Chapter 6

 ~~~ 

 

 Sophia clutched the tray where the plate of her barely-eaten food sat. She didn't have any appetite to eat, and she was grateful Valerie listened to her and didn't stay back with her in her room after dropping her dinner and helping her apply ointment to the bruises on her wrists and ankles. 

 

 She stared at her legs which were barely covered by the mid-thigh pajama shorts Valerie left for her with a pajama shirt. Valerie didn't know what clothes to give her to wear, so she gave her one of hers' before the next day when she'd go shopping for some clothes for Sophia. 

 

 With a huge sigh, she opened her room door and looked around the silent and empty hallway as the cold wind blew past her bare legs. She then walked towards the same way she remembered passing through with Valerie earlier and admired the paintings and photo frames across the walls. 

 

 Once she got to the staircase, she stared at the large living room. The walls were painted white, which offered a clean, therapeutic, and comfortable feeling. Soft, expensive, black sofas contradicting the white color of the wall and ceiling, sat proudly in the room with a long coffee table in their middle, and beneath it, laid a black and expensive rug. Everything screamed money, including the large 85-inch Samsung television hanging on the wall. 

 

 Sophia was in too much awe that she didn't realize when her legs, with a mind of their own, took her down the stairs, and she mistakenly bumped into a warm, hard chest. 

 

 A small yelp left her lips, the moment she hit her forehead on the person's chest, and the tray in her hand slipped to the floor, but not before leaving a food stain on the person's white shirt when the food poured. “Ouch!", She rubbed her forehead. 

 

 The person scoffed loudly. “Of course, it had to be the fucking foolish teenager. Do you normally stare at people's houses like that? Now look the fuck what you've done to my shirt", 

 

 Sophia raised her eyes and they met with Lucas' dark, angry ones. “I-I'm sorry", She stuttered. “I-I didn't mean to bump into you like that", 

 

 "Yeah, you didn't", He sneered, sarcasm dripping from every single word that left his lips. “Just the same way you didn't mean to fucking poke nose in someone else's business", 

 

 Tears welled up in Sophia's eyes and she looked down at her feet. “I’m sorry", 

 

 "You better be" " he said, glaring at her. “Move", He growled and shoved her aside a little too harshly before walking up the stairs, mumbling under his breath. “I don't even understand why the fuck Don let her live", 

 

 Sophia heard his words clearly and a tear rolled down her cheeks as she bent down to pick up the plate and tray, mentally noting to look for a broom and pack up the food she had spilled on the ground unintentionally. 

 

 She couldn't understand why Lucas hated her so much. It wasn't like she chose to be there in the house. She hadn't even done anything to upset him so much so it hurt her that he treated her like that. 

 

 "What are you doing down here alone?", 

 

 Sophia felt the shivers run down her spine and she froze the moment she heard that deep, seductive, Italian-accented voice that only belonged to the man behind her nightmares. 

 

 Sophia didn't move from her spot, till she saw his feet just where she was and looked up at him. He was staring at her, without an ounce of emotion in his dark, mysterious eyes. 

 

 "I asked you a question", He said. “What are you doing here alone? Shouldn't you be sleeping?", 

 

 Sophia blinked her eyes and stood up, Ignoring the butterflies suddenly dancing in her stomach." I-", She gulped lowly as she felt her sweat trickling down her forehead. “I-I wanted to drop the plates in the-in the kitchen. I-sorry for the mess", She motioned to the food on the ground. 

 

 "Weren't you looking your way when you were walking? This place isn't some dump or anywhere that you would just throw food", Chase said. 

 

 Sophia dropped her head and stared at her feet. “I-I'm sorry", 

 

 Chase replied immediately. “Sorry, won't clean off the mess you just made. You have to clean it off. Dammit, why did you even have to come out of your room to drop off the plate? Where the fuck is Valerie?", 

 

 Sophia panicked. “I-I'm sorry, please. It wasn't her fault. I-I asked her to leave me alone", 

 

 "You wanted time to escape?", He asked. 

 

 Sophia's eyes widened. "N- No. I- I do want to go ho- home bu -", 

 

 "Sophia?", A familiar female voice called from the top stairs, and Sophia looked up towards the direction. Valerie walked down the stairs to them on noticing how upset Chase was about the food on the ground, for he was someone who loved neatness. “Is everything okay?", 

 

 "I-", Sophia glanced towards Chase, only to find him concentrated on something else. There was a cigar between his lips and a lighter in his hands which he was using to light up the cigar. She looked back at Valerie. “I-I tripped and made a mess of this place. I'm sorry", She lied. 

 

 "It's okay", Valerie turned to Chase but found the space he was standing on empty. She then spotted him walking up the stairs. “Don", 

 

 Chase stopped but didn't turn. 

 

 Valerie walked up towards him. “Sorry about the mess. It won't repeat itself", 

 

 Chase returned his cigar to his lips and made to walk away without saying a word. 

 

 "Don", Valerie called again. 

 

 Chase stopped and stared ahead before pulling out the cigar from his lips and blowing out smoke from his lips. “cosa?", 

 

 {"What?"} 

 

 Valerie was unsure whether she should say it or not. Her cousin was an unpredictable and closed man. She wouldn't be able to understand what he was thinking or what his next actions might be or even his reaction to what she was about to say. “Uhh-I-I-", 

 

 Chase still stood there in his spot, unmoving, unblinking, and still staring ahead of him, with his cigar between his lips. He then pulled it out from his mouth. "non ricordo che a nessuno di voi sia stato insegnato a balbettare”, He turned to her with dead calculative eyes. He could read people very well and their next actions no one could do to him and he liked it that way, he knew exactly what Valerie wanted to say to him but he had to hear it from her mouth. "se hai qualcosa di meglio della balbuzie a dire, allora fallo, mi stai facendo perdere tempo", 

 

 {"I don't remember any of you being taught to stutter.”} {"If you have something better than stuttering to say, then do so, you're wasting my time."} 

 

 "Actually, I wanted to say thank you," Valerie replied. When Chase lifted one of his perfectly arched brows, she flushed, then continued. "Grazie per averla lasciata vivere," 

 

 {"Thanks for letting her live."} 

 

 Chase only nodded his head and walked away. 

 

 Valerie breathed out in relief before rushing back to Sophia and smiled at her. “You don't need to be so scared. He's not upset," 

 

 "He didn't look so," Sophia let out. “His facial expression and body movements contradict what you're saying," 

 

 "That's how Chase is," Valerie said. “You’ll get used to it soon. We all have," 

 

 "Chase? "Sophia whispered. 

 

 "Yeah, that's his name," Valerie replied. “Don’t let anyone know I called him that. I can't be beheaded at this young age" " she giggled. 

 

 "Of course, I won't," Sophia said. “Th- Thanks for saving my life," 

 

 "It's okay, really," Valerie smiled wider. “Let’s get this mess packed up and have you go to bed," 

 

 Sophia nodded, a part of her scared out of its wits of what was to come of her in her sleep.