Maria and I both turn around and face the lady. She was no doubt beautiful; her short black hair made her blue eyes pop. She looked to be in her mid-40s early 50s. However, you can see underneath all the makeup she looked exhausted and judging from the smell on her breath she was not sober.
‘Excuse me?’ I asked sarcastically starting at her in disbelief, ‘I’m not staying her” I looked in-between her and Vincenzo. “I don’t recall asking your permission” Vincenzo pipes up, I stare at him in disbelief “What is it with people constantly kidnaping me?” I point out frustrated.
‘Dear, you are obviously hurt, and we cannot have you going to a normal hospital. They ask far too many questions. Besides my son has made it clear you can be used for something greater for the Kings’ she clapped her hands together and smiled brightly ‘We might finally be able to expand our contacts to Spain. So, you and your sister will stay here for your treatment and protection. Those men may try to attack you again.’ She points out the danger of leaving the estate.
Stay here? with him? No freedom? Fuck no. “Last time I checked this is illegal” Vincenzo laughed softly slyly looking up at me “Last time I checked I wasn’t a beacon of good behaviour.” I rolled my eyes “We are not bargaining tools. Besides, I don’t think it would be a good selling point’ I cleared my throat before clapping my hands together. Ready to put on a demonstration of how it would go if they used us as a means of getting more alliances.
‘Yes Sí, we would love to form a partnership with you, Oh! Oh! By the way if you say no, we have two of the Knight girls here held hostage.’ I mimicked her voice and smiled with my teeth visible.
Everyone fell silent, obviously intimidated by her presence but I didn’t care. This entire conversation is outrages, and I was not planning on staying here even if that meant getting hurt once I was out. Not much they could do to me that hasn’t already been done.
‘You are staying here and that’s final. Do not make me repeat myself and do not think about running away. I can guarantee you won’t be happy with what happens if you do’ she warns us both and turns on her heels to walk away.
‘Well, if you keep me here against my will, I can guarantee you won’t be happy with what I do.’ I call out threatening her along with her son. She stops in her tracks hearing my threat she turns around ‘I can imagine actually’ she looks me up and down before she ushers her son Lorenzo to show us to our rooms and left.
‘So, you met mum then’ Lorenzo snapped me out of my thoughts, as he approached us “She’s-‘ Maria drifted off trying to find the right word to describe her ‘A bitch’ I snapped saying it for her, Lorenzo, chuckled and looked up at me about to speak before he fixated his eye’s on Maria. I looked over at Maria and she was fiddling with her fingers breaking eye contact. I shook my head unable to find joy in her shyness.
‘I want to go home’ I sate aloud breaking the awkward silence. Lorenzo shrugged and looked at me defenceless. ‘Hey, she birthed me and breastfeed me. She owns me… besides Vincenzo didn’t give the order to let us go yet … what he says overpowers everyone in this house until he gives the okay … I’m afraid you’re just going to make yourself comfortable’ Maria sniffled a laugh at his fright and the comment he made about both his mum and Vincenzo.
I shoot her a warning stare, as much as I will enjoy teasing them about this later. I was just kidnapped and stabbed a million times in the legs for a man who ‘doesn’t care’ just to be kidnapped again, and then be used as a bargaining tool… again.
My legs are throbbing, and I feel the stitches threatening to reopen because of how much stress and pressure I’m putting on them right now. As much as I hate the idea of staying here, I needed to rest a little. I just wanted to lay down in a bed and sleep away my problems, to escape to another world.
Maria coughed trying to cover up the fact that she just laughed, I looked over at her amused before I shook my head smiling. She shushed me looking at me with wide eyes, ‘Lorenzo, I can’t stay here. If I do, I can guarantee someone will die’ I sated the obvious, he scratched the back of his neck ‘We all have a bet on who will kill who first honestly’ he admitted.
‘YOU ALL HAVE A WHAT!’ I shouted astonished, I let out a huff and begin to feel my legs starting to give out. I place my hand on my thigh and I look up and everything starts spinning ‘Lorenzo … I think I’m going to … pass out.’ I breath out feeling my head become fuzzy and my vision becoming blurry.
He looked at me alarmed and quickly caught me before I collapsed. ‘Chica I told you; you shouldn’t be out of that clinic.’ I shook my head trying to reassure him that I’m fine. I used his arm for support as I straightened my posture. ‘I’ll fight you some more tomorrow, but I think I should really lay down before I faint.’ I breathed out slowly, we follow Lorenzo to our rooms I couldn’t help but take a quick glance at his office doors. Vincenzo stood next to the frame of the door, looking at me alarmed.
He took one last look before walking back into his office slamming the doors shut. How could I hate yet want someone so bad?
‘Isabella, Vamos’ I come back out of my trance and lock hands with Maria whose helping me limp towards the new bed.
Maria and my room are on the second floor and are across from one another. She comes and helps me in my bed as she sits on the side of the bed, she looks at me worry embedded into her facial expression.
