CHAPTER 7

Angelina POV

I blinked my eyes open and stared blankly at the white ceiling. A faint throbbing at the back of my head made me wince. I didn't try to sit up right away. Instead, I stayed perfectly still, trying to piece together what had happened.

I remembered Danzel leaving the house. I remembered trying to escape out the window. I remembered him coming back, finding me hanging off the ledge, and then—

Oh God, I fell!

Crap. Danzel is going to kill me.

He had explicitly told me not to leave the room, and I had tried to run. My heart raced as I thought about him hurting my family because of my actions. If that ever happened, I didn't think I would survive it.

I carefully glanced down at my body and gasped. I was covered in ugly bruises, and my foot was heavily bandaged, though it didn't hurt when I wiggled it slightly.

I stopped moving completely when the bedroom door clicked open. Danzel walked in. He was busy reading some papers in his hand, so he hadn't noticed I was awake yet. Instead of making my presence known, I quietly took in his appearance. Droplets of water were dripping from his dark hair, suggesting he had just showered. He held a coffee mug in one hand and the documents in the other. He walked over to the couch, his eyes never leaving the papers.

Not wanting to get caught gawking at him, I awkwardly cleared my throat. "Hi."

Instantly, his head snapped toward me. A flash of intense emotion flickered in his blue eyes, but he quickly masked it, his expression hardening. I gulped uncomfortably under his heavy stare.

He narrowed his eyes, suddenly standing up and marching toward me. He stopped at the edge of the bed and leaned down until his face was mere inches from mine.

"You're really awake," he mumbled, almost to himself.

"Yeah," I breathed out, trying to ignore how good his minty breath felt fanning across my face.

"I can tell," he smirked. "Your heart is beating faster than a fucking racehorse."

Damn it.

I looked away, unable to hold his intense gaze any longer. Not wanting to delay the inevitable, I decided to face the music.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, staring at the blanket.

"Why?"

"Because I tried to escape. I disrespected you and went against your word. But please... please don't hurt my family. I won't do it again," I practically begged, tears welling in my eyes.

He let out a long sigh. "I forgive you."

"What?" I exclaimed, my head snapping back to look at him. "Why?"

"I don't know. But I do," he said flatly. "I know I was being a dick in the beginning, but don't worry. I won't hurt your family. However, this is the very last time I am letting something like this slide. The next time you pull a stunt, you won't even be given a chance to explain yourself."

I nodded quickly. He continued to stare at me, his gaze softening just a fraction.

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"You know, I can't stay mad at you for very long," he murmured, his eyes tracing the lines of my face. "Your eyes make me forget every damn thing."

My body froze as he leaned in closer. He placed one hand on the mattress beside my head and used the other to gently cradle my cheek, holding me in place. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs. His face was so close I could feel his breath ghosting over my lips. My hands tightly gripped his shirt, and my eyes fluttered shut.

Just as his lips were about to brush against mine—

"Hey, man, we are— Fuck! I'm sorry. I didn't see you kissing her!" a loud voice boomed from the doorway.

Danzel instantly pulled away, standing up straight and aggressively smoothing out his shirt.

"Creed! Don't you know how to fucking knock?" Danzel snapped.

"I'm sorry, man! I thought you were just busy staring at her while she slept. My bad," Creed explained, holding his hands up in surrender.

Busy staring at me?

"Hi, Angelina. I'm glad you're finally awake," Creed said, walking over and taking a seat in the chair next to my bed.

"Hi," I offered a weak smile.

"Well, let me officially introduce myself. I am Creed," he said, extending a hand toward me. "The one and only man in the world who has to deal with this shitty ass right here." He jerked a thumb at Danzel.

I couldn't help but laugh, especially when Danzel's eyes narrowed into a lethal glare.

"Hey, Creed," I said, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine. I'm just grateful I finally get to talk to you. This guy has been fucking up his own brain—and mine—the entire time you've been unconscious."

