~2 EXCRUCIATING

Janelle took another deep breath as she bent to prepare the traditional oven made with woods and the rest. The capo liked his baked meals to be prepared with such an oven because he claims that it allows it to be well cooked. Pain shot up her spine and she groaned at the intensity of it. She never knew staying over in Dante’s apartment till it was past the headcount would put her in deep trouble with the head guard. He was pained because she always had a way to escape him and now, he caught her in 4K. 

The rules were simple, if a maid is found missing during the headcount, she should be whipped 180 strokes but the only difference was that she was whipped 300 all over her back and waist. He shook her head gently to clear the tears forming in them before she burnt her hand or something. She didn’t blame Dante for keeping her awake all night that she forgot about the headcount, she blamed her parents for not choosing to be born in any other place except this part of the world, they could've given birth to her anywhere except this place. Now she has to spend the rest of her life paying for something she knew nothing about. 

“Janelle, come take this soup to the dinner hall and leave that fire for Shakura to continue with it. Be snappy about it and don’t keep Capo waiting.” The head chef, Bella yelled out and Janelle stood up abruptly causing her another wave of pain. She walked gingerly to the place where the soup was placed and she prayed not to do anything that could cost her life. Everyone dreaded being the one to serve the Capo after the meal has started because you can lose your life for it. In the past, everyone used to struggle with who would serve him because one girl from the cold slab, Lafayette, was chosen by one of the capo's friends and she was taken away to his kingdom to be his wife. When she came back with her husband to visit the capo, everyone was shocked. Everyone started struggling to serve the Capo especially when he had guests until Beatrice spilled wine on one of the capo’s special guests and she beheaded right in the dining hall. Since then, everyone dreaded doing it.

 

Janelle cranked her fingers before picking up the soup plate gingerly just like Chef Bella had taught her. She took another deep breath before sending a short prayer to God so he would guide and save her. She walked through the hallways and her heartbeat started skyrocketing as she neared the dinner hall. She could hear their loud laughter and the way was taunting someone with the rest of his guests laughing loudly. 

She walked into the dining hall with her gaze fixed on the floor and trying not to appear rude or something, it all happened too fast and before she knew it, she was on the floor, Dante was covered in the chicken soup and the ceramic plate was lying a few meters away from them shattered completely. Janelle looked back to the door, to see what caused her fall and she saw one of the guards, Joel trying so hard to hide his smirk. She immediately knew he set her up for death and she took another breath while waiting for whatever was coming for her. The whole dining hall was quiet and everyone was watching to see what Dante would do to her. She knew death was going to be at the bottom of whatever list of punishment they were planning for her plus Dante is more ruthless when he’s pissed. She was sure he wasn’t going to be just pissed, he was going to be spitting fire. Imagine getting embarrassed before your father and his high-class friends, you are going to lose it for sure. 

Nothing prepared Janelle for the next thing that hit her, Dante slapped her hard across the face and she felt her head spin 360 degrees. She had never been slapped like that before and her head felt like she was hit by a moving truck. Hot tears gathered in her eyes and she tried to blink it away but she couldn’t do anything about it. She thought Dante wouldn’t do anything to her regarding the way he held her close last night during sex but she thought wrong. 

She felt herself lifted from the ground and her feet could no longer touch the floor, she took a deep breath and she looked up to see Dante looking at her with fury. His eyes didn’t look like what she saw the other night when they were in the throes of passion nor when he stared at her while he listened to her ramble off on how she hated it here. This Dante was different and his eyes were blazing fire and she started to hyperventilate. 

“You pathetic low-life dares to spill a hot bowl of soup on a suit that is probably worth more than your life. Take her upstairs, I will join you very soon” He growled before storming off and Janelle knew at that moment that she was done for. The guards pulled her roughly upstairs and she felt pain all over her legs but she knew that was going to be minor compared to what Dante would do to her.  The snickers on the guard’s face as they pulled her mercilessly reminded her that she was closer to death than she imagined. 

_______________

Dante made a U-turn for Ninetta’s room and he took a deep breath. He hated the way guilt was eating him up and how he felt so horrible after hitting Janelle. He never hit women, that was part of the reason why his father loved to call him a weakling. He had a soft spot for women and he hated seeing them suffer. He didn’t know what prompted him to slap her that hard.

Maybe it was because his father was embarrassing him again before all the important members of the league of the world capos or the fact that she left his bed quite earlier than he expected. He was hoping to devour her again after answering his father. God knows he was so angry at his father and himself for not locking her inside the room when he was going to his father’s chambers. Out of all of his sisters, only Ninetta would understand him better which explains why he’s headed for her chamber rather than follow the guards he asked to watch over Janelle. They would be taunting her currently and his stomach churned at the imagination of the guards touching Janelle inappropriately but he needed to talk to his sister before everything went out of hand. This whole thing was new to him.  