‘Maria, stop it I’m okay I promise.’ I stretch my legs out and lay flat on my back as I look at the wall and recap everything that occurred in the last 24 hours.
Making me focus again Maria whispers, ‘I was wrong about him’ and looks at me while fiddling with her fingers, ‘No, you were right. He’s dangerous and look what happened to me’ she shook her head, ‘No, I was wrong. Yes, he’s dangerous and it got you to this point but … the way his eye’s burned and his entire body lit on fire when you were being taken. It was a side of him I’m not even sure he is aware of.” She breathed looking off.
Maria always had a sixth sense about people, she was able to pinpoint their intentions before the person themselves know about it. She chose to see the good in everyone.
She gets off from my bed and looks at me “He may be the devil … but I know you see it too. You finally found your match Isabella Knight” she teased. I rolled my eyes looking away so I could hide the stupid smile that was forcing its way onto my lips.
She breathed in looking at me with soft eyes ‘just makes sure this is all worth it. I’m okay and before you ask this entire arrangement is bizarre … but I feel safer now with a million men armed and protecting the estate, and I feel more assured that you’ll be okay with the nurses here. That I don’t have to worry about someone breaking in and shooting at us’
she walked out the door closing it behind her did she seriously overlook the whole keeping us here against our will? I laid down staring at the ceiling thinking about how simple life was and where it’s lead me to know. I missed Spain, I missed my family. I missed being free. A pinch of guilt ate me alive, as I swore to avenge my parent’s death, and here I was.
As I reminisced about my childhood, my body relaxed as my eyelids grew heavier and I didn’t fight them to stay open.
*FLASHBACK*
They’re gone. They’re dead. I thought as I sat at my parent’s grave, the tears rolling down my face this grief felt never-ending. Like a waterfall never stops my eyes don’t seem to be running out of tears.
They can’t be dead they just can’t be. My throat closing making it harder to breath as the tears continued to flow down my face. ‘Who’s going to hold my hand? Who’s going to tell me bedtime stories? Who is going to watch us grow up, who are my kids going to call abuela and abuelo’ I cried out leaning my head back on the tomb stone.
I stood up and looked down, wiping away the tears the rolled down my cheeks. ‘Lo juro por los dos. Mataré al hombre que te quitó de nosotros incluso si es lo último que hago’ (I swear to the both of you. I will kill the man who took you from us even if it’s the last thing I do).
The next day I put my promise into action. I went and looked for the man’s gang, getting detail from partners from our businesses to tell me anything they could about who would want to kill my parents.
I eventually found out he was a part of the Serpiente de Sangre Gang. An amateur gang, what didn’t make sense was why they wanted to kill my parents. I managed to get my hands on one of their men. After seducing him back to my house I lead him to our basement and handcuffed him to a chair.
‘Oh yeah baby, I see you like it rough’ he looked at me lust swimming in his eyes. I smiled walking towards him I pulled my knife out from my pocket and flicked it out, so it was in view. He started to squirm and tried to get out of the cuffs.
‘Shhh” I dragged out placing the knife over his lips, “this can go one of two ways either you tell me what I want to know, or-‘ I moved the tip of the knife to his throat ‘I get it out of you using my own … methods’ I seductively whispered in his ear and looked back at the man. ‘Your choice, of course, I’ll enjoy both options.” I purred, looking at the man lustfully.
He looked at me, fear evident in his eyes, it was clear he was scared, and he knew I was going to get the information out of him one way or another. ‘What are you gonna do? Huh? you’re just a girl.” He bites back. I smirked and stood up to my feet. I threw the knife l inch away from his face.
‘Just a girl” I mocked softly, “I’m a girl whose parents were murdered right in front of her, a girl who took made a promise on top of her parent’s dead bodies and again at their graves. So, I may just be a girl, but it’s the fact that I am a girl that should scare you.’ I warned my tone low, firm, and intimidating.
I walked back towards him and grabbed him by his jaw, I pierced my nails into the side of his face. ‘Why did they want my parents dead?’ I asked him to cut right to the chase, watching him start looking very uncomfortable the deeper my nails dug into his skin.
He shook his head refusing to answer, shrugging my shoulders I pulled the knife out from the wall and cut him below his ear. He screamed in pain “Just wanted to make sure you can hear me” I threatened my face stone cold, “Why did they want my parents dead!’
He started pulling at the cuffs as he screamed for help. I stabbed him in the stomach as I put the knife back to his throat. ‘I will kill you! Do not think you will leave this basement alive if I do not get what I want. You won’t be the first to die here. Kitten.’ I warned applying pressure on the knife causing it to slightly pierce his neck as droplets of blood began to drip.
‘NO, NO. OKAY. I’LL TALK’ I removed the knife from his throat and urged him to continue. ‘They wanted your parent’s empire they wanted to run it all. Be at the head of the table with the other two families. They said something about ruling Spain and getting revenge.’
‘Revenge for what?’ what could have my parents done that they needed to pay for it with their lives, ‘I don’t know’ rolling my eyes I went to stab him again before he screamed in horror. ‘NO, I REALLY DON’T KNOW, BUT I KNOW SOMEONE WHO MIGHT.’
