Jorja’s feet dangled beneath her limp body as her mind slowly came back to life. Apart from the dull ache pounding against her brow, she felt little else.
She tried raising her head but was barely able to move. It felt leaden and unresponsive. The fluid that had formed in the center of her bottom lip threatened to drop onto the floor and told her that she was suspended, not lying down.
Turning her attention to the senses she had left, she heard nothing but silence at first. But, as her perception became more vivid, she was certain she was not alone. Movement caught her attention to her right and she tried turning her head sideways to listen. There was shallow breathing, right beside her. Her mind instantly went to Ben and she tried calling out his name. But the poison hadn’t worn off yet and it had left her tongue thick and bitter tasting. The vile sensation in her mouth made her feel sick and she fought back the urge to throw up. Desperate to make sense of it all she willed her mind into consciousness and soon fragments of memories cut through the blanket of fog that held her mind captive.
She recalled the sharp sting in her neck, Gustav’s frantic shouting next to her, and Ben’s strong hand in hers. They’d been ambushed, taken by surprise, and driven to the ground without so much as a chance to fight off Sokolov’s men. Then sobering thoughts drove through the fog. They were still alive, at least she was.
“Ben,” she forced his name from her numb lips, then listened.
Next to her, she heard him moan, barely audible, but she was certain it was him. She shot up a prayer of thanks that he was still alive and again called out to him. This time his voice was louder. Still unable to lift her head much she forced her heavy eyelids open. Her vision was blurry but she soon traced the outlines of his body next to her. Like her, he was suspended from the roof; his hands bound high above his head.
Desperate to gain control of her body again, she tried moving her feet beneath her to support her weight. It worked but her body weighed a ton and her injured arm suddenly shot immeasurable pain through her shoulder. They had tied her hands above her head too, unaware of the injury to her arm. Suddenly emotions overtook her and she tried to fight back the urge to cry but couldn’t. Tears streamed down her cheeks. They were tears of gratitude for being alive, but mostly tears of fear for what was yet unknown. Sokolov could have easily killed them, yet he hadn’t. Why? And where was Gustav?
With her sight now almost fully restored and the nerve-endings in her body slowly coming to life, she managed to lift her head off her chest. Next to her Ben moaned as his body also steadily came alive.
“Ben, can you hear me?”
He moaned a response.
“You’re okay, it’s just the effects of the toxin still wearing off. Give it a few minutes.”
The feeling in her legs had slowly returned and she managed to put her full body weight on her legs to stand. The motion instantly released the tension of the chains on her hands and arms.
Glimpses of clay-colored cobbles eventually flowed into a powdery amber floor. At first thought, it felt similar to that of a dank cellar of sorts, but it was far too expansive. There was something eerie about it, like death was present.
Gustav was nowhere to be seen and she looked over her shoulder searching for him. Loose chains similar to the ones that bound her and Ben were dangling slightly behind her and to her left. Fear suddenly gripped her. What if they had already killed him and they were coming for her or Ben next? She trembled at the thought of being tortured first. Sokolov had every reason to hold a grudge against her, and certainly against Gustav.
Ben’s voice had her turn to face him.
“Jorja, did they hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine. You?” She noticed a deep cut above his nose and the dried blood on his skin.
“I’ll live.”
On his feet now too, he yanked at the chain above his head.
“It’s no use. Save your energy.”
She saw Ben searching the space.
“I think we’re underground somewhere, maybe a cellar,” she announced.
“Or a dungeon,” Ben cut in.
“They took Gustav, at least, I think they did. Look.” She pushed her head back over her left shoulder to point out the shackles that dangled from the chain.
“What if Sokolov tortured him to give back his money?”
“Then he got what he deserved.”
“No one deserves death, Ben, no matter how much we despise him.”
She bit down on her lip, forcing herself not to ask if he thought they’d come for her next. But Ben had sensed her burning question already.
“If he wanted us dead, his men would have killed us already.”
She was about to offer her thoughts when the sound of keys clanked against a door somewhere in front of them. They listened as an iron bolt scraped against metal before the door creaked open.
Feet shuffled toward them. As the faint light brought them into vision Jorja saw two burly men dragging Gustav toward them. When they were close enough and his face came into view she saw he had been beaten. Her body tensed, steeling herself for what might be her fate next.
