He does something I’m not prepared for. He cuts Sarah, separating her earlobe from her head. Blood runs down her neck. The sight of it sends me into a rage, but it’s the way she bites back her scream that keeps my rational mind from being consumed.

“Where is she?” the doctor howls. “Where is Rosemarie Palmeri?”

The sight of her blood weakens me. It has to stop.

“She’s alive. She’s fine.”

“Let me talk to her.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Now!”

Sarah closes her eyes as the knife makes a dent in her neck. I hope she’s praying, because I don’t have the luxury. Her quietness, her trust, and her patience are a necessity. One wrong move and she’s dead. I can’t lose her.

“How?” I ask, spreading my arms so the gun’s harmlessly aimed away. Above them, her father’s steely gaze mocks my dickless question. “I’ve been living in a box with nothing. How am I supposed to let you talk to her?”

He whispers something in Sarah’s ear. I can’t hear it. I don’t like it. I want his murderous teeth away from her. I want to get her out from under her father.

“Palmeri,” I growl when I can’t take another second of this shit. He puts the knife to the soft part of her throat. She nods. “What’s going on? What are you telling her?”

Sarah pats his hip as he talks to her, then she reaches his jacket pocket and pulls out a phone.

“Good girl.” He praises her. It’s my heart in a woodchipper. He has no right.

“I’m going to rip you to shreds,” I threaten from the bottom of my balls.

Someone rushes in and stops short. I can’t look away from Sarah to save my own life.

“What…?” Oria stops. “Dario.”

“Shush,” I grunt.

Palmeri glances behind me, then says, “She’s going it throw it to you, and you’re going to call my daughter.”

“Who’s his…?” Mid-sentence, Oria realizes what he’s demanding. “Nuh-uh. No.”

“Oria. Shut it.”

I don’t want to hear all the reasons I shouldn’t call Rosemarie. It will give away the location of twenty-seven women. It will open them up to recapture. The Colonia will descend on them like a storm, and I’ll probably be killed anyway.

I know it. I know it all. But it’s the only chance Sarah will make it out of this gallery.

“Lucari!” The doctor shouts me out of the reverie of consequences, pressing the knife to her throat. The skin breaks. It’s a nick, but it bleeds with her ear.

“Throw it to me, Sarah.” I hold out my hand to catch it.