003

Cecilia's POV

“You might want to relax Dominick,” The boss said, barely batting an eyelid at the furious man standing mere metres away.

I frowned at the man's appearance. Aside from the slight wrinkles on his face and the white strands that filled his hair, he looked a lot like the boss.

Like Don Petrov.

They had to be related then.

I wasn't exactly sure how the mafia worked. Dad had kept his involvement with them a secret but I wasn't naive to believe he was completely clean.

That didn't mean that Dad was a villain either. He loved us. He would do anything to protect us. To protect me. Even when- Tears burned the corner of my eyes as I looked down at my stomach. Even when I had disappointed him, he had promised to stand by my side.

“Calm down? B'yad! What were you thinking? She's a Rossi!” Dominik bellowed, pointing at me. The look on his face was murderous enough for me to drop my spoon in fear.

I hadn't told Don my name. I glanced at him, eyes wide in fear. What would he do to me? Would he kill me? My baby… What about my baby?

I expected him to rain on his accusations. To yell at me or tell me as his men had, that my father was a traitor.

Instead, he arched a brow, gave an amused smile then turned to the furious man.

“I see,” he said so plainly. If I wasn't so terrified, I could have laughed at the look of shock on Dominick's face.

“That's all you have to say, Nephew?” Dominick hissed.

I was right. He was related to Don.

“I'm not certain what you expect me to say, Uncle,” He shrugged, taking a spoonful of his meal.

Dominick's eyes narrowed and he stepped closer until he stood right beside Ivan.

The air crackled with the tension that brewed between them. My stomach growled but I dared not take another spoon. I wanted to ignore them. I hadn't had a proper meal in days and frankly, I wasn't sure when I would have a proper meal next.

But this was about me. Whatever decision these men came to about me, that would have sealed my fate. Mom and Dad were gone.

I didn't know where they took Alex.

All I had left, all I had at all, was myself and my baby.

“You knew all along, didn't you?” Dominick growled, glaring down at his nephew. “You knew she was a Rossi and you brought her in any way?!”

“What I do with my money is not your business, Dominick,” The boss said. Despite the blank expression on his face, his eyes had hardened into grey icicles.

“But it's Rossi. That backstabbing son of a bitch! You're cradling his daughter now, huh? Is that it?”

My father was not a traitor, I wanted to yell. He was the kindest, sweetest man to live and they were wrong to kill him. They were wrong.

Tears slid down my cheeks in fat droplets and I tried wiping it off hurriedly.

“Oh spare me those fake tears, Rossi,” Dominick spat, taking slow yet predatory steps toward where I sat. “I know your kind. Every single bone in that stupid body of yours is filled with treachery! Your innocent face does not fool me.”

“You've made your point clear, Uncle,” Ivan said. His plate clinked as he took another spoon of his food. He looked too carefree as if all three of us were making small talk.

“You can't be serious right now,”

“I know what I am doing!”

Silence hung in the air after that bold statement. Steel grey eyes glared heavily at Dominick and I shuddered at the thought of being on the receiving end of his cruel glare.

“Trust,” Ivan said in a gravelly tone, “Trust that I know what I am doing, Uncle,”

Dominick scoffed. “You act irrationally and then you ask me to trust you? Do not be ridiculous…”

A hand clamped around my shoulder and my lips parted in a silent scream.

“It's me,” Alista whispered in my ears, “Come. We must leave immediately,”

I sighed in relief and jumped to my feet immediately. I was aware of a particular set of grey eyes that followed me as Alista led me out of the dining room.

Only when we stepped into the room and she closed the door behind her did I allow myself to breathe?

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, he knows,” I whispered, settling on the bed with trembling knees.

The boss knew. Dominick knew. I wasn't safe. My baby. My baby wasn't safe! I wrapped my arms around my belly, breathing rapidly. The room seemed too big and I could hear the loud pounding of my heart and blood rushing to my ears.

“Breathe,” Alista’s voice breached through the folds of anxiety that had wrapped around me.

She ran her hands over my hair, patting it lightly. “Breathe in, breathe out. Just relax,”

I shook my head. I could hear the gunshots. I could hear Alex's scream. I could see my dead parents.

I was next!

“H-He’ll kill me. He will!” I whispered nervously and looked up at the window. Just how high up was my room? If I jumped, could I still make it alive?

“Thinking about escaping?” Alita laughed as if I were a silly child.

“I have to get out of here,”

“Listen, if Don Petrov wanted you dead, you would already be dead. No games, no stories, you'd be long gone from this world.” She explained as if she were super proud of him.

I gulped at her words. Didn't that make him all the more dangerous?

“But he has spared you. You should be thankful,” She walked towards the closet and fished out a plain dress before sauntering over to me.

There had to be a reason why he had spared me. ‘Spar’ didn't quite fit considering he had spent fifty million to obtain me. ‘Purchase’ was more fitting.

If he had wanted me dead, all it would have cost him was a bullet. And I doubted that would cost fifty million.

“You're right,” I muttered, and my breathing slowly returned to normal.

She was wrong. I shouldn't be at his mercy. Why did I have to be grateful to a murderer?! He deserved to die, he deserved to go through the pain my mother went through.

But I couldn't say that to Alista. She was beautiful and all, but she was loyal to the devil. Expressing my true feelings would be suicide.

Instead, I stuck with a nervous smile and retrieved the dress from her. “Thank you Alista.”

“You're welcome. Will you tell me your name then? Or shall I simply call you, Rossi?”

I winced and shook my head. “Cecilia. I'm Cecilia.”

“Aw, it's such a beautiful name. It is nice to meet you, Cecilia.”

And with that warm smile gracing her pretty face, she turned on her heels and walked out of my room.

I listened for the clicking sound when she closed the door before rushing towards it, trying to lock it.

I couldn't.

The door did not have a lock.

Which meant I was vulnerable even in my room.

“Crap,” I muttered before giving up.

I changed into the dress Alista had given me and settled in the huge bed. Don Petrov was the devil, yet the bed he had given me was heavenly. I fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

I had barely slept for an hour when the door to my room flew open. After days locked up with women I didn't know, I had grown to be a light sleeper. I sat up immediately, eyes wide, ready to run when I saw Don Petrov walk right in like he owned the place.

Well, he did. I couldn't fault him for that.

His eyes held mine as he approached and my breath ceased. Fear rolled within along with the tiniest of wonder. How could a man so gorgeous be the perfect epitome of a devil?

“Did I think of your nap, kitten?” He asked, his face blank as ever.

I remained quiet, unsure of what to say and how to say it without getting my brains blown off.

His scent teased my nose. A musky woody scent that had my body stirring in response.

Rough hands grazed my chin before cupping my face. I gasped when he tilted my head to look up at him.

“Or shall I say, Cecilia Rossi,” He chuckled mirthlessly.

“W-What are you going to do to me?” I asked, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

His brows knitted in a frown when a tear rolled down and he flicked it away.

“I have just one question,” He murmured. “Perhaps I will have more later. I demand answers, kitten. The truth and not a speck of a lie mixed in. Do you understand me?”

I nodded, feeling helpless with each passing minute.

“What do you know about the secret assassins your father was working with?”