HELL

CHAPTER 2

HELL

JASMINE VALE

It's been two weeks since The Den. Two weeks of countless nightmares and looking over my shoulder.

I wasn't overly cautious, but I realised a few days after The Den that I was being followed.

At first it didn't feel like it, then after the first day, I felt the shadow that followed me home, I felt the stare of eyes I didn't know. It was becoming suffocating.

I had a stalker.

There was no evidence to take to the police.

The district police were and would never be friends.

I had watched in fury and fear as they tortured a boy of no less than seventeen for throwing stones at the Gimzi fountain that flowed in the middle part of the City at the Crescenta Valley.

"Are you closing for the night, angel?" I stopped struggling with my keys and turned to stare at the drunken man.

"Yes, I am. Thank you. You should head home too." I gave him a polite smile.

"Or maybe you should stay here with me." He grinned.

"I really can't. Maybe you should come in tomorrow morning and I'll give you a plate of caramel cake. Only for you." I finally clicked the lock into place and turned to the man.

He was suddenly closer than before and I shifted back to avoid our bodies from touching.

God! I didn't sign up for this tonight.

"You look sweet with your sweet skin and scent. Oh..." He sniffed the air. "Chocolate "

Chocolate indeed.

My new chocolate cake recipe had taken up my whole day.

Lola was right. I had to get someone to assist me.

I sneezed, covering my face.

"Yes, chocolate. Goodnight." I cut our conversation short.

He gripped my arm as I tried to manoeuvre to the other side.

"Make me chocolates, pretty lady."

"It's late. Come tomorrow, and I'll be happy to make you a big chocolate cake, but I can't for now." I pulled away and began to walk quickly.

Like I said before, Italy was beautiful but not at night, especially on this side of town.

"Stop running, pretty Americano. I'll take you to my big mansion in Milano." He slurred as he sought after me.

I could hear his footsteps, but I refused to turn.

When I crossed the intersection between the two streets, I was certain I had lost him. That was until rough hands grabbed me and slammed my back against the closet's wall.

"Jesus!" I winced, as I was slammed to the wall again.

The man was twice my side, a long cut ran from his left eyes to the middle of his cheeks. He looked think and his eyes were bloodshot.

"You fucking Americanos won't ever listen! And now I want to fuck your sweet little cunt. I wonder how creamy it would be." He hissed.

I was positioned in the middle of his thin body, and fortunately, his legs were parted to accommodate my form. I slammed my knee into his groin and he jerked away from me as though I burned like lava.

"You...." He couldn't form another word as he lowered to the ground. His hands were holding his bruised balls.

If we weren't wrestling in the middle of the street crosswalk, maybe i would have been a better host, probably offering a cupcake of Tiramisu and cream but I knew better.

"I'm not a whore and you definitely won't be fucking this cunt." I hissed back.

Ewww...

The words embarrassed me.

I'd never even uttered the word fuck until today.

I ran.

Closing late was not something I did often. Having the Den right across from my Pastry Cafe made me close as early as possible, but today was different, and I was tired from everything.

I ran down the block, and another and another till I was right in front of my building.

I glanced back and sighed when no one came in sight.

The road was empty.

It was past eleven in the winter season, of course, everyone would be home.

••

My apartment smelled weird.

It didn't smell like it usually did and one thing my grandma told me was never to question my instinct.

I stepped inside the room, silently reaching for my bag. Due to my long stay in the Pastry shop, I acquired some defense items from Girl's Only, a defense shop for girls...

Taking out the pepper spray, I walked slowly into the apartment.

My living room was neatly arranged like how it used to be but my window was open.

It happened so fast.

One minute, I was checking my apartment out, and the next, I was being thrown across the other side of the room.

It hurts. It hurts so badly.

I looked up, pulling myself together.

The assailant had a mask on and a gun.

My eyes never left the metallic object that could end one's life without a second thought.

I could feel the fear deep in my bones.

This was something I never expected would happen in my life.

Italy had been my dream vacation country.

But after a few weeks here, I had decided to stay and begin my pastry business. Everything had been fine until I stepped into The Den.

Maybe I should have listened to Lola.

All I could see was the muzzle of the gun. Smoke oozed from the muzzle of the gun, evidence that it had been recently used.

"Dax is dead because of you, whore." He choked out.

Dax?

"I don't know who you're referring to. I've never heard of the name Dax." I said calmly.

"You fucking whore. It's because of you, it's all because of-"

"My my. What a scene." I stilled, my eyes still locked on the muzzle of the gun.

That voice. I knew that voice, I heard that voice that night.

That voice followed me to sleep and woke me up.

That voice.

I glanced up and there he stood, leaning on my door with a gun in his hand as he watched.

The Owner of The Den.

I learnt his name to be Dormani Nostra.

According to the gossip shared by Mrs. Chen. He was everything a mother would deny in a son-in-law.

He was evil and cruel.

But there he stood without a word as he watched us.

"B..Boss.s." The assailant stuttered, his eyes wide open as he took a step back.

The gun fell down with a thud and jumped.

"Why stop? Go on, CG. Show me what you intend to do to the woman." He didn't smile this time.

"I didn't. I didn't in...tend to cause her harm but frighten her." He continued to stutter.

"Hmm. And here I thought I would keep you as a Soldier." Mr Dormani sighed and pulled the trigger.

I jerked with force, my back connecting with the wall once again.

CG lay right in the middle of my apartment, blood oozing from the middle of his two eyes.

I snapped my gaze up when I felt him staring at me.

"You seem to make trouble everywhere you go, and for that, you'll be coming with me. You're not safe here." He said as though he were my Father and he could command me to do anything.

If it were an ordinary man, perhaps I would have called it a bluff and laugh my ass out, but this man just shot someone dead and I'd have to choose my words carefully.

"I don't understand."

"You'll get a bag, pack some clothes. Not everything. Just a few clothes and come with me. What part of that don't you understand?" His cold dead eyes gave nothing away.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"I do not have the strength to fight, Mia bambina. But I do have the strength to put you over my knee and redden that ass. You choose."

My cheeks flushed red and I glared at the man. The Nerve.

He could as well pull the trigger.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. I have a friend and she- Ahhh!"

With a force, he pulled me to himself as he was now sitting on a couch. I tried to fight him off, but he was stronger, more agile, and his muscles strained every time he grabbed my hand.

God! I could notice all these things despite my situation.

A Whack on my ass made me jerk until I realised that I was right over his knee, and he had just spanked me.

"What are you-" I tried to struggle, pushing myself and kicking my legs but his other hand and legs held me firm.

"For the disrespect, I'm going to spank you. Now the number depends on how you take it, like a good little girl and count with me, and if you don't —" Whack! Another landed on my right cheek.

"We'll begin again. Now count." He said with a seriousness that would make you think that I was actually his to spank!

TBC