"Oh. I'm sorry about that," I said, genuinely surprised. "But exactly what happened to me? I don't feel like I'm in that much pain."

"Nothing too crazy. You fell and sprained your ankle. You had some minor injuries, but they're mostly healed by now. The doctor gave you a pretty heavy dose of sedatives, so you've been in and out of consciousness for about a week," Creed explained smoothly.

I nodded, absorbing the information.

"If you're done talking, let's get going," Danzel interrupted, clearly irritated.

"Yeah, I gotta go, honey," Creed winked at me.

"Don't you fucking call her that," Danzel spat, stepping closer to his friend.

"Chill, man! We're friends now, aren't we?" Creed asked, looking at me.

"Yeah," I replied hesitantly, not sure how Danzel would react.

"See!" Creed smirked triumphantly.

Danzel glared at him murderously and took another step forward.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, she's all yours. You are such a possessive brat," Creed laughed, backing toward the door. "And please, Angelina, give him a quick goodbye kiss so we won't be late!"

"Out!" Danzel roared.

I heard Creed's loud laughter echoing down the hallway as he shut the door.

Once we were alone again, Danzel handed me my pain medication and a glass of juice. I took the pills silently, gulping them down.

"I need to go. Don't try that little stunt again, okay?" he warned, watching me closely.

I nodded.

He leaned down, pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the top of my head, and walked out. I sat there in stunned silence. I hadn't expected him to be this calm. A part of me worried it was just the calm before the storm, but he had promised he wouldn't hurt my family. Would he really keep his word?

Yes. He won't, I realized.

I let out a heavy sigh. My life was officially a chaotic mess.

Carefully getting out of bed, I limped toward the bathroom for a hot shower. Once my muscles felt relaxed, I dressed and made my way downstairs to grab something to eat. When I walked into the kitchen, I saw a woman around my mother's age standing at the stove.

"Hey," I said softly to get her attention.

She turned around, a massive, warm smile breaking across her face. "Thank God you're finally up, honey! You had me so worried," she sighed in relief.

I instantly liked her. "Hello. I'm Angelina."

"I know, sweetie. I'm Yara. I've been the head maid here since... well, since the house was built." She wiped her hands on a towel and motioned for me to sit at the island, immediately sliding a plate of food in front of me. "Here, eat this. Robert filled me in on everything while you were asleep."

I smiled gratefully and dug in.

The next few days passed by in a blur. Yara was incredibly loving and caring. We talked constantly. She told me about her daughter who lived overseas, and how, since her husband had passed, it was just the two of them.

It had been a week since I woke up, and I was slowly becoming accustomed to the strange atmosphere of the penthouse. Creed visited almost every day. He was fun and laid-back, and I genuinely enjoyed his company. We constantly joked around, which usually ended with Danzel snapping at Creed for giving me nicknames. I highly doubted a guy as funny as Creed could actually kill someone.

My life had fallen into a quiet, almost normal rhythm. But for the last two days, I had barely seen Danzel. He had been coming home incredibly late and seemed to be actively avoiding me.

---

I glanced at the clock. 9:00 PM.

Danzel would be home any minute. I felt unusually restless. He hadn't called or checked in once today. Maybe he was just busy... killing people. The gruesome thought made me shiver.

How could he actually take a life? Just the sight of blood made me nauseous, yet he seemed to thrive in that dark world. I sighed heavily, staring out the large windows. How long had it been since I stepped outside these walls? I felt suffocated. I just needed some fresh air.

Tonight, I'm going to ask Danzel to let me go out for a while.

The heavy thud of the front door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. He was home early.

Okay, just go down, ask him to let you out, and then go straight to sleep, I coached myself as I walked out of my bedroom. No need to stare into his eyes. Or look at his body. Or his lips...

I mentally slapped myself, forcing my thoughts back in line.

