Page 35 of The Woman with the Handcuffs

While the mafia capo slept peacefully beside me, our wrists cuffed together.

CHAPTER NINE

Gavino

“Does this look consensual?” I asked as Leo glanced at Caitlin’s fleeing form as she, I imagined, made a mad dash for the stairwell.

My brother stepped into the apartment, kicking the door closed, then putting the bag of bagels on the table.

“I dunno what you’re into, man,” he said, lips curved up. “I don’t wanna kink-shame.”

“Even if I were into bondage, did that woman look like a fucking dominatrix?”

“I dunno. It’s always the quiet, unassuming ones who are the kinkiest in my experience.”

“Can you just find the damn handcuff key, find a knife, and get me out of this?”

“I dunno. This is a rare occasion. I feel like I should capitalize on your inability to make a quiet exit by inviting the family over to force you to talk to them for a few minutes.”

But he was going for the knife drawer as he said it, coming back with the bread knife and sawing through the badly tied rope.

“Any idea where the key is?” he asked. “Or a pin?”

“In the backpack.”

He nodded, making his way over there.

“She’s got a whole Kidnapping For Beginners kit here, huh?”

“If she only knew how to use it,” I agreed as he dug around in the pockets until he found the little key ring.

“What do you mean? She had you secured pretty well.”

“Only because I showed her that I could get out of her first attempt to restrain me.”

“You showed her?” he asked as the cuff opened.

I brought my arms forward, feeling the scream in my shoulders as I inspected the red marks on my wrists.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“She was about to piece it together anyway.”

“Takes balls to hold a mafia capo hostage. With a bum arm, no less.”

“Nah, she broke her wrist punching me,” I told him, gesturing toward my lip that still felt tight with the scab from the split.

“And she… went to get it casted while she had you tied to a chair?”

“I told her to.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?”

“Because it was broken and she was being stubborn,” I said, getting up and stretching my tight muscles. “And because I wanted to take a shower and get some food.”

Leo watched me for a long moment, his brows pinched.