CHAPTER THREE

EMILY'S POV

As I was pulled into a dark room, I felt the men move me forward to where Dante stood. He faced the window that overlooked the dark surrounding with a hand in his pockets.

As I tried steadying myself from being pulled around, I heard the door close. I was now alone with Dante.

There was silence. An eerie one that filled the room. And when he turned, I almost had my heart in my mouth.

He gazed at me for a while, then took two strides to where I stood.

I saw it as an opportunity to approach him. After all, I was here for my job apart from the mission I had already.

I trailed my hand on his shirt, toying with the buttons. I was not sure if he liked it, but that was not my concern, he had ordered for me.

“Who sent you?” the man asked.

My heart skipped a beat. The question was too direct and not what I had been expecting.

“Sent me?” I chuckled lightly. “I am just a worker whose job is to appease men.”

Dante's face hardened.

“I know a lie when I hear one.” he said as he caught my hands before I could undo one of his buttons.

I flinched and stared at him.

“What is your name?”

“Emily.” I blurted out.

“You are not like the rest.” he told me as he ran his fingers through my hair.

“And what are the rest?.” I dared to ask.

Dante smirked. An evil one.

“Fearful. They possessed fear. You don't.”

I felt relieved. He had not noticed a thing.

Just then, his hand left my hair and went down to my boobs area. I smirked, but his hands did not stop there as expected. He ran it down to my tight short almost close to the holster.

My eyes shone widely.

The dagger.

Suddenly, I perceived a waft of his cologne which I had not noticed earlier and I abruptly recalled the nightmare I was used to having.

It all came back to me: father lying on the ground, with blood gushing out of his system and a knife piercing directly into his heart. My mother lay beside him, her mouth filled with foam as she was rendered dead.

I had been there, a young girl of twelve, filled with pain of experiencing my parents’ death before me. It had been tragic.

When I was brought back to reality, I fought the tears that threatened to fall out. I clenched my jaws tightly, fighting back the anger that was now engulfing my body.

No, I thought to myself, I cannot let my anger overtake me and make me lose this chance. Salvatore had warned me against letting it control me. But now I couldn't do anything except take a deep breath.

As I took a breath, I felt Dante's hand approaching the dagger. I held my breath and immediately spun away from him, releasing the dagger from where it hid and attacking his neck area.

Dante stood unmoved. He only watched as he blade swiped past his neck.

When I plunged the dagger towards him again, he held my hand and twisted it round, making me unable to render any more harm.

I gasped from my failure. I have been caught and now it means something worse.

“I face death threats everyday.” he told me in a nonchalant tone.

“But none came from a lady.” I responded with a smirk.

“You have nerves,” he said, then paused before continuing, “but you acted out of emotion.”

How had he noticed that? Was that why he didn't flinch? Because he knew I would miss?

“I am different.” I blurted out.

I could not see his face since I backed him, but I knew he was amused at my action.

Just then, I felt a hit on my neck. My body shook and I felt my eyes close. Dante let go of me and my body approached the floor in an instant.

However before my eyes closed, I caught sight of the cut on his neck, a straight, but not deep mark.

Then I fell unconscious.

One thing was certain as my mind blacked out; I had never missed before, but this time, I had failed.

***

SALVATORE’S POV

The door opened at my answer. A man walked in, one of my right hand man and trusted fellow, Marco.

“Was it successful?” I asked him.

“I have no idea, boss. Except she was taken by Dante.” Marco told me.

I shifted uneasily in my seat. The news did not go well with me, even though that was what I really wanted.

“What if Dante kills her? You know what that man is capable of doing.”

I took a deep sigh.

“He would not lay a hand on her,” I said with confidence.

Marco scoffed silently. “The man does not care about anything and anyone. Also Emily is in his trap which poses more anger to us if she dares to spill a word about us.”

I smiled. I could see Marco was trying to think outside the box.

“I have seen all shades of Emily. There is a reason why I took her in my possession, why I trained her to be who she is, and that's why she is the only dear one to me.” I paused, then added, “she is different.”

Marco said nothing. He had figured it was very unusual for me to put hope in a lady since lots of betrayal came from them. But I had insisted on keeping her close to him.

“What do we do now, boss?” Marco asked.

“We wait,” I told him. “We wait for the slightest chance to make a move. Dante has her now and that means we need to prepare for anything.”

Marco nodded and turned to go. Now Dante had Emily, I knew something worse was lurking around, but I could not tell what. Not until Dante makes the first step.

Marco had some knowledge on what I was up to. He had been with me so long to decipher my ways and he knew I had always been in control of my actions. Though, ever since Emily entered the picture, things had changed. I was becoming too lenient, especially to her.

And now we have trampled upon Dante, the worse was inevitable.

Will we survive or not?

I took another deep sigh and watched as Marco walked out, closing the door behind him.