I crept down the stairs and peeked into the massive living area. Danzel had gone straight to the built-in bar. He poured himself a glass of dark red wine and downed it furiously in one gulp.

Gathering my courage, I walked over and took a seat on the stool next to him. He didn't seem to notice me, his exhausted gaze fixed firmly on the empty glass in his hand.

"Uh—Danzel?" I called out nervously.

"Hmm," he hummed, not looking up.

"I'm going crazy sitting in this house all day," I started, biting my lip anxiously. "Can you let me go out for just one day?"

"No," he replied instantly.

"Why?" I asked, my shoulders dropping in disappointment.

"Because I know that the second I let you out of my sight, you'll run," he said, finally turning to look at me. "And I am not letting that happen."

"No!" I shook my head adamantly. "I won't run, I promise! I just want some fresh air. I've been rotting in this house since the day you brought me here," I grumbled, my frustration leaking into my voice.

"Don't use that tone with me, Love. I said no. You are not going anywhere," he warned, his voice hardening as he poured another glass of wine and drank it down.

"You can't just dictate my entire life. You might be the boss of all these men, but you don't own me!" The reckless words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I'm not afraid of you. If you won't let me out, fine. I'll just go out whether it pleases you or not."

To prove my point, I snatched the expensive bottle of wine from the counter and took a huge, ungraceful gulp directly from the neck. I desperately needed liquid courage if I was going to stand up to him. The alcohol burned all the way down my throat, instantly sending a warm, dizzying buzz straight to my brain.

I slammed the bottle down and turned to walk away. But before I could take a single step, his large hands clamped around my wrists. He spun me around effortlessly and pulled me forward until I was standing flush between his parted legs.

"Don't do this, Angel," he murmured, his voice dropping into a dark, husky register. "I am already having an incredibly hard time resisting you. Your feisty little attitude is seriously testing my limits."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against my earlobe. I shivered, a sudden rush of heat flooding my core. My throat went completely dry. He lightly nipped at the sensitive skin of my ear before pressing a soft kiss to it. I gasped, my eyes fluttering shut on instinct.

Shit. That felt way too good.

He released my wrists. One of his large hands settled firmly on my waist, holding me flush against his hard body, while his other hand came up to cradle my jaw.

He tilted my head to the side and pressed his warm lips to the line of my jaw. I let out a shaky sigh as he began trailing soft, agonizingly slow kisses down the length of my neck. The alcohol buzzing in my veins completely obliterated my self-control. When he sucked gently at the pulse point just below my ear, a soft moan escaped my lips.

He smirked against my skin and continued his pleasurable torture, mapping his way back up my face until he reached the corner of my mouth. He stopped there, hovering. I could feel his ragged breaths mixing with mine. He pressed one final, teasing kiss just outside the seam of my lips and pulled back slightly.

I slowly opened my heavy eyes, instantly trapped in his blazing blue gaze. His eyes were entirely consumed by raw, unfiltered lust. He stared at me for a long moment before leaning in again, pressing feather-light kisses to my eyelids, my nose, my cheeks, my chin... everywhere except where I desperately wanted him to.

"P-please don't kiss me," I whispered weakly, my hands fisting the fabric of his shirt. I had no idea why I said it, because it was the exact opposite of what my body wanted.

"Why?" he asked, pressing a kiss to my cheek, agonizingly close to my mouth.

"Because... I don't know how to... I've never..." My brain short-circuited as he sucked a tiny patch of skin on my neck.

"Well. We're just going to have to change that, aren't we?" he murmured.

His lips finally brushed fully against mine, and a violent spark of electricity exploded through my veins.

His mouth was cool from the wine, but incredibly soft. He kissed me slowly, testing the waters. He gently nibbled on my lower lip, his tongue swiping along the seam, silently asking for entry. But I was so overwhelmed, I kept my lips pressed tight.

