Chapter 3 - The Blood Debt
Anaëlle stared at the lifeless body in absolute, paralyzing horror.
It was indeed Tommy, the exact man who had introduced her brother to the underground casinos.
"What did you do to him?" she screamed, pushing frantically away from the piano bench.
The mafia boss casually wiped a drop of blood from his tailored suit jacket.
"I simply collected a major debt that your family owes me," he replied incredibly smoothly.
"My name is Julian, and your brother stole fifty thousand dollars from my syndicate."
Anaëlle felt the massive room spin violently around her.
Her brother had explicitly promised he was finally clean and working a normal, honest job.
"I do not have that kind of money to pay you," she cried, backing away until she hit the cold wall.
Julian walked slowly toward her, his dark green eyes entirely unreadable.
"I know you do not have the money, Anaëlle."
"That is exactly why your brother offered you to me as collateral."
She felt her heart shatter into a million jagged pieces at the ultimate, devastating betrayal.
The five hundred dollar gig was absolutely nothing but a wicked, calculated trap.
She was essentially sold to a ruthless criminal just to save her brother's pathetic life.
"You cannot keep me here against my will," she stated bravely, trying to mask her sheer terror.
"You are perfectly free to walk out that front door right now," Julian offered, gesturing to the bloody hallway.
"But if you leave this room, my men will find your brother before the sun rises."
Anaëlle looked at the heavy oak doors leading out to her total freedom.
She knew Julian was absolutely not bluffing about his lethal, violent intentions.
She slowly walked away from the door and stood completely defeated in the center of the room.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked in a broken whisper.
Julian handed her a heavy, ornate gold-plated key.
"Go up the marble stairs and unlock the third door on the very left."
"You will find out exactly what your brother was trying to steal from my safe."
Anaëlle gripped the cold key tightly and cautiously climbed the grand, sweeping staircase.
She found the third door in the hallway and turned the heavy lock with a loud click.
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She pushed the door open and screamed at the absolutely terrifying sight inside.
Her brother was tied tightly to a wooden chair, completely covered in glowing explosive devices.
