Chapter 5

"Bianca." A soft familiar voice called. My eyes slowly open to meet with Elle's. A warm smile comes on her lips and I shut my eyes to place my palm on my aching head. "The pain will linger for a bit but you're fine. The doc said so."

I don't say anything but nod and open my eyes again to stare at Elle. "How did we get caught Elle," I ask directly, hoping that if there was any truth behind it she would tell me. At least I trusted her too.

"hum." Something in her expression changed but I couldn't point out what it was. "I don't know Elle, unless someone saw me when I came back to save you." I nod and she takes my palm into hers.

I don't ponder on her words and choose to ignore them. I probably would have been surrendered to Salvatore by Nico if I hadn't been caught anyway.

"I told you to leave if you don't see me. You could have saved yourself."

"I'm fine, Bianca. Salvatore didn't harm me."

"I know. I know. I'm glad but it's kind of surprising though."

"I'm just as surprised as you are. I was scared he would hurt me or do something unthinkable." She looks down at our intertwined hands and my eyes drift to the ceiling, thinking of Salvatore.

I still can't believe I didn't succeed in my plans. I should be out of here but I ended up in the basement and now my sick bed.

"He spared you but that doesn't change him from being the monster he is. We have to think of another plan, Elle."

"Another plan? After what happened, I think it's way too risky to upset Salvatore further."

I look away from the ceiling at her. "You have to take risks to get what you want and with Salvatore, I don't mind. It's just the beginning and I'm already enjoying how things are going."

"You almost died, Bianca. Salvatore used your weakness against you."

My heart raised as I recalled yesterday's event. I couldn't believe he went that far, but that's what revenge is for and I'm confident karma has my back. "I'll have to face my fears one day or the other if I need this to work."

"Bianca." She looked pitiful and scared. I knew she wanted to convince me further to not go ahead with these plans of mine but the door opened.

Our heads turn to Marco who walks into the room with a smirk.

"You seem fine."

"The same goes for you. Enjoy it while it lasts dick head." I frown at him.

His smirk drops but is immediately replaced with a smile and I know he is resisting to attack me right now. "The boss calls for you."

"Oh, tell 'the boss' I'm not fully recovered," I tell him with a straight look on my face.

"He doesn't care to know and I have strict orders to force you if you refuse to cooperate."

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her." Elle snarled at him.

I stare at him as he shoves his hand into his front pockets. "You enjoy playing games all because of a vase hit to your head?" I roll my eyes and give him a disgusted look. "Weakling," I mutter but loud enough for him to hear.

"The boss has things to do." He says, ignoring my words.

"No one stopped him. I didn't know seeing me was that important to him." I say as I move to stand.

"Bianca." Elle calls and gives me a 'Are you sure' look.

"It's fine Bianca." I stand, releasing my hand from hers, and walk towards Marco who gives way for me to walk out. "You should be glad I'm unharmed."

"It would have been futile." His voice was stern as he closed the door.

I look at his bandaged head and then meet his eyes, making sure he got my message. "Oh, really?" I shake my head and walk away from him to Salvatore's room.

"Hey, don't..." Marco tries to stop me but I walk into Salvatore's office without knocking. "Boss."

I fold my hands and watch as Salvatore signals Marco to close the door. "How do you feel? the doc says you'll be better in no time."

"Well, I don't feel good. You didn't leave me to recover and being in your office is not helping." It was just me and Salvatore in his office. Nico wasn't here and I also didn't see him on my way here.

"It's nothing uncomfortable. We've been in a more quiet, lonely position before now." He lit his cigarette and I watched him with disgust.

"Tell me about it and give me more reasons to despise you."

"Is this about the red room?" He puffed out a smoke giving me a nonchalant attitude.

"It's about you ruining my life all in the name of pleasure."

"I took you in. I cared for you. I gave you...pleasure." He lets out a puff sound along with the smoke from the cigarette. "It's fair."

"Fair? Does my life seem like a game to you? Reciprocity for things I didn't ask of you? I'm human Salvatore. I never asked for sex. You abused me all 'cause you helped me while my parents were gone." I swallowed hard, trying to calm the knot in my throat. He knew one of my weaknesses. He didn't need to know another to use against me.

"Tell me you didn't enjoy every one of it." He raised a questioning brow at me with a disgusting smirk on his face. If I was skilled with knives and had one with me, I would have aimed his face right this instant and put an end to his games. "Tell me?" He asks again.

I enjoyed it. The pleasure. Yes, sex is sweet but not with him. Not with this old hag. Before I clocked eighteen, I had planned the perfect way to lose my virginity to a man I loved, not to a heartless mafia lord whom I thought was my family. He destroyed my hopes and destroyed me as a person. Not just me but Elle too and I wondered who was his next victim. I couldn't just forgive and live with life like my dignity wasn't snatched forcefully from me.

"No." I lie.

"Well then..." He stands with the cigarette between his lips. "That's unfortunate because as far as you live under my roof, you'll keep satisfying me." He concludes, walking towards me.

My eyes shot at him. "That's despicable. I'm never going to your red room."

"You don't have a say. You don't get to say what should or what shouldn't be done in my house."

"Then let me leave. Free me from this bondage and misery you serve in the pretense of caring for me."

"That's impossible. You. are. mine."

"No. I belong to no one." I stood my ground, my voice was stern and my eyes bored into his with hatred.

He sends me a mischievous smile as he walks closer to me. "You'll satisfy me Bianca and from now henceforth you'll work at one of our clubs. You seem less busy and occupy your thoughts with how to kill my son."

I wanted to scream the truth, but I didn't. My chest heaved and I wondered how I managed this man before I turned eighteen. "I'm not working at a nightclub, Salvatore."

"Again. You don't have a say. Marco will take you there tomorrow. You start tomorrow and that's final." I open my mouth to speak but he interrupts. "Don't make a worse experience for yourself, Bianca. Agree to my orders and there will be peace."

"There'll never be peace Salvatore. You are chaos, yourself."

"Marco." He calls ignoring me. "She's dismissed." He tells him and Marco moves to take me out.

"Don't touch me!" I snap at him, my eyes still on Salvatore before stomping out of his office.

Peace? I'd like to see how far that goes.