I tilted my head analysing his face, ‘Who?’
He went on to tell me about some Man named Xavier, he’s the leader of the gang and ordered the hit. He told me he always attends the underground fights and tries to seduce the winner.
After letting him go, I got myself ready for the fight. The drive to the area was about an hour. I looked around for the guy that matched his description and spotted him surrounded by a million girls and a few of his men.
‘Who’s next?! HUH COME ON’ I looked over to the ring. I scoffed; this was a joke right? This is the biggest amateur underground fight club I’ve seen. I jumped on the ring and lifted the ropes as I swung in.
‘I believe I’m next.’ she eyed me from head to toe before letting out a laugh. ‘You? really? Why don’t you leave now before you break a rib.’
Scoffing, ‘underestimates me, that should be fun.’ The crowd went dead silent as they waited for her response. ‘Look either way I win, you can either throw a punch and get knocked out or you can be the little bitch I know you are and leave the ring. Either way Eres mi perra’ (you’re my bitch.)
Girls oohed as the guys whistled, I took off my blood red leather jacket as I made eye contact with him. He looked at me amused licking his lips as he eyed my body from head to toe. I immediately felt agitated something about his face, I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Winking at him to keep his interest I turn back to the girl in the ring. She threw a hook, my reflexes kicking in I quickly ducked in a swift motion I uppercut her on her side, then finishing it with a right hook to her jaw. When she tumbled back, I push kicked her in her stomach she fell flat to the floor.
I went on top of her and let out all the anger I bottled in since my parent’s death on her. Blacking out I felt someone pull me off of her, as I shook my head snapping back into reality, I saw her face covered in blood, she was either dead or unconscious. I grabbed my jacket and got out of the ring.
‘That was some fight doll,’ smirking I mentally high five myself. I spun around and looked the man who sent my parents to death in the eye. ‘Oh, that? it was nothing really.’ I looked down at my hands covered in her blood as I scratched my arm feeling completely numb to what I just did. He scratched his chin, and he came closer, ‘What do you say want to have a little … fight of our own’ I whispered into his ear. ‘Sounds like a plan, but I play dirty.’ I warned
I placed my hand on his chest and went on my tippy toes as I started nibbling on his ear, ‘Me too’ and that’s when everything went south. He took me back to his place and before I know it, I was handcuffed to a chair, the bastard knocked me out in the car. I started struggling to try to get out of the chair, ‘WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS’
The man came into light as he stared at me ‘Oh dear, I know who you are you’re a knight. Now someone’s been a bad girl. Bad girls need to be punished.’
He left me in the basement for months with no light and no food. He would come in and take advantage of me. Then belt me when he was angry or drunk. The man who killed my parents was going to kill me.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
‘NOOO,’ I lunged out of my bed as I ran my hands through my hair. My door flew open and in came Vincenzo. He had his gun drawn-out ‘What, what happened.’ I placed my hand on my chest, ‘I-i I’m sorry, I just had a bad dream.’ I breathed out softly looking around the room still alarmed.
He put the gun behind his back as he came closer to me, I subconsciously backed away. ‘You want to talk about it?’ I shook my head no. He stared at me for a minute ‘Follow me.’ He interlocked our hands and gently tugged telling me to move.
‘Are you kidnapping a kidnapped?’ He rolled his eyes turning his head trying to hide the fact that he smiled, I laughed and chose to point it out and start a fight truth be told I was not ready for one.
We left the house; he helped place me in the car before we drove off to another property he had on the land. I looked out the window and saw metal figures, targets, and stands. ‘You have a fucking shooting range?” I stated in disbelief.
‘I do.’ he answered casually like everyone has a shooting range, we got out of the car as he leads the way. ‘When I was going through shit, shooting and targets helped get my frustration out. Try it’ He handed me a gun, I looked at him with both my eyebrows cocked up. ‘You’re the most bipolar human being I have ever fucking met.’
He chuckled before putting his hands in his pockets ‘I’ll take it as a compliment, now shoot.’ He ordered me pointing at the targets.
‘How do you know I won’t kill you?’ I asked him, completely serious and honestly debating it. All he did was simply shrug ‘Because you would have done it by now, I wouldn’t blame you if you did, but I wouldn’t.’ He answered matching my energy and arrogance.
I aimed and shot every target right in the head, and some of the full-body targets I shot at the genital area causing Italy to cover his own private area, when I turned around and saw him in that position, I couldn’t help but burst out in laughter.
This was the first time we weren’t fighting or yelling or arguing. I didn’t know if this was just a calm before the storm, but I was enjoying it.
Before Vincenzo took me back to the manner, I slipped one of the guns on the table in the back of my pants, I let out a sigh.
I was leaving today. If I had to kill him to do so … then so be it. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked me as we got back in the car, I nodded my head smiling ‘honestly, a lot better thank you’ I smiled at him.
I’m about to be even better soon.