He knocked twice before opening the door and a pack of wipes came flying in his direction. Trust his sister to always be dramatic and all of that. She was sitting on her bed in just hoodies and socks and around her many items lay, disorganized. He can’t imagine her stepmom or worse father coming in to see this mess, they would surely throw a fit. But the truth is no one rarely came to visit Ninetta except him. No one wanted to associate with the daughter of a mistress. Maybe that’s what made them closer. Dante’s mom was a mistress too and he suffered the brunt. The only reason his suffering wasn’t as worse as Ninetta’s own is because he’s the capo’s only son. 

“What has brought you to the lion’s den you mortal?” Ninetta asked while pretending to be a sorcerer and Dante laughed, all his worries disappearing. Ninetta always did that to him and that’s why she’s his favorite sister. He shifted some of her stuff and he sat beside her. He picked her sword from the table where she kept it and he removed the sheath. Two years ago after their father attended a concert in Saudi Arabia and he saw a lady win the sword fight, he insisted Ninetta must learn the art of the sword too. She won her first tournament three weeks ago and father rewarded her with a gift she still refused to tell Dante till date. Ninetta can be very secretive if she wants to. He picked up a tiny teddy from the pile of stuff on the bed and he tried to remember it’s name. Ninetta told him last week, the week before that and every other time he comes here. It’s not his fault that the doll’s name refused to stick and he always had things bothering him too much for him to remember a shredded teddy's name. They found the teddy on the floor one night when they were taking a stroll in town and one of those children must have dropped it off. Ninetta washed it till it was sparkling clean and refused to sew the torn parts. She said it reminded her of human beings in general. weird!

“You are doing it again. When you’ve done something bad and you don’t know how to tell me but it’s bothering you. Just spill, I promise I won’t even get mad for long. Buy me a VIP ticket to the BTS show and I might forgive you.” She stated while staring at him with her hands crossed over her chest. He sighed before running his hand through his hair. It’s getting fuller and he made a mental note to visit the salon before this week runs out. 

“So I hooked up with this slave girl two nights ago, Don’t ask me which one. You won’t know her. She always blends perfectly into the background. Father summoned me and before I got back, She was gone. She spilled soup on me today and I kind of slapped her too hard.”Dante said before Ninetta interrupted him. She stared at him like he just said the most stupid thing in life. Dante watched the way irritation clouded her iris and Dante bowed his head in shame. If Slapping Janelle hurt him, then watching his best friend cum sister stare at him in disgust was worse. He felt like a dagger was twisted in his guts and He hated the feeling of Ninetta being angry with him. 

“You know why I kicked off with you so well, It’s because I felt you were different from all of the monsters father raised. I thought you were different from all of them. I thought you had a human feeling and you were raised properly. What would Maa think when she hears you hit a lady? Dante, listen to yourself. You mistakenly hit a woman hard just to fix your reputation before father’s stupid bunch of egoistic friends. These people don’t even give two fucks about you. Whether you’re harsh or not, all they care about is how much drugs they get access to and how much is the money they make from dealing it. We both know that. Dante I can’t believe you did that, If you didn’t tell me yourself, I probably won’t believe it. Dante you messed up” Ninetta shouted at him and he ran his fingers through his hair. He knew he messed up and that’s why he came to her. 

“I’m going to fix it, Nin, I promise. I didn’t know what came over me, I shouldn’t have reacted that way and I know she’d never do it intentionally. I’m so sorry Nin, It won’t repeat itself again for sure” He pleaded and Ninetta rolled her eyes at him. She wasn’t even in the mood for all of this and he just set her right off. While growing up, Father used them to pass out his anger and each time he came home drunk, He would always whip them except Dante. Dante had too many lessons to attend as an heir and Father didn’t even give him breathing space. She knew Dante knew how dangerous it was for her then. She never thought he would hit a woman in his life. 

“You don’t need to beg me Dante, Just go fix it. Prove to me that the Dante I know is still in you. Then come back later to give me all the yummy gists. Me loves  a sex reunion” Ninetta replied before winking at him. She shooed him out of her room with Dante laughing hard. Ninetta was one of the toughest and kindest people he knew. She genuinely cared about people and she never hesitated to say the truth. 

He walked to the room with the intention of making everything right. Janelle might be a slave but he has a thing for her plus she gives the best head. Now father might be expecting him to torture her or worse kill hr but he was gong to confine her to his room. She wasn’t going to have access to anyone except him and he would remove her from all her duties. He might not be able to love her because he doubts if he’s capable of loving but one thing he’s sure of is that He would definitely take good care of her. Janelle is a beautiful woman, taking her on outings as his mistress wouldn’t cause any harm.