Escape
Aria's POV
I must have dozed off.
Or passed out.
When I opened my eyes, the light seeping through the barred windows had changed. It was dimmer now. Sunset, maybe. My arms ached like hell, and I could no longer feel my fingers.
The door creaked open.
"Luca?"
I jerked upright, panic flaring in my chest.
It wasn’t Luca.
A man I hadn’t seen before stepped into the room. He looked younger than Luca: maybe late twenties, with messy brown hair, a tired face, and eyes that didn’t meet mine. He held a small knife in his hand.
My breath hitched, I gulped, staring at the knife warryly.
He noticed.
"Relax," the man muttered. "Just here to cut the ropes."
"Are you one of Luca's goons?" I snapped, my voice hoarse.
He knelt beside me, avoiding my gaze. “Something like that.”
The blade sliced through the rope around my wrists with a clean swipe. I winced as the blood rushed back into my hands, bringing with it a surge of pins and needles. I gritted my teeth, refusing to make a sound.
My hands were filled with red marks from how tight the rope had been. It wasn't like that at first... I had kept pushing the rope, trying to get it lose.
But instead it became tighter.
"Why are you helping him?" I asked, watching him move to my ankles.
It wasn't in my place to ask... But I did any ways.
His hands paused. He looked up to stare at me, a small smirk dancing on his face. “don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to. That’s rule number one around here.”
I rolled my eyes. “What’s rule number two?” I asked mockingly.
He gave me a tired glance. “Don’t get involved. People who care too much usually end up dead.”
A chill ran down my spine.
The ropes fell away from my legs, and I instantly pulled them to my chest, rubbing my wrists. My skin was raw, the rope burns a painful reminder of what the day had been.
“Water?” he asked after a moment.
I hesitated, then nodded.
He disappeared and returned with a plastic bottle. No label. My paranoia kicked in.
"Is it drugged?" I asked dryly.
He shrugged. “Probably not. But I wouldn't blame you for not trusting it.”
I didn’t. But my throat was screaming, so I took a small sip. Just enough to wet my tongue.
He lingered by the door for a moment before saying, “You shouldn’t try to run.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why? Because Luca will kill me?”
He looked at me then...really looked. And for a split second, there was something... human in his eyes.
“No,” he said. “Because someone worse might find you first.”
Then he left.
And once again, I was alone.
My father was involved in all this things... I knew there was always someone worse.
But I had to leave, I couldn't stay here until my father decided to rescue me. No.
Luca was already certain that it wouldn't happen.
...
I waited a few minutes, heart thudding as I tried to make sense of his warning. Worse than Luca? Was that even possible?
I stood slowly, my legs wobbling as the blood returned. The room spun slightly. My head still felt foggy, but I pushed past it. I needed to find a way out.
The room was bare; four walls, no windows aside from the tiny barred one near the ceiling. One wooden chair. No camera. No obvious lock on the inside.
But the door hadn’t made a click when it closed.
I walked toward it quietly, pressing my ear against the wood.
Silence.
I tried the knob.
Locked.
I swore under my breath and paced back, looking around for anything... anything... I could use.
A loose nail on the chair. That was something.
I pulled at it, fingers trembling, until it finally gave way. My heart pounded in my chest. This wasn’t much, but it was all I had.
If Luca thought he’d broken me... he hadn’t.
I wasn’t just some pawn. I wasn’t my father.
And I wasn’t going to wait around until someone worse came for me.
I didn’t know who Luca Morretti really was, or what he wanted to do with my father, but I needed answers.
About him. About Jared. About the Morretti I used to know.
And most of all… I needed to survive.
I clutched the nail tightly, my hand shaking.
It wasn’t sharp enough to stab anyone—but maybe sharp enough to pick a lock. Maybe sharp enough to scratch someone’s face if I had to. Either way, it was better than nothing.
I crouched beside the door and examined the lock. It looked basic enough, but I wasn’t exactly a criminal mastermind. I’d watched a few crime shows, sure....but nothing in my life had prepared me for this.
My fingers were still numb, but I pushed the nail inside the lock anyway, trying to remember how the actors did it.
Wiggle, then a twist... then Tap.
Nothing.
I exhaled harshly and tried again.
Wiggle. Twist. Tap.
A soft click.
I froze.
Did that actually work?
Slowly, I turned the knob again. This time, it gave way.
My heart leapt.
I cracked the door open just an inch, peeking out into the hallway... There were no guards.
Not a single soul was present.
I couldn’t tell if that was a blessing or a trap.
One step at a time, Aria. Don’t be stupid.