004

  CASSANDRA 

  

  I squeezed my naked body together as I tried to find warmth. The cold had settled in my bones and I could no longer tell if I was shivering from the temperature or fury. 

  

  

  “Fucking bastard.” I muttered, staring daggers at the camera.  I had tried to break it, all to no avail. “I’ve gone through worse! This is nothing.” I continued, my voice shaky and lips trembling.

  

  

  The cold was unbearable. Every part of my body ached and to worsen it all, the guards had come in minutes ago to chain my legs and hands. 

  

  But I was never going to show weakness. 

  

  “If you think this will make me submit to you then you have to think twice because I’d rather rot here than obey your words!”

  

  I felt dirty. Exposed. And angry at myself. 

  How did I let this happen to me? 

  

  I continued with my words, but as time went on, exhaustion filled my body, I couldn’t lay on the ground because of the cold, and so I clamped my body together as I drifted off to sleep. 

  

  ***********

  A soft moan escaped my lips as I stretched and curled into a more comfortable position.

  

  The last thing I remembered was…cold marble tiles…how did I get here? My eyes fluttered open, I was no longer on the floor but on the bed. 

  

  I tried to sit up, but the chain jerked me back.

  

  Fucking bastard. 

  

  They still chained me like an animal.

  

  My body was bare with nothing but panties and I couldn’t help but wonder who had brought me here and when.

  

  The room was different. Not the one I had woken up in yesterday. 

  

  A deep, masculine groan made me turn.

  

  Dark hair, plump lips, bare chest, was I dreaming? I rubbed my eyes and when I opened it… Nathan. 

  

  A scream escaped from my lips, “What the hell are you doing in my bed?” I asked, my voice urgent. 

  

  “I should be asking you that question! How did you get into MY room.”

  

  His room? 

  

  “I didn’t…we didn't… Have sex, did we?” 

  

  He had a dangerous glare on his face, “You have got to be delusional to think I’ll ever touch you.” He replied, his voice dripping with disdain as he stood up from the bed. “Whatever it is you and my father is planning, you had better quit because it sure as hell won’t end well.”

  

  I rolled my eyes, covering my naked body with the blanket, while he wore his clothes, “you think I want to be here?” I began, “You think I enjoy being forced here? Well, just to enlighten you I hate it here as much as you do. Tell that fucking bastard of a father, that he shouldn’t play sick games with me and let me out of this hellhole.”

  

  He didn’t respond.

  He just stared at me like I had spoken a taboo….but I didn’t care. 

  

  My breathing was ragged, my body burned with fury and I tried taking in slow breaths to calm myself.

  

  Nathan tossed a black shirt at me, “Put that on. And leave. Get out from my room before I am back. If I see you here when I return, I swear you won’t believe what I’ll do.”

  

  And with that, he stormed out before I could even muster a response.

  

  Arrogant jerk. 

  How was I supposed to unhook this chain? 

  

  My lips quavered as the silence greeted me once again. 

  

  This wasn’t how I had envisioned the last seventy-two hours of my life. 

  

  This wasn’t the plan.

  

  I was supposed to be starting a new life, job, finding happiness… and here I was, naked, caged and treated like a commodity. 

  

  A tear slipped from my eyes and just like that, I broke. Uncontrollable tears streamed down my face, as I thought deep into the situation I was in, how would anyone find me here?

  

   Did I even have anyone? The only people I had was Zayn and Ava, and I was certain my mother would have done something to make them not to suspect.

  

  Does this mean I’m trapped here? For the rest of my life? 

  

  I didn’t know how long I sat on the bed, crying, but immediately I heard a knock, I quickly wiped my face. 

  

  The last thing I wanted was for that bastard to see me in this state and presume I was weak.

  

  But it wasn’t Marco. An old lady walked in, a tray of mouth-watering foods on her hands.

  

  My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn’t eaten since I arrived here. 

  

  A warm smile was on her face as she dropped the food, “Master demands you eat and see him in his office.”

  

  Demands? 

  This man was sick!

  

  “I’m not eating. Tell that stupid jerk you called master, that he would have to force this food down my throat because I won’t eat nor drink anything.”

  

  The smile on her face changed to a frown, “Sadly, you don’t have a choice. If you want to leave this room, you’ll have to finish every single thing on this plate.” She explained flatly, “I’d advise you to eat because even if it takes days, even though the food spoils, your ticket to leaving this room is eating this food.”

  

  I swallowed hard, tears threatening to spill, but I didn’t let it, “How am I supposed to eat when one of my hands is chained to the bed?”

  

  Her gaze flickered to the chain and then back at me, “you can eat with one hand but lucky you, I was asked to release you.”

  

  This was my chance.

  I just had to push her and off I go. 

  But I didn’t have clothes on. It didn’t matter, all that matters is leaving these premises!

  

  The moment she unlocked my hands, I flee from the bed but surprisingly before I could reach the door, she was quick to tackle me down, and I fell to the ground, my body throbbing in pain.

  

  Her knees pressed against my back as she growled in my ear, “Try that again, and you’ll regret it.”

  

  How could an old lady be this strong? 

  

  “Fuck you.” I muttered, my voice barely a whisper.

  

  She dusted off her apron and pointed at bell beside the bed,“When you are done eating, bathing and dressing, ring it. A guard will open the door and escort you to the Don’s office.”

  

  I didn’t respond as I stared at her with so much intensity.

  

  “Don’t keep him waiting.” She added with a smile before walking out of the door. 

  

   I heard a soft click, which signified the door was locked. 

  

  Another failed attempt. But I wasn’t going to give up.

  

  

  *********

  

  

  Just like the maid had instructed, I ate every single meal given to me, after which I took my bath and wore the blues floral gown that she had brought. 

  

  

  I was now ready and rang the bell. 

  

  

  The door was opened, and two guards approached me. They didn’t say a word, instead they handcuffed my hands even while I struggled. 

  

  

  Their strong hands on my arms as they dragged me. We stopped at a door, and they pushed me inside. It was another corridor…a dark one, but I could see a door opened at the far end. 

  

  

  I walked slowly and on nearing the door, I heard sounds, not just any sounds but moans, groans.

  

  

  And then… I saw him. 

  

  

  My breath hitched at the sight before me, a lady was bent on the table as he rammed into her mercilessly. 

  

  

  The sound of skin slapping echoed through the room and I found myself fixated on the spot. My eyes on them!

  

  

  His hand tangled in her hair as he pulled her head back, whispering something filthy into her ear. She moaned louder in response, her breasts bouncing with every thrust. The desk creaked beneath them.

  

  Neither of them had noticed me and I turned about to leave when his deep baritone voice made me freeze, “Sit.”

  

  Huh?

  

  I turned back to see his golden, blazing eyes now on me. 

  

  No fucking shame! He still continued thrusting into the lady from behind and it wasn’t soft or kind. It was hard, raw, and the sickening part? The woman was moaning like it was the best thing she’d ever felt.

  

  

  For a moment…just one messed-up moment… I wondered what it would feel like to be bent over that desk and have his thick co—Fuck! What the hell was I thinking?

  

  

  I swallowed hard and turned to leave again when he spoke up, “One more step, and you would regret your life.” His voice was cold and thunderous, a shiver ran down my spine, “Be a good girl and do as I have instructed, Sit and wait!”