Chapter 4

I don't know how long I've been here, but it feels like I've been here for hours and hours. Who knows, maybe even days.

I don't remember how I got here or what happened after those men broke into my apartment. I only remember them putting me in a corner in my living room, and then everything went dark.

After I fell asleep, I woke up here. Even though I don't know where this place is. I'm in a room with a small window and a hanging light that looks like it's been there through every single world war. The strange men around me sound like they have Italian accents.

The sound of the door opening again pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look over to see the same man walk in again. He has two small cups in each hand and is nodding to the man standing against the wall next to me.

He walks over and picks up a chair, unfolds it so the man can sit on it, and puts it right in front of me.

I keep looking at him as he sits down, putting one of the cups on the floor by his foot and holding the other one out in front of me. "Here, it's just water."

I look into the cup to see what's inside because I'm not sure I believe him. When I look up at him again, I'm not sure what to think. He sighs and puts the cup on the floor next to the other one.

His big legs are almost touching mine as he rests his forearms on them. He rubs his hands together and then plays with one of his gold rings by spinning it around his finger.

"So, Maria." He begins. "What's your age?"

"Twenty-two." I tell him.

In answer, he slowly nods his head and rolls his lips together. "Why take pictures?"

I give a sheepish shrug of the shoulders. "I'm not sure. I guess I've always been a fan."

I flick my eyes up to his and watch as he keeps looking at me like he's trying to figure me out while I chew on the inside of my mouth.

"I just realized that you don't know my name, but you know yours." He says this while sitting up straight in his seat. "I'm Dontae."

As he shifts in his seat, my eyes go to his white dress shirt. The muscles under his shirt can be seen straining against the thin fabric. A small chain around his neck is barely noticeable, and he has a small gold hoop in his ear.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just want to know why you took the photo and why you ran away." Adding.

Why are we still talking about this stupid picture?

"I've already told you it was a mistake. I wasn't trying to take a picture of you and your scary big friends; you were just in the background." I answer.

"Then why did you run if you didn't mean to?"

His question makes me raise my eyebrows. "Would you run away if two scary guys with guns came after you? Or would you wait to see if they were just going to ask you again?" I disagree.

He doesn't say anything, but he takes a deep breath and lifts his brows just a little. "Running made you look guilty."

"Well, who knows where I'd be if I hadn't. "For all I know, I could have been dead." I tell him. "Why wouldn't I run if someone was after me?"

Again, he doesn't answer. Instead, he just keeps looking at me. His big brown eyes are looking at me closely, as if he's either deep in thought or trying to figure out if what I'm telling him is true.

I wiggle my wrists again and feel the rope cut my skin for what seems like the hundredth time. "Can you please untie me? I'm not going to do anything."

"No."

I frown, still grimacing at the burning feeling, and make a lot of wimpy noises on purpose to see if it will get him to do something.

He looks like he's thinking about it before he finally stands up and walks around the back of my chair. He quickly takes the rope out of my hands with his big hands, and it falls to the floor behind me.

Ha, too simple.

When I finally get my hands free, I move them in front of me and look down at them. There are cuts and burns where I pulled so hard.

When he gets back to his seat, he picks up the cup of water again and holds it out to me. "I swear it's just water," he said.

I raise my eyebrows when he picks up the other one as well, brings it to his lips, and drinks some as if to show me he's right.

"Why should I believe what you say?" I ask.

"You're not." He says. "Don't put your faith in anyone."

So, that makes sense, right? Not.

"I'm not like that." He continues. "Into the whole thing of giving drugs to women. I don't like that."

Where does he want to go? He gives me a pat on the back and says, "Here, take it again."

I look at the cup and think about whether or not to believe him. I mean, I'm really thirsty, and if it's just water, I'd be crazy not to drink some.

"Okay," I say hesitantly, and take the cup from him. As I bring it to my mouth and take a small sip, I try to keep my hands from shaking.

When I'm done, he puts out his hand for me to give it back to him. I do, and he puts them both back on the floor.

"Look, Maria, here's the thing. I can't trust you."

I furrowed my brows. "You mean what?"

"You might be telling the truth and have accidentally taken the picture, but I don't know that for sure yet. I can't let you go because I don't want you to talk about what you now know."

What do we know? I don't know anything about it. You think that we do things that are against the law that you could easily report to the police. I don't know, but you might have a copy on another hard drive somewhere. You could have more than one copy. "

What does this man want to say?

"So, because I'm in a giving mood today, I'll make you a deal." He continues.

I laugh. "A deal? What's the deal?"

"Well, I saved your life, for one thing. That means you have to pay me now." When he says it, my eyes get big.

"I have nothing to pay you!" I snap. "What do you mean you didn't kill me?"

"I could have killed you right away, but I didn't. Unless you're really ready to die." He says mockingly.

"No I don't want to die!" I scream. "Please, I just want to go home." "But what about my apartment?! Oh my god, I bet it's a total mess." I yell, and he just shrugs his shoulders, as if my panic doesn't bother him. Then, all of a sudden, I have another thought. "Oh my god, what's going on with Ares?"

He raises his eyebrows, and his jaw seems to tighten for some reason. "Who is Ares?"

"My cat." I answer, and he just stares at me for a while before he gives me a small, very annoying grin.

"Ares is the name of your cat?" He says something, almost making fun of it, and I narrow my eyes. "Piss on the cat."

I laugh at what he says. "Fuck you." I mutter something under my breath, but I don't think I was quiet enough because he tilts his head a little.

Just his look makes my skin feel like it's on fire. Still, my hands are pretty cold and my legs keep shaking back and forth because I'm nervous.

"Fine. Go get the cat, Mattia." He gives an order to one of his men, who just nods and leaves the room. "Ares, stay in your room. I have eight dogs roaming the property, and if they see him, they'll think Christmas has come early."

"My room?" I quiz.

"You have to stay here because of the deal." He just gives an answer. "Once he gets your cat back, Mattia will show you to your new room, and I'll stop by soon to give you some more information."

Oh hell no. I'm not staying here. There is no way in hell.

When the door opens, another man walks in. He has dirty blonde hair all over his head, and his bright green eyes look right at me. As he stands next to us, Dontae looks up at him.

"Watch out for her until Mattia returns." As he stands up and adjusts the sleeves of his dress shirt, he tells them what to do.

As Dontae walks out of the room, the door shuts behind him. He doesn't even give me a second look.