He Doesn’t Own Me

It’s been more than five minutes since he gave her the order, and she just stood there like a statue. He massaged his forehead and only took his gaze off her when his phone rang.

Nero connected the call, and it was one of his men. “Hmm, I am coming,” he answered and stood up, approached Lena, and stood before her.

He placed his finger on her chin and traced it down to her chest; Lena’s grip on her dress tightened, and she closed her eyes tightly. She knew there was nothing she could do against him but let him do whatever he wished.

“I will be back.” Nero muttered before he walked past her, and she sighed heavily.

After he left, Lena took this as an opportunity and quickly dressed up. “Such a monster,” she snorted and scanned the bedroom, wondering how she could escape from him.

“I won’t let him lock me up and try to own me,” Lena promised herself before the door pushed open and Nero walked in; seeing her already dressed made him chuckle.

“Come on, baby, let’s go,” he stated and signaled at the door. Lena frowned at him before she walked out of the bedroom with him behind her.

It was only now that Lena could have a proper view of the mansion, the long corridor leading to the stairs and the sitting room downstairs.

“As dark as his heart,” she muttered. The curtains were either black or grey, and some guards stood at the entrance.

“Is he some president?” Lena snorted loudly for Nero to get her, but he simply ignored her reactions and wrapped his hand around her waist.

“I better stay close to you; you might try to kill me with your words,” he whispered, and Lena took a step away from him.

“I wouldn't hesitate if I were giving a gun,” she thought while glaring at him; he sighed heavily and pulled the car door for her.

“Get in, baby,” he ordered, and Lena got in while trying to come up with a way to escape.

“Maybe I could escape when the car stops,” Lena thought, but her thoughts got interrupted by Nero’s voice, who was now sitting next to her.

“You have such a pretty brain; don’t let it get blown away with impossibilities.” Nero said, he knew so well what was going on in her mind, and of course he would be so proud of her if she managed to escape Italy, but he knew that was impossible, so why let her stress?

Lena glared at him before she turned her gaze back to the window, watching the city view and wishing all this could be a nightmare and her mum would soon wake her up to go to work.

“If all this turns out to be a nightmare, then I promise to join the nuns.” She had a pleading look as a tear rolled down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped it.

The car parked in front of a boutique, and Nero pulled the side of her door before she walked down the car.

Lena realised there was another car behind them, and Dante was the driver; she needed to know how many of his men were around so she could escape.

“Are you hungry?” Nero asked, and Lena folded her arms, still not ready to reply to him, and this really annoyed him; he preferred when she threw curses at him, telling him that even worms wouldn’t feed on his sinful body.

They walked in and were visited by wardrobes of clothes; some ladies stood there with a smile. They had picked out the best dresses fit for Nero’s woman.

“Good day, Miss,” the owner of the shop, Gina, who was in her early thirties, greeted Hazel with a smile, but Hazel didn’t reply, so her gaze turned to Nero.

“Go on, she is very obedient.” Nero muttered before he moved to the couch by the side and was served wine and lit his cigarette while he watched Lena try out different clothes.

“He brought me shopping just a few days after killing my parents; is he crazy?” Lena thought in disbelief, but she still tried on the clothes Gina asked her to.

Lena’s gaze moved to the phone in the dressing room; she hurried to the phone and realised it was turned on.

“I need to call Chris.” Lena felt so excited but knew she couldn’t call him now; she had already stayed in the dressing room, and they would suspect her if she stayed more.

So she walked out, dressed in a long black evening gown that exposed her back. Nero took a proper look for a while before he shook his head in denial.

Gina handed another dress to Lena, and she hurried to the dressing room and picked up the phone and quickly dialled Chris’s contact.

“Please pick up.” Lena’s palms were sweaty, and she got more nervous with every ringing sound. The call suddenly got connected, but Lena almost dropped it when the door pushed open and Nero walked in.

“Hello?” Chris’s voice could be heard from the other end; she expected Nero to seize the phone from her, but he didn't; all he did was lean on the wall before her and smoke his cig.

“Lena, is that you?” Chris had a feeling the person on the other end of the phone was Lena, and this made him anxious; for days now he couldn't reach her, and the Morgans’ mansion was empty like someone never lived there.

“I... it’s me.” Lena answered with tears rolling down her cheeks; the fact that Nero was letting her talk on the phone made her so scared, she kept wondering, “Will he kill Chris?”

“I can’t place him in danger.” 

“Where are you, Lena? Are you okay? Did something happen to you?” He fired her with questions, and she clutched her chest tightly with countless tears rolling down her cheeks. He was at the other end, but she couldn’t even tell him a thing.

“I... I am fine; goodbye.” Lena quickly ended the call, and the first thing she did was delete Chris’s number from the phone and clean her tears, which kept flowing.

“Let’s go; I have an important meeting.” Nero ordered before he walked out of the dressing room, and she followed him; Gina had already packed all the clothes and sent them to the car.

They got to the car, and it drove out with Lena crying throughout the ride. The car parked in front of a club around noon, and Nero walked down the car when Dante approached him.

“Devo parlare con Don Gretto per un po’; assicurati che non scappi. [I want to talk to Don Gretto for a while, make sure she doesn’t escape,” he said to Dante, who nodded.

“Va bene, capo!”

Lena watched as Nero walked into the club and Dante stood by the car. “How do I leave?” Lena thought, and her gaze moved to the driver at the front; she needed him to get out of the car. If she couldn’t go down the car and leave, then she would leave with the car.

“Can I please get some cold water? I don’t feel too well,” Lena said with a pleading tone when the driver stared at her from the rearview mirror; he had a hesitating look.

“It’s fine; I will ask your boss when he comes back.” She had a little threatening tone, and the driver sighed before he walked down the car and approached Dante, trying to explain to him that the lady needed cold water.

They were both shocked to see the car drive away.