THE PRICE OF SIN

THE FACILITY

Chapter 13

Elena woke to the sound of Lorenzo's heartbeat beneath her ear and the warmth of his arms wrapped protectively around her. For a moment, she allowed herself to forget about everything—the threats, the facility, her mother's ominous message. In this stolen moment, there was only Lorenzo's steady breathing and the way his fingers unconsciously stroked her hair even in sleep.

But reality crashed back when her phone buzzed again.

Elena carefully reached for it without disturbing Lorenzo, her stomach dropping when she saw the message: "Tick tock, Elena. Your friend doesn't have much time left. Neither do you. —M"

Attached was a photo that made Elena's blood freeze. It showed Mia strapped to a medical chair, but this time Elena could tell it was real—her friend's terrified eyes, the way her left hand was clenched in that familiar nervous habit, the small scar on her chin from when they'd crashed their bikes as kids.

"Lorenzo," Elena whispered urgently, shaking his shoulder.

His eyes snapped open instantly, alert and focused. "What's wrong?"

Elena showed him the message and photo. Lorenzo's jaw tightened as he studied the image.

"They moved her," he said grimly. "This isn't the facility we were planning to hit. Look at the background—those are shipping containers, not laboratory walls."

Elena's enhanced vision picked up details she'd missed before. "The lighting is different too. More industrial."

Lorenzo sat up, his muscles rippling in the morning light filtering through the motel curtains. Elena couldn't help but admire the view, even with crisis looming.

"We need Vincent," Lorenzo said, reaching for his phone. But when he tried to call, it went straight to voicemail.

"That's not good," Elena said.

Lorenzo tried Marco next, with the same result. Then Mrs. Chen. Nothing.

"Someone's jamming our communications," Lorenzo realized. "Or worse."

Elena felt cold dread settle in her chest. "You think they're all—?"

"I think your mother is very thorough." Lorenzo was already moving, gathering his clothes with efficient precision. "We're on our own."

Elena watched him dress, appreciating the way his muscles moved beneath his skin. Even in crisis, her body responded to him with embarrassing eagerness.

"Elena," Lorenzo's voice was amused. "As much as I appreciate the admiration, we need to focus."

Elena blushed but didn't look away. "Can't a girl enjoy the view?"

Lorenzo's eyes darkened with familiar heat. "Keep looking at me like that, principessa, and we're not leaving this bed anytime soon."

"Promise?" Elena stretched languidly, letting the sheet slip lower.

Lorenzo groaned, his control visibly wavering. "You're going to be the death of me."

"But what a way to go," Elena purred, then gasped as Lorenzo was suddenly on top of her, his mouth claiming hers in a kiss that was all possession and barely controlled hunger.

"Mine," he growled against her lips. "No matter what happens today, you're mine."

"Yours," Elena agreed breathlessly, her hands tangling in his hair to pull him closer.

They might have given in to temptation again if Elena's phone hadn't rung with an incoming call from "Unknown."

Lorenzo cursed in Italian but answered it. "What do you want?"

Elena could hear her mother's voice through the speaker: "I want to make a deal."

"We don't make deals with terrorists," Lorenzo snarled.

"Terrorist? I'm hurt, Lorenzo. I prefer 'concerned mother.'" Maria's voice was maddeningly calm. "Here's the situation: I have Elena's friend and fourteen other enhanced individuals. You have my daughter and Dr. Vance."

Elena grabbed the phone. "Mom, what do you want?"

"A trade, stellina. Vance for your friends. Simple."

"And then what? You disappear again for another fifteen years?"

"Then I keep you safe from people who would use you as a weapon." Maria's voice softened slightly. "Elena, you don't understand what Lorenzo really is. What his family really does."

Elena looked at Lorenzo, whose face had gone carefully blank. "Then tell me."

"The Santangeios aren't just crime family. They're biological weapons dealers. They've been selling enhanced humans to the highest bidders for decades."

Elena's blood ran cold, but Lorenzo shook his head firmly. "That's not true."

"Isn't it?" Maria's voice turned sharp. "Ask him about the shipping containers, Elena. Ask him about the clients who pay extra for 'special services.'"

Elena stared at Lorenzo, searching his face for any sign of deception. "Lorenzo?"

"I've never sold people," Lorenzo said quietly. "Never. I swear on my mother's grave."

"But?" Elena could hear the hesitation in his voice.

