Dirty Addiction (Dirty 2)

"You don't have a choice. You either tell me where to find Nina, or I’ll jab this needle into your neck. You'll stay passed out for hours. Weak and incapable of defending yourself if any of my men decide to get frisky with you. You won’t even remember if I raped you or not.”

She stares at the needle, and for the first time since she's been here, I can truly see the fear. This is her Achille’s heel: being unconscious. But I don't have time to deal with her now. Maybe after getting knocked out again, she’ll be ready to talk, but it's clear she is not willing to speak now.

I plunge the needle into her neck as she cries out. She tries to push my hand away, but she only fights for second before her body collapses to the floor.

Her lifeless body is lying on the ground, and I can't help myself. I pick her up and carry her to the bench in the corner of the room. It's not much more comfortable, but at least she's off the dirt. I shouldn’t have touched her. I should have left her in the dirt. I don’t know why I moved her.

Because Eden is so much like Nina, that's why I.

I walk out of the dungeon and pull the gun I always keep in the back of my pants out as I head to my car. It's time to kill some motherfuckers for daring to cross me.

6

Eden

My eyes flutter open and the same familiar headache throbs in the back of my head like last time. My stomach heaves and the dizziness and grogginess consume me. My muscles ache like I just finished running a marathon. Last time I didn't know what was happening to me, but this time I do.

Matteo knocked me out with drugs.

I take my time sitting up, so I don’t vomit like last time. I lie in bed for several minutes as my eyes adjust to the light and my body gets used to being awake before I try to sit up.

I don’t know how long I was out. Hours? Days? Weeks? It doesn’t matter. I don’t have access to a calendar or phone telling me what day it is. I can hardly keep track of how long I've been here when I’m conscious.

I very carefully sit up in Matteo's bed. Careful not to move too fast, so I don't get sick.

Surprisingly, I don't feel like throwing up when I sit up. I felt much worse last time. So either my body is getting used to the drugs, or he didn't give me as much as last time.

I close my eyes, trying to regain my strength before I stand up. Darkness and cold overwhelm me in one memory. Matteo’s black eyes before he locked the door, leaving me in the filth.

The dungeon. I remember.

He locked me in the dungeon unconscious and left me there all alone. I don’t remember why he was so angry. What did I do to piss him off enough to do that to me again? He’s a horrible person; he doesn’t need a reason to do monstrous things.

I know one thing: I will do anything not to get drugged again. Well, anything short of telling him where Nina is. But I need a plan.

I thought I had one after Matteo tried taking food and sleep from me. I thought when I found a way to get food and defy him; he would give up and realize I was a dead end. Apparently, he hasn't given up yet.

I need help. My lips curl up. I’ve made one ally here. I can make plenty more. Eventually, I’ll have enough allies to escape or fight back. Maybe I’ll find more allies as I did with the first…

My stomach rumbles again for the hundredth time today. I've never gone so long without food. It's only been three days but the way my stomach heaves, it feels like torture. If I don't get some food in my system soon, I’m going to become delirious, and I'll tell Matteo whatever he wants.

"I have to go meet Maximo and sign a deal for a weapons trade for next week. Watch her." Matteo undoes the shackle on his wrist and hands it to Dierk who hesitantly attaches it to his arm.

"What am I supposed to do with her?”

“Make sure she doesn’t run. And if she tries to, beat her.”

We both stare, as Matteo walks away from us, both thinking this is some sort of a joke. He hasn’t left me alone with anyone since I got here. He’s only worked at his home office. Today, though, he either needs to leave or having me around is getting on his nerves. Matteo is a loner; he likes to be left alone in his thoughts. We don’t converse a lot when I’m around; he doesn’t like the company. I think I remind him too much of Nina. That, or he’s a grumpy ass for no reason.

When I get out of here and talk to Nina again, I need to ask her what happened when she was here. Because apparently, she did a number on Matteo.

My stomach growls again and Dierk gawks at it, like a stomach making noise is a foreign concept to him.

“You hungry?” he asks.

I nod.

“Let’s get you some food then. I could eat, too.”