The Gilded Cage

He didn’t bother coming after me to the balcony. Now I understand why.  The mansion was built on a cliff surrounded by sea. The only way out of the mansion was the way we came in from.

Mother fker.

I’m not jumping from here, I have revenge to take… from everyone who bid for me at the auction, the fat guy whose hand he chopped.

Markel

Lorenzo.

And him who bought me…

I came back to the room, meeting his knowing eyes as I picked the coat off the floor, covered myself again and sat down at the desk.

Big blue eyes glared at me, “That was your attempt one. Next attempt I’ll throw you in Ghost’s dungeon.”

“You cannot keep me here forever.”

“Let’s make one thing clear,” he grabbed my ankle and lifted it.  “You belong to me now. That means you follow my rules.”

“And if I don’t?”

I bit my lips as he pressed around the deep cut on my sole.

“Then you’ll learn why no one defies me.” The servant knocked on the door and came with a bowl of warm water and towels. “How did this happen?”

I tucked the coat tighter, trying to stop the shivering, “I tried to run last night. Markel punished me by making me walk on broken glass shards.”

“Light punishment for his standards. And it’s only because you were of some value to him and no one buys damaged goods in auction.” He said, picking the bottle of antiseptic,  “Rule one: You don’t try to run. Rule two: You don’t interfere in my business. And rule three…” the sting burned my skin as he poured the antiseptic. Cruel. “You don’t give me a reason to regret buying you.”

“I-I’m not a thing you can own.” I answer while fighting through the burn.

Adrian’s expression hardened further as he reached out, tilting my chin up so our eyes met. “Five million says otherwise.”

The weight of his words pressed against my chest, but I refused to let him see the fear creeping in. I can pay him five million instantly, but that will raise questions and expose my identity.

I have done underhanded work for him and against him as CIPHER.

No one’s a friend of mine in this Mafia world. I have to hold my silence and look for an opportunity to leave.

Once he was done wrapping my feet in bandages, he lifted me again and took me to another room on the same floor and gently put me on the bed–a stark contrast to the side I saw at auction.

“This is where you’ll stay,” Adrian said, his tone flat. “You will have everything you need here. There are few clothes in the closet that will do you good for a few days until I get you some new ones. Food will be brought to you. I’ll send the doctor to give you a TT shot and some painkillers.”

I look around. It was a lavish bedroom on the second floor. It was enormous, decorated with rich, dark tones and furnished with the kind of luxury I’d only ever seen in magazines. The beauty of the room was almost unbearable, a stark contrast to the chains I now felt around me.

“So I’m a caged animal now.”

His gaze flicked to mine, unflinching. “Until I know I can trust you, yes.”

I wanted to scream at him, to fight, but the exhaustion from the day was catching up with me. As he turned to leave, the question escaped before I could stop it. “Why me?”

He paused at the door, his back to me. “Because I love playing games and you are the latest pawn who just appeared.”

Before I could respond, he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him. The sound of the lock turning, sent a chill through me, colder than anything I’d felt all day. I stayed still, fully expecting him to return and throw some more threats and rules my way.

Ten minutes passed. He didn’t.

And then I jumped off the bed. To search. Something. Anything. That can help me escape this hell.

I wish for a computer with a good Wi-Fi connection but that’s my wishful thinking.

N.O.T.H.I.N.G

Other than a few clothes and toiletries in the bathroom, there was nothing helpful. He gave me a room which had no window and the only balcony opened to the vast sea. If I do anything from here, I’ll have permanent freedom from this world instead.

So that brings me down to my only option… stay low and plan.

A little clink in the door knob made me jump back onto the bed, pulling the covers.

“Hello,” A man with shoulder length hair with streaks of white in it, came holding a box. He looked like in his thirties just as Adrian, but unlike him this one looked less scary.

I watched him as he came near me, opened the box and took out a vial and needle.

“I don’t want that?” I’m no fool to believe Adrian would send a real doctor. This must be--

He gave me the vial to read.

Tdap vaccine. So he really wanted to get me vaccinated.

I returned the vial.

“No na nope nein.”

“You are feverish, shivering, and Ady told me there were signs of infection on the cut. If you don’t want to lose your foot, you’ll let me give you this. Your choice.”

Ady? Was that how they all called him? I expected something like chief, boss or master.

“Are you a doctor?”

“Last I checked I was. But sometimes I do plumbing jobs as well.”

My lips twitch.

Adrian was watching us from the door, hands crossed. “No need to ask her. I can hold her down.”

“The fck you will!”

I had no other option but to comply.

But after getting the injection and medicines I feel something was off. Alex and Adrian didn’t leave the room and were watching me as if—

Fck.

I felt my eyes dropping, and sleep pulled me in against my will.

“You cheat.”

“Sleep Elena.”

I don’t know when Adrian crossed the room and was now next to me, his hand on my chest, pressing me on the bed as I struggle but—

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