It felt bad doing it to a person, but I would do pretty much anything to go back to Salvatore.

After a short while, his screams turned into muffled, pained moans.

Good.

I didn’t know if he was dying or not but honestly couldn’t care. All I could care about was the next part of the plan.

Before I got out of the room, I got on my knees, my back to him, and took a knife out of his holster. He also had a gun, but it wouldn’t help me while my hands were tied.

I started cutting off the thick rope while I stepped outside of the room. I followed the dark hallway for a while slowly like Pam had told me. Then I felt delicate fingers wrapping around my arm and pulling me to one of the doors.

“Oh my god, you look horrible,” she said. She was terrified.

I spat a few times, but I could still taste blood in my mouth. I spat again but probably what I needed was a dozen bottles of mouthwash. “Sorry, when you bit down a dick, it bleeds.”

“Okay, anyway,” she gathered herself and held my arm. “I am going to take you to the warehouse. They are in Igor’s office. You can get out easily.”

I only nodded and followed her. Pam pulled me into a dark hallway that was filled with groans and moans from the surrounding rooms. I didn’t give a shit. I just followed her and kept trying to cut the ropes around my wrists. I could do it when I was away from this place, but the earliest I got rid of them was the better.

When we got into an old-looking door, she stopped and opened the door. It was the door that opened into the warehouse. It was either filled with drugs or guns. I didn’t care about that either.

Pam pulled me close so I could look inside. She listened for a while. “There is no one here.” She pointed to a door. “You should leave from there. It is not locked but check for guards outside. There is always a few.”

“You didn’t say that before!”

“Well, I’m saying it now.”

I shook my head. “Can’t you distract them?”

“If I will, they’ll know that I helped you escape.”

It didn’t make any sense to me. “Then fucking come with me. I promise I’ll make sure you are safe.” I just needed to go back to Sal.

Pam shook her head. “I can’t. I have a son.”

My eyes widened. “Igor’s son?” when she nodded, I took a deep breath. “You are crazier than me. How the hell are you going to take his son away?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted, but there was determination in her eyes. She put a paper into my jean pocket. “You are going to help me to find a way for him and me to run away safely.”

For a second, I stood there stunned. Helping a hooker hide from the Russians was one thing but helping her escape with Igor Zakharov’s son was a whole another thing. Bastard or not, he would value him because he was his blood. Still, I had to do the best I could.

I nodded. “I will,” then stepped inside the warehouse. I walked with silent steps. Pam closed the door behind me. Even though she said that there was no one here, I was still cautious.

Fortunately, she was right. I didn’t see or heard anyone as I made my way to the door. Now it was a problem. How the hell was I going to check outside without them seeing me? If they saw me, I had no chance at all. I was not even halfway done with the ropes. I tried to cut faster and moved closer to the door. Maybe if I could be silent, I could manage it.

Fuck, I had to try.

I inhaled deeply and gathered my courage to open the door. But at that second, someone from outside opened the door.

My heart stopped because I thought I was caught, but when I saw the man who opened it, all of my senses left me. There, in the middle of his soldiers, was Salvatore.

His eyes widened when he saw me. My mouth, neck, and chest were covered with blood, and I was restrained. That must be a horrible scene for him, but I didn’t give myself time to think about that. I just flung myself into his arms, murmuring his name breathlessly.

His strong arms came around me. “Mia.” He held me tighter. “I was coming to rescue you.”

I kissed his shirt and his neck too far gone to care the difference between fabric and naked skin. “I rescued myself to come back to you. Did you believe them?” The answer was obvious, but I needed to hear it.

Sal pressed a kiss to my hair and inhaled me deeply. I must have smelled like blood and death, but he acted like I was a pretty flower garden. “Of course not. You are my heart. I know my heart.”

Thank God. I pulled back a little and looked at his face. “Now, what?”

He tried to rub the blood away from my mouth. “I am going to kill whoever did this to you.”

“Not my blood,” I assured, and his eyes softened a little. “And he is probably dead. I bit his dick off.”

Sal looked at me with shock. I have never seen that expression on his face.

“You are truly insane, aren’t you?” He groaned in disbelief. “God, I don’t know if I should be angry because you put your life in danger or be impressed that you saved yourself without me.” He shook his head. “I really don’t know, but I know that I fucking love you.”

“I love you too,” I whispered as the soldiers filled the warehouse. I never thought he would say those words to me in front of them, but he did. He didn’t care that he might look weak. His love for me was much more important. It was not something to be ashamed of.

But it was not the time to lose myself in love. So, I asked again, “What now?”

“We are going to ambush them on their own club.”

I didn’t care if they would kill everyone in there, but I cared about Pam. She helped me, after all. “There are innocent women in there. One of them helped me escape.”

“Mia, these things…” Sal started, but I cut him off.

I wriggled my arms. “Cut me free, and I will text her to find shelter. I have her number. Please don’t kill anyone who is not attacking back.”

He inhaled deeply but did turn me around and started cutting the rope. He was so much faster than me. “We will try it, Angel. I can't promise you further.”

“Okay,” I nodded. When my hands got free, I took Sal’s phone. “Let me text her to hide, and then we will go in.”

“You are not going in.”

My brows furrowed as I texted Pam. “Of course, I am. Just give me a gun.” I quickly looked behind him. Antonio was there watching me with an intense gaze. He was probably staying away to keep everyone in check, but his eyes were busy making sure I was okay. I wanted to hug him too, but we needed to get in.

Then I saw someone that wasn’t supposed to be there. “Why the fuck is Valerio here?” He seemed too far gone in rage and sadness to even realize I was okay.

Sal slowly caressed my bloody cheek. “I need to give him his revenge, or he will spend his time chasing it. It is better to get rid of it now.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“Angel, this is not the time to argue. Let one of the soldiers take you home, okay? I will be back shortly.”

I shook my head. Now that I know Valerio was here, there was no way I could leave. I wanted to kill those bastards, and I wanted to make sure Sal was okay, but Valerio stirred something different inside me. Even though Sal and Antonio could protect him better, I was filled with the need to keep him safe myself.

Sal lowered his voice to a pleading whisper. “Verona is alone at home. Please go. I want to be sure my heart is safe when I get in there.”

Tears filled my eyes. I remembered how I sent Verona home. I felt the same thing I felt with Valerio, but there was also guilt, and the fact that she was alone ripped my heart in two. That was probably the only thing that could separate me from Sal and Valerio.

Because my mouth was bloody, I didn’t kiss Sal’s lips but still pressed a long kiss to his cheek. “If you die, I’ll kill you.”

He chuckled and squeezed my waist. “I have no intention of dying. I am too selfish to leave you this early. We have years to spent together, Angel.”