“Martina are you set?” Vincenzo walked into the room and saw Martina dripping wet. She was in front of the bathroom door and she stared at him.
“He needs you now.”
Martina rolled her eyes and cleaned her hair. He had threatened to kill her, she had no choice but to comply with whatever he wanted to do to her.
“Can you not make this harder than it is? I know he wants me you don’t have to remind me.”
Martina sat on the bed and began to think.
*This is really happening *
“It is just a friendly reminder.” Vincenzo walked out of the room and Martina heaved a sigh.
“I’m sorry this is happening to you Martina, I wish there is anything I can do about this. I wish I could stop him from doing this to you.”
Martina shook her head trying not to cry again. She had been crying and she was tired of it, her stomach was hurting because of how much she had cried.
“This is inevitable, there is nothing we can do about it. It is fine Caterina, I am happy you are going home soon.”
Martina let out a feeble smile and placed her hand on Caterina’s cheek.
“I’d safe you once I am out. I’d help Alberto find you, we would come and rescue you from this living hell.” Martina nodded reluctantly. She knew very well what Caterina said wasn’t that easy.
Roberto must have thought about all that before deciding to let her go home. He wouldn’t be so careless.
“I should prepare before he blows my head out with his pistol.” Martina got up and walked to the closet. She opened it and her mouth fell open. She was shocked to see how full it was.
There were different clothes and shoes, it was like a mini fashion store.
“Wow.” Caterina stared unbelievably at the closet.
“I still don’t see why he would stock the closet with so many clothes when he won’t stay here for so long. He doesn’t have a permanent place.” Martina ran her fingers through the clothes and began to think of the one to wear.
“The blue one looks nice.” Caterina could see the inside of the closet clearly from where she laid. Martina pulled out the blue dress and she checked it out. It was a long gown but it had a slit that stopped above the knee, right on the thighs.
“This is too exposing.” Martina laid the dress on the bed and ran her hands on it. She loved the fabric, it was made of silk. It was strapless and seemed like it was going to expose her cleavage.
“You should wear this.”
Martina looked at her and shook her head.
“No. If I wear this, he’d think I’m happy and support the idea of him sleeping with me without my consent. That is rape, I can’t dress all pretty to get raped.”
“I understand you Martina, but instead of acting pathetic, the way he wants you to be, why can’t you change the game around? Control his own game. Go in there with such confidence that would keep him wondering if what he is about to do to you would actually hurt you.”
Martina listened to Caterina closely, she spoke words of wisdom.
“But, what if it doesn’t work? What if he still sleeps with me after I show him I wouldn't get hurt and sad no matter what he does to me?”
“We should always hope for the best sister. I am pretty sure he would be shocked to see you raise your head up high and stand fearless. He could feel sleeping with you would be to your own pleasure, not the other way round and this would make him change his mind.”
After Caterina explained to her, she decided to heed to her sister’s advice.
“Raise my head up high and stand fearless.” Martina muttered to herself as she picked up the dress.
“Hold on, there are no undies? This bastard knows exactly what he is doing.” She looked at Caterina and Caterina exhaled.
“He knows the lady wouldn't be needing them. You should wear the dress like that.” Caterina looked sad as she talked to her sister. She hated what was about to happen to her, but they were at a juncture where they had to choice but to comply.
“I swear I’d help you get out of his hands, and throw him into Jail when I get out.”
Martina smiled faintly and wore the blue dress. She didn’t want her sister to lose hope, neither did she want to lose hope.
“If at all you don’t get me out of here, I promise to use the best of my time here. I’d bring Roberto Galante to Justice.”
“How do you intend on doing that?”
“The exact way I had always planned it right from when I came back to Italy because of him. He is about to ruin my life, and I wouldn’t forget to ruin his. The line has been drawn!”
The door opened all of a sudden and Vincenzo walked in again, this time two of Roberto’s men were with him.
“You have to come with us now.”
Martina was dressed already but her hair was still quite damp.
“My hair is still wet.” Her hair fell free on her shoulders and had wet the upper part of her dress.
“You don't have to worry about that, he has nothing to do with your hair. Let us go.”
One of the men that came with Vincenzo said and Martina scoffed. She walked up to Vincenzo and waited in front of him. She wore no shoes because she didn’t see any necessity for them.
“Where should I meet him? I don’t need all of you following me like flies.”
Caterina smirked after seeing Martina’s reaction. She took to her advise and was doing perfectly well.
“Come with me.”
Vincenzo walked out of the room and the men waited for Martina to follow behind her before they also walked out.
Martina looked at Caterina where she laid and Caterina gave her a reassuring nod and faint smile. Martina trailed behind Vincenzo and the men shut the door behind them.
They walked down the stairs and as they drew close to the room Roberto was, the men stopped following them. Roberto asked them to go with Vincenzo so that if Martina wasn’t through with her dressing when Vincenzo got there, they could bundle her out of the room and bring her to him.
They got in front of the door and Vincenzo stopped walking, he moved aside and stretched his hand to the door like he was welcoming her into the spotlight in a gathering.
Martina rolled her eyes at him and placed her hand on the handle. Her heart whizzed but she kept a straight expression on.
“I wish you good luck.” She looked at Vincenzo after he spoke and turned the door handle. She opened the door and all she saw was total darkness.
She turned to look at Vincenzo and he signaled her to go in. She prowled into the room and stood by the door. She left the door open so that the light from the hallway could help her see in the room.
“Shut the door.”
Martina jumped in fright after hearing Roberto’s disembodied voice. She reached for the door and shut it reluctantly. She began to tremble.
After she shut the door, she turned to look at the direction the voice came from and all of a sudden, the lights came on.
Martina’s eyes widened and her feet wobbled after she saw what was in the room. She stared at Roberto and she saw he had a leach in his hand.
“Strip.”