War of Hearts

He nodded. “You write them, I’ll type and send them. If you think we’re letting you anywhere near a laptop, you’re mistaken.”

“What am I supposed to write?” I was pretty sure Help! I’ve been kidnapped by mobsters! wasn’t going to be an acceptable message. Just the fact that this was my new reality had barely begun to sink in. If it weren’t for Marco’s intimidating presence, I might have giggled at the absurdity of it all.

But there was nothing funny about Marco’s dark stare.

“I want three emails,” he said, ticking each off his fingers as he spoke. “One to your family, one to your roommate, and one for your professors. You’ll explain that you’re going through a hard time—I’m sure they’ve all seen what a mess you’ve been after losing Joseph—and you’ll say—”

“Excuse me?” I cut him off. “A mess?”

He raised one dark brow. “Yes. A mess. I had people watching you. Do you want to see the before and after photos? I have some from when you were with Joseph, and several after that. If it makes you feel better, he doesn’t usually look this shitty, either. He’s actually pretty vain, to be honest.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Joseph said, his voice all warmth and sincerity. “You’re beautiful, angel.”

“I didn’t say she wasn’t beautiful. I just said she was a mess after you left.” The words were a little defensive, but Marco didn’t sound at all contrite. If anything, he seemed annoyed with the exchange, as though it was of no consequence.

“So, before you interrupted me,” he speared me with a warning look, “I was telling you what you need to write in your emails. You need to sound genuine, so that’s why you have to write them instead of me making shit up for you. What you say is up to you, but keep it vague. Assure everyone that you’re all right.”

“And where am I supposed to say I’m going to be staying while I’m on this little sabbatical?” Some of my fire was returning now that Joseph wasn’t holding me down, and I made my question as cutting as I dared.

Marco shrugged. “I’m sure your family can afford for you to go on a spa getaway or to some fancy chalet. I honestly don’t care what you come up with. Just make it sound real.”

“You don’t know anything about my family,” I declared, my temper flaring.

“So, you’re saying they can’t afford it?”

“That’s not the point.” My dad had never denied me anything I wanted, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t worked hard to earn my place at Harvard. Not only had I excelled in academics, but I’d put in countless hours with the swim team during high school, and I’d volunteered as a tutor twice a week.

Marco made it sound as though I was some entitled snob who thought money could buy me anything.

“The point is that you convince them,” he said sternly. “Say whatever you need to say, but know that I’m going to read through them all very carefully to make sure you’re not dropping any hints about where you really are.”

“I don’t even know where I really am.” I threw up my hands, exasperated.

“You’re at my family’s estate. You don’t need to know exactly where. All you need to know is that this is where you’ll be staying indefinitely. Now, write.” He pointed at the notepad, the simple gesture sharp with authority.

“And what about tomorrow? What about next week? What do I say when they ask when I’m coming back?”

“You’ll explain that you need time to yourself. Will your parents expect to hear from you every day?”

I cut my eyes away to hide the pain he’d just uncovered, but my hesitation gave him the answer he needed.

“I’ll take that as a no,” he said, cruelly clinical about my estrangement from my family. “I’ll monitor their responses and let you know when you need to send another email.”

I lifted my chin, hurt making me defiant. “And how do you plan to access my email account?”

He fixed me with a level look. “You’re going to give me your username and password.”

I scoffed. “Not happening.” The fact that I was missing was all that gave me hope. Someone would wonder where I was soon. They’d look for me. The police would get involved. They’d find me and keep me safe from my captors and their enemies.

Marco cocked his head at me, considering. After a moment, he gave a short nod in Joseph’s direction. “You deal with her. I’m over this bratty bullshit. Let me know when it’s handled.”

I gaped at his back as he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Deal with me? Bratty bullshit?

The man was as infuriating as he was intimidating.

I rounded on Joseph, emboldened now that Marco was gone. “How can you let him talk to me like that?” I demanded. “Hell, he’s not even doing me the courtesy of talking to me. He’s talking to you about me while I’m right freaking here. You’re just going to let him treat me this way? You’re just going to let him kidnap me and talk down to me like I’m nothing?”