Chapter 04~ Kidnapped

EMILY

My heart was pounding so fast that I could barely breathe. Those eyes I could comfortably look at in the past, were the same eyes I couldn't even stare at for a second. The look on his face made me wonder if he had completely forgotten me, or was it my imagination again?

“Matteo Romenetti,” I said, feigning boldness I didn't know where it came from. “I wasn't expecting we'd meet this sooner.”

He let out an almost invisible smirk. “You haven't changed, have you?”

“As long as I don't have reasons to, I don't see myself changing for any man.”

He nodded, as if amused by my words. “You should know by now your name is everywhere in my world. I must have had the chance to meet you here, doesn't mean I will some other time, because I ain't the only one who wants you dead. You've gone too far, that you acted way beyond what you are called for. You were meant to serve your country, and bring people like you to justice, not people like me. We make the rules, we don't follow them. So, I believe you should know by now the consequences of not minding your damn business.”

“You asked me to stop digging, and I did. What else do you want from me?”

He smiled, this time, it almost reached end to end. “I want you out of the picture for good. Because people like you always come back twice stupid and annoying, thinking they can do whatever it takes to bring my empire down.” He stands up, “Maybe it is time, I show people like you what people like me do to disobedient citizens.”

As soon as he said that, two of his men came to grab me. I tried running, but they were too fast to catch me. I yelled, struggling to break free, but they held me so tight that I couldn't find my way out. While I struggled, another of his men covered my nose with a small cloth. I sniffed so hard while struggling that I didn't know when I sniffed the drug.

Suddenly, I felt my head grow heavy, the world around me blurred, and everything went black.

****

Waking up, I found myself in a room twice larger than mine. The atmosphere of the room smelled rich, filled with lavender and a flavour I couldn't quite place. I tried to sit up, but the pain in my head didn't let me.

Stephanie.

I forced myself to stand up, ignoring the pain. One step, and I was on the floor. My head still felt heavy, and I couldn't get myself to do anything other than to sit still and wait for whoever would walk in.

The door opened, and a young lady of my age walked in with a tray of food. She had the most beautiful smile I have ever seen, but that didn't change the fact that I was in an enemy's home.

“Where am I?” I queried.

“You're in Romenetti's manor,” she answered.

“Is there any way I can get out of here?” I asked again.

Her eyebrows raised, then relaxed. “It's impossible,” she dropped the tray on the table. “A lot of people have tried, they either end up dead or…” she paused.

“Or what?”

“I bet you don't want to find out. If I were you, I'd play cool, and try not to act otherwise.” She walked her way towards the door.

“Wait,” she turned to me, still wearing the same smile.

“Yes?”

“Can you take me to your master?” I requested.

“Mr Romenetti isn't open to visitors right now,” she answered. “He's having an important meeting right now. I'll advise you to exercise a little patience.” With that, she left the room.

After what felt like eternity, the door opened. Two guards, the same who had grabbed me back in my apartment, walked in again, wearing a fierce look that made them twice as scary as Romenetti.

Without saying a word, they grabbed me forcefully, dragging me like I wasn't even a human.

“Hey,” I yelled. “I'm a human, okay? At least try to be careful, and not drag me like I'm a trash bin.” They didn't seem to be listening to me. “I'm talking to you two, okay! You have no–”

They tossed me to the ground. My body slid through the tiled floor, my back hitting against the wall. I winced, the pain vibrating all over me. They grabbed me again with every strength in them, that I almost thought I was going to break a bone.

We got to a certain room, and they seemed a bit gentle on me. Prerenders. The guards at the door opened it for us to enter. Matteo was engrossed with something on his desk that he didn't notice us walk in. “Boss, we have her.”

He raised his eyes at us, his gaze falling right at me, like he already knew my direction. “I wasn't expecting you'd wake up this soon.” He said so casually that it irritated me. “By the way, I hope you were served? Because, that'll be the last meal you'll ever get to taste.”

“Take her to the cell,” he ordered. “Her punishment starts tomorrow.”

“You changed so much,” the words slipped out of my mind. “You were never like this. You never hurt, you protected. Why? Why did you change this much, Matteo?!”

“Change, you say?” He chuckled, standing up, and walking towards my direction. “Everyone changes, Miss Thompson.” Stopping before me, he squatted, so our eyes met. “Except you must have mistaken me for someone else.”

“Don't act like you don't know me, idiot!” I snapped. “I know you do! You remember me as much as I remember you. You haven't forgotten so soon, have you?”

He looked at the men behind me, they laughed at me like I was stupid. I knew what I was saying, and there was no denying it. He was the Matteo I fell in love with. Why would he act like he doesn't know me? Like he doesn't even remember anything about me?

He raised my chin, staring at me right in the eyes. “You wanna know the only thing I remember about you? You remind me of those bitches who think they can walk up to my face and tell me more than I know about myself. I've met your kind a lot of times, you aren't the first, and definitely won't be the last.”

With a deep frown, he ordered. “Take her out of my sight!”