Groaning in frustration, his arms wrapped completely around me, pulling me so close there wasn't a millimeter of space between us. His hands slid down from my waist, gripping my ass and lifting me fully against his straining erection. The sudden, intense friction made me gasp in shock.

He took the opening instantly, slipping his tongue into my mouth. He tasted like expensive wine and sharp mint. I was so completely lost in the overwhelming sensation of the kiss that I didn't even realize he had stood up and was walking us backward.

A moment later, I felt the soft cushions of the couch against my back. He followed me down, pinning me beneath his heavy frame without ever breaking the kiss. His large hands slid up my bare thighs, his rough fingers trailing goosebumps across my heated skin.

His mouth finally left mine, trailing hot, wet kisses down my throat. My body felt like it was literally on fire. When his lips moved lower, sucking hard at the swell of my breast right through the thin fabric of my dress, I arched my back and cried out. I couldn't handle the sheer intensity of the pleasure.

Hearing my sinful response, he moved his hand up to cover my breast, his thumb rolling over my hardened peak. I gasped sharply, my leg jerking up and inadvertently rubbing right against his rock-hard length.

He groaned deeply against my skin, the vibration sending a sharp, sweet ache straight to my core.

Oh my God.

Unable to hold back any longer, I tangled my fingers into his thick hair, pulled his face back up, and kissed him fiercely.

"Fuck, you taste so delicious, Angel," he growled against my mouth. "I want you right now."

I moaned in agreement, wrapping my arms tightly around his broad shoulders.

"Tell me to stop, Angelina," he rasped, dragging his lips heavily along my jawline. "I don't want you to regret this tomorrow."

But I physically couldn't stop him. Every place he touched sent off fireworks under my skin.

"Please stop me, Angel," he begged, his voice strained as he grazed his teeth over my collarbone.

"Oh God... Danzel, please," I whimpered loudly when he bit down on the sensitive flesh.

I didn't care that he was the mafia boss who had kidnapped me. I didn't care that I was essentially a prisoner in this house. In that moment, I was entirely consumed by him, and my body desperately demanded more.

Just as his hand moved to hike my dress up further, his cell phone started ringing.

He completely ignored it, burying his face in my neck and continuing his sweet, agonizing torture.

"D-Danzel... your phone," I breathed out, struggling to string a sentence together.

"Ignore it," he ordered, silencing my protests with another bruising kiss.

But the phone just kept ringing, loudly and obnoxiously cutting through the heavy silence of the room. After a few more agonizing seconds, Danzel let out a furious roar of frustration. He gave me one last, deep kiss before finally pulling away.

I lay there on the couch, my chest heaving as I tried to regain control of my erratic breathing while he aggressively snatched the phone off the table.

"What the fuck do you want?" he barked into the receiver.

My entire body felt feverish. I sat up slowly, pulling my dress back down and trying to smooth out my messy hair. Unsure of what to do, I awkwardly stood up from the couch, waiting for him to finish the call.

"Fine. I'll deal with it tomorrow," he snapped, ending the call and tossing the phone back onto the table.

He turned toward me, his expression softening instantly. Without a word, he stepped forward, bent down, and effortlessly scooped me up into his arms. "Let's get you to bed."

He carried me silently up the stairs, his dark eyes never leaving mine. When we reached my room, he laid me gently onto the mattress and pulled the thick duvet over my shoulders. I watched him the entire time, my heart still racing.

"Goodnight, Angel," he murmured. He leaned down, gave me one final, soft peck on the lips, and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I reached up, my fingers lightly touching my swollen lips. The way he had kissed me... it made me completely melt into him. I had forgotten everything around me. The way his rough, calloused hands had held me so carefully just made me crave his touch everywhere else.

I closed my eyes, and instantly, a pair of striking blue eyes flashed across the darkness of my mind.

I knew exactly who they belonged to.

And I knew with absolute certainty that tonight, the man with the ocean-blue eyes was the only thing I was going to dream about.