Lorenzo closed his eyes briefly. "My father did. Before I took over operations. It's one of the businesses I've been trying to shut down."

Elena felt like the ground was shifting beneath her feet again. "How many people?"

"I don't know. Dozens, maybe hundreds over the years." Lorenzo's voice was filled with self-loathing. "It's why I've been trying to legitimize our operations, why I've been fighting with my father about the direction of the family."

"And Elena was supposed to be your newest product," Maria continued through the phone. "The ultimate enhanced human, sold to whoever could pay the most."

"No," Lorenzo said fiercely. "Elena was never going to be sold. I would have died before I let that happen."

Elena wanted to believe him, but doubt was creeping in. "Then why keep me at the club? Why not just let me go?"

Lorenzo's silence stretched too long.

"Because," Maria answered for him, "he was waiting for you to come into your abilities. Enhanced humans are worthless until their powers manifest. But once they do..."

"Stop," Elena whispered, feeling sick.

"The going rate for a fully enhanced individual is fifty million dollars," Maria continued relentlessly. "For someone with your particular genetics, the price would be in the hundreds of millions."

Elena looked at Lorenzo, whose face had gone pale. "Is that true?"

"The prices are true," Lorenzo admitted quietly. "But Elena, I swear to you, I was never going to sell you. What happened between us last night—"

"Could be part of the manipulation," Elena finished, her heart breaking.

"No." Lorenzo reached for her, but Elena pulled away. "Elena, everything I told you last night was true. I love you."

"How am I supposed to believe that? How am I supposed to trust anything you say?" Elena's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Because I chose you over everything else," Lorenzo said desperately. "My family, my business, my life—I would throw it all away for you."

"Pretty words," Maria's voice cut through their moment. "But Elena, you need to make a choice. Come with me, and I'll release your friends. Stay with Lorenzo, and they die."

Elena stared at the phone, then at Lorenzo, feeling torn between two impossible choices.

"Where do you want to meet?" Elena asked finally.

"Elena, no," Lorenzo grabbed her arm. "You can't trust her."

"I can't trust anyone," Elena shot back. "That seems to be the theme of my life lately."

"The old airplane hangar on the outskirts of Pahrump," Maria said. "One hour. Bring Vance. Come alone."

"Elena—" Lorenzo started.

"I said alone, Lorenzo." Maria's voice turned cold. "If I see you or any of your people, the girl dies first. Slowly."

The line went dead.

Elena stared at the silent phone, feeling more alone than she had since her father's death.

"I have to go," she said quietly.

"I won't let you," Lorenzo said firmly.

"You can't stop me." Elena's voice carried new authority, the tone of someone who had discovered her own power. "I won't let innocent people die because of me."

Lorenzo studied her face, seeing the determination there. "Then we go together."

"She said—"

"I don't care what she said." Lorenzo's voice was hard as steel. "I'm not losing you, Elena. Not to her, not to anyone."

Elena felt her heart do something complicated in her chest. Despite everything, despite her doubts about his motives, the raw possessiveness in Lorenzo's voice made her pulse race.

"Even if it means war with my mother?"

"Especially if it means war with your mother." Lorenzo pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against his chest. "I told you last night—you're mine now. That means I protect what's mine."

Elena allowed herself to melt into his embrace, breathing in his familiar scent. "What if she's telling the truth about you?"

"Then I'll spend the rest of my life proving her wrong." Lorenzo tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Elena, I can't undo my family's past. I can't change the things my father did. But I can promise you that as long as I'm breathing, no one will ever hurt you."

Elena searched his face, looking for any sign of deception. All she saw was raw, desperate honesty.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Okay?"

"We go together. But Lorenzo?" Elena's voice turned serious. "If you're lying to me, if this is all just some elaborate manipulation, I will kill you myself."

Lorenzo's smile was sharp and predatory. "I wouldn't expect anything less from my monster."

Elena stood on her toes to kiss him, pouring all her conflicted emotions into the contact. When they broke apart, both were breathing hard.

"Ready to face your mother?" Lorenzo asked.

Elena thought about Maria—the woman who had abandoned her, faked her death, and spent fifteen years building elaborate schemes while Elena grieved for her.

"Let's go get my friends back," Elena said, her voice hard with determination. "And then I'm going to have a very long overdue conversation with my mother."

But as they prepared to leave the motel, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking into a trap that had been fifteen years in the making.

And this time, she might not survive it.