intrepidity

Chapter 26

Aurora's breath hitched again, her body trembling. She couldn't let them see how scared she was, couldn't show them her weakness. But the panic kept rising, filling her chest with an unbearable tightness. Every touch, every word, made her feel like she was being broken, piece by piece.

"Don't worry," the man said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "We'll make sure you understand soon enough."

She flinched again, her heart racing faster as the second man reached down to adjust the ropes on her wrists, his fingers brushing against her skin in a way that felt like an unspoken threat. She wanted to tear away from his touch, but she couldn't.

Please, just let me go. Please.

But they wouldn't. They didn't care. She was nothing but a pawn in their twisted game of revenge.

And as the two men towered over her, talking in quiet, mocking tones, Aurora could only pray that the fear in her eyes wasn't enough to show them just how helpless she felt.

-

The time dragged on, though it felt like eternity to Aurora. The men continued to taunt her, pushing her boundaries without ever crossing the line. They would touch her in ways that made her skin crawl, sometimes lightly brushing against her arms, or leaning close enough for their breath to hover over her face. She felt filthy, exposed in ways she couldn't describe, as though her body was no longer her own.

The ropes cut into her wrists, and the bruises began to form under the tightness of the bonds. She could barely feel her fingers anymore, numb from the lack of circulation. But it was the helplessness—the vulnerability—of the situation that was slowly eating her alive. She wanted to fight back, to do anything, but the fear rooted her in place.

But then, just as she thought she couldn't take any more, a different presence entered the room. A man, moving quickly, his footsteps heavy on the floor as he rushed toward her.

The two men paused, their eyes narrowing as they turned to face him. "What do you want?" one of them growled, though the tension in his voice was unmistakable.

The new arrival, a wiry man with sweat glistening on his brow, didn't answer right away. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets, keeping his posture casual—too casual. "Boss needs you outside," he said, his voice steady despite the rapid beating of his heart. "Something about the Valenti family making moves. Wants all hands ready."

The two kidnappers exchanged glances, hesitation flickering in their eyes. "Bullshit," one of them muttered. "If the Valentis were here, we'd know."

"Would you?" The man's tone remained indifferent, but he shifted slightly, blocking their view of Aurora. "You think Aiden Valenti's the type to announce himself? Or do you think he'd slaughter every last one of us before we even saw it coming?"

That made them falter. The name alone sent a ripple of unease through the air.

"Shit," the second man cursed, glancing toward the door. "You sure about this?"

"You want to take that chance?" the newcomer countered, tilting his head toward the hallway. "Go see for yourself. Unless you'd rather stay here and wait for him to put a bullet between your eyes."

The first man cursed under his breath. "Stay here," he snapped at his partner before storming out of the room, his footsteps heavy with urgency.

That left only one.

The remaining captor hesitated, glancing between the newcomer and the door. His grip tightened around his gun, uncertainty written all over his face. That was all the distraction the man needed.

Without missing a beat, he lunged. His fist connected with the kidnapper's throat, cutting off any chance for him to call for help. The man gagged, stumbling back, but before he could recover, a second blow landed—a brutal jab to the temple. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

The intruder didn't waste a second. He dropped to his knees beside Aurora, his eyes scanning the ropes around her wrists and the terrified expression on her face. His movements were urgent, but his voice was quiet as he spoke to her. "Listen to me. You have to go. Now." Aurora blinked at him, confused. The man didn't look like one of her captors—his clothes were different, more casual, and his demeanor was urgent, almost panicked. She couldn't understand why he was here, why he was helping her.

"You need to run," he whispered, glancing back at the two men. "They're distracted now, you have to run. I can't stop them—they'll kill me. But you... you need to get out."

His hands worked quickly, cutting through the ropes that bound her wrists. The relief that flooded her was almost too much to handle, but she couldn't bring herself to move. She was terrified, frozen in place by the overwhelming weight of the situation.

"Please," he urged, his voice soft yet insistent. "You don't have much time. I'll try to distract them more, but you need to go. Get to safety."

She stared at him, her heart racing as his words sank in. She wanted to trust him. She wanted to run. But her legs wouldn't cooperate, and fear held her in place like the ropes had before.

The man's hands tightened around her, lifting her gently, but his voice was firm. "Go, now. Run."

Just as the first man returned, the stranger gave her one last, desperate look. "Run, Aurora," he urged. "Do it. Now."

Aurora's heart pounded in her ears, her body trembling with fear. She took a step, then another, as quietly as she could, her instincts screaming at her to escape. The man quickly stepped back into the shadows, drawing the attention of her captors.

But Aurora didn't look back. She didn't dare.

author's note - attack me if u want :))))