“What did you do to him? Why are we here?” she dared to ask.
The men ignored her questions and finished securing Züber to the chains. When they were done they moved to one side, hands clasped in front of them like military men waiting for their next command.
Once more, footsteps announced the arrival of another captor and they pinned their eyes onto the shadowy outlines of a well-dressed man as he slowly moved into the light in front of them.
Jorja recognized him the instant the light fell on his deep-set eyes that peered at her from beneath his heavy black brows. Artem Sokolov’s angry gaze sliced into her soul, making her heart plunge to her stomach with dread.
She wanted to say something but her tongue caught in her throat and she tore her eyes away from his intense gaze instead.
He moved closer, so close that she could smell his expensive cologne, taste the vodka on his breath when he spoke.
“Your business partner is refusing to cooperate with me, Ms. Rose, so I am wondering what to do next.”
“He’s not my business partner,” she replied, her tone icy.
Sokolov’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t like liars, Jorja, especially if they lie to my face.”
“She’s not lying,” Ben jumped to her defense.
“Tell your boyfriend to shut his mouth.”
He let his unspoken threat linger before he spoke again.
“Do you know why I had my men bring you here instead of killing you?”
She refused to answer.
“Fine, I will tell you. You and Mr. Züber cost me millions, not to mention the damage caused to my family name. So I thought to myself, I could turn a blind eye and let my men have the satisfaction of killing you, or I can do it myself. Naturally, you can understand that it will bring me much more pleasure to see you beg for your life before I kill you, right? So here we are.”
He turned to one of his men who handed him a gun before taking up his position again.
“But here is my problem. I don’t know which one of you to kill first.” He let out a sadistic laugh that echoed through the underground space.
Resting the tip of the gun against his dimpled chin he looked at Gustav who was barely conscious.
“Mr. Züber was my first choice because, well, it’s obvious he ran the show and should therefore die first. But then I didn’t expect to be lucky enough to also have your boyfriend join us.”
“Leave him out of this, Sokolov. He had nothing to do with what happened,” Jorja begged.
He laughed again.
“That is precisely my problem, Jorja. You see, to derive maximum satisfaction from this vengeful situation, killing him first will undoubtedly hurt you most. See where I’m going with this?”
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he stopped to read the text. Anger instantly flushed his cheeks as he read it and seconds later dropped the phone back into his pocket. He took a few steps back then aimed his gun at Ben.
“Decision made, he goes first, then you, and finally Züber. Not only did the two of you steal from me, but now Züber’s entire double-dealing business and client list is in every newspaper across the globe! Losing money is one thing, but taking my children’s inheritance and tarnishing my family name is an entirely different situation!”
He aimed the gun at Ben’s chest, then turned to see the pain that Ben’s death would render in Jorja’s eyes.
“No wait!” she yelled.
“Let us go and I will not only get all your money back, but I will clear your name and ensure you have enough bargaining power to keep you out of jail for a very long time.”
Sokolov’s gaze probed her face but he held his aim, so Jorja tried to negotiate with him once more.
“I can get you the Salvator Mundi.”
Thank you for reading VENGEANCE IS MINE! I hope you loved Jorja Rose as much as I do.
Jorja’s perilous journey continues in book 2, SHADOW OF FEAR.
Will she be able to make true on her bargain with Sokolov or did she promise more than she can handle? One-click Shadow of Fear now!
“Urcelia has outdone herself. Fast pace…who can Jorja trust when she’s not sure if she can trust herself, or God. Will she be able to save Ben and will Jorja find her faith in God? If you liked Vengeance is Mine you will double love Shadow of Fear.”
BOOK 2:
Enemies collide in the second installment of the toe-curling Christian Suspense Thriller that left readers gasping for more at the end of book one!
What seemed like the end was really the beginning.
Retaliation blinds Jorja as she hunts down her enemies, hoping to put her past behind her for good.
Only to find that breaking free isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. Blood was shed, lives were lost, and now more lives are at stake. Caught in a deadlock between enemies who won’t stop until they serve revenge, Jorja has to make a choice.
Make a deal with the devil, or die!
Her choice sets in motion one of the biggest assignments she has ever undertaken. One where fear threatens to seize her heart and take her soul.
Can she finally break free from death’s clutches and risk it all one more time?
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Turn the page for an excerpt from SHADOW OF FEAR.