Chapter 3; Sanctum of Shadows

As Dmitri settled Eleanorah into the bed of her room, her mind buzzed with a mixture of fear, confusion, and a growing sense of defiance.

Confused because of how the room Dmitri had taken her to was designed to shit a woman's preferences, though not hers.

The windows were covered with curtains that had flowery embroidery on them.

Flowers were also brought in, and kept on some parts of the side tables that stayed at strategic places of the room, unlike the other parts of the house that were covered with dark designs that gave out a cold aura.

Did he have his servants design the room for her coming even though she was just his captive or was there something else the room was meant for she questioned herself.

Her gaze shifted to Dmitri who had walked up to the door and stood at it's entrance, not leaving nor coming aby closer to her.

She felt a need to assert herself, to carve out even a small semblance of control in the situation.

"Thank you" she murmured to him, her voice wavering yet was heard by him, who stood a few metres away from her.

Dmitri nodded curtly, his expression unreadable behind his stoic facade.

"You're welcome, Signorina."

Eleanorah's eyes flickered with surprise at the use of the formal title.

"Please, call me Eleanorah," she urged softly, hoping to break through the rigid formality.

Dmitri's lips twitched almost imperceptibly,

"Dmitri," he replied in kind, acknowledging her request with a nod.

"Oh,I already knew your name"

Eleanorah moved to dismiss him, her hand hovering in the air like she had seen Vincent do to give them orders, Dmitri's stance remained unchanged.

"You can leave now, Dmitri," she spoke up, feeling the need to since he did not budge. Perhaps he did not understand what her hand gestures meant.

"You don't have to wait on me, you can leave" she added, her tone a touch more assertive this time, her discomfort was growing at his presence.

Dmitri's response was immediate and firm. "I cannot,Signorina. It is my duty to ensure your safety and in compliance with the Don's orders. I must remain by your side, wherever you are at"

Eleanorah's brows furrowed in frustration, her eyes darting to the closed door, a silent barrier between her and the freedom she craved, even if only for a moment.

"But why? It's not as if I would run away,I literally have no where to run to. Besides where would I run to when my family are at the mercy of your Don,where do you think I can run to without them?" she protested, her voice tinged with desperation.

Dmitri's gaze softened marginally, a glimmer of sympathy flickering in his eyes. "I am not following you so you wouldn't run away Signorina, I do so to protect you. My Don has never brought any woman home before. He hates women. You are the first he is bringing home and because of that you'd be in danger, that is why I am to follow you everywhere Signorina, to protect you for my Don" he finished.

" Oh, the lies to make her believe" she muttered to herself, but he heard her and she knew he heard her. But he did nothing.

Vincenzo was also known to the people of Casablanca as a womanizer.

One villager once begged the people for help when he took his daughter, but help could not be provided and till date, she never returned.

The father said that he made his daughter become a stripper and he womanized her and countless other women.

The stories travelled and he was known as that, bold of Dmitri to try and change her perceptions about him she thought.

Before Eleanorah could argue further, the door creaked open, drawing both their attention. In walked Vincent, shirtless.

He did not have his hat on this time but it was too dark for her to see his face.

He walked on to the bed where she laid in a sitting position and Eleanorah's heart raced when she saw Dimitri retreat and walk out of the room.

"What are you going to do? Are you going to kill me?" She questioned as she watched him come close to her with his knees.

" You talk too much, E-lean-norah!!" He went , stressing each syllable of her name.

"You're supposed to shriek away in fear whenever you perceive the scent of my perfume, whenever you hear my voice, whenever you see a shadow of me!"

" Why are you not afraid of me!??" He roared.

" I can bring danger to you with just a flick of my finger, I can do the worst things to you. You should fear me! You are in my world and I am the god here, the only god that matters. You should fear me if you want to live"

Vincent's words were laced with a menacing tone, his presence dominating the room. Eleanorah, though startled, refused to let fear completely overtake her. She held his gaze, her voice steady despite the fear bubbling beneath the surface.

"I don't fear you and won't fear you because fear is a choice, and I choose not to give in to it, especially to you. You may think you're a god in your world, but in mine, I am the master of mine. I won't be manipulated into submission or controlled by intimidation. I may be your captive ,but my mother taught me before her death that I should never fear anyone, except my creator."

Vincent's eyes narrowed, a mix of surprise and anger flickering across his face before he masked it with a smirk.

"You've got spirit, E-lean-norah, I'll give you that. Let's see how long that defiance lasts"

He walked out of the room in a haste. Eleanorah thought it was over but when she noticed that Dmitri did not return even after Vincenzo left, something seemed to be up.

Trying to stand up, she was startled as she saw the familiar figure hovering into the room again.

He took her by the arm and began to drag her out of the room, out of the passage, down the corridors of the fortress.

Eleanorah was not in the mood to appreciate the crystal chandeliers that adorned his grand ballroom, nor the exquisite designs. Her heart raced at where she was being taken to and what was to be done to her at where she was being taken to.

He brought her to a room she believed to be his library.

A bookshelf stood by the side of it, towering with numerous numbers of books with thick covers.

He pressed a lion antique that was at the exterior end of the bookshelf.

It activated a biometric scanner and its soft beep signaled approval as the steel doors slid open, revealing a dimly lit corridor.

Her pulse quickened as she stepped into the sanctum, her eyes adjusting to the subdued lighting that bathed it in an eerie glow.

The layout was meticulous and every firearm, blade, and explosive carefully organized on shelves and racks. The walls were adorned with a symphony of death, rifles standing tall alongside sleek handguns and wicked-looking knives. The air was thick with the scent of gun oil and metal.

Vincenzo moved with purpose, his steps echoing softly on the polished floor as he approached the central table. There, amidst tools for maintenance and customization, lay an assortment of ammunition and bullet casings.

As she took in the ambiance of the room,she felt shadows dancing across the walls, casting an ominous aura over the space.

A surveillance system watched over them, with a silent sentinel following them closely behind to ensure their safety within this sanctum of lethal armaments.

Still trotting beside him because of her arm he grabbed as he walked on, she couldn't help but ponder, his authority was absolute. It was here, amidst the arsenal of his empire, that the true nature of power and protection revealed itself—a world where danger lurked in every shadow, and survival depended on a swift hand and a steady aim.

As they continued walking to the deeper parts of the sanctum, she heard the steel doors closing behind them with a soft thud, she couldn't help but wonder how many secrets lay buried within those walls, and what darkness awaited those who dared to challenge the might of the Mafia.

She couldn't help but wonder why the government did nothing as citizens of Italy possessed this vast number of firearms.

No one discussed them in the news. He was almost untouchable.

Intermittently looking at him and thinking in her head, Eleanorah couldn't help but notice when another door opened from inside the sanctum.

The sentinel had stopped following them and stood metres away now.

As she watched the door open, she couldn't help but gasp as the contents of the opened door unveiled itself.