Chapter 5

I woke up in a different room, an IV stuck in my hand. My throat was dry causing me to cough. Alessandro offered me a glass of water, I reluctantly took it.

"You'll finally woke up."

 He said as he sat down on the bed, I set up and moved to the middle to the bed.

"Careful the doctor placed the IV in your hand,you are weak you need to eat something." His voice showed some concern.

"What I need is for you to let me go."

"I would like for you to stay, willingly." He said.

"But I don't see that happening anytime soon, So how about you and I make a deal."

 He wants to make a deal with me.

"What kind of a deal are we talking about?" He stood up from the bed and walk to the middle of the room.

"Let's set a time frame, in which I would be allowed to get to know you and you would get to know me.You would be able to move freely around the estate,the house. I could take you to the places you haven't seen before. And if in that time period you'd..." He seemed to struggle to find the words. But I think I understood what he wants.

"You want me to ...stay  ..with you and in that period of time ...if ...I develop feelings for you you hope that I would stay with you." He smiled, he even let out a little laugh.

"Well, yes."

"You're not in love with me right? I mean you can't be you... don't know me." He observed me for a second.

"No, I'm not in love with you.Not yet... But I do feel deeply,profoundly attached to you... attracted to you."

 I scratched my greasy hair trying to process the situation.

"All of this because I saved your life?"

"You saving my life is a big factor,yes. But also because in my 34 years of life I have never met someone who helped selflessly, I don't know one person in my life who doesn't have an agenda. Until you." I rubbed my eyes ,I was in such a haze.

"How long would that time period be?"

 I didn't realise that question came out of my mouth before it was too late, it was like me accepting the deal.

"How about a year?"

"No!"I think I even laughed a bit.

"Eight months."

"Three months." I can't believe I'm even discussing this.

"Seven."

"Four." 

"How about we meet in the middle? Six."

 He wanted six months of my time,six months of my life.

"And if no feelings are developed?"

"Then I will fly you back to New York in my private plane.You would never hear from me again."

How can I trust him? He says that he would let me go but...what options do I have...but to believe what he says is true.

"I have one condition."

"Whatever you want." He agrees immediately.

"You are not allowed to touch me, you don't get to put so much as a finger on me."

 He was amused.

"I won't touch you... not until you ask me to do it."

 He came closer again extending his hand to me.

"So we have a deal?"

I didn't take his hand.

"We have a deal."  I simply stated as he let his hand fall to his side.

"Your food will be delivered soon, after the IV is over I suggest you take a shower,we are going to take a walk."

"Are you even allowed to walk, I saw you limping earlier." It almost sounded like concern.

"The doctor advised me to rest,yes.My leg was just grazed by the bullet, the night they brought you...I wanted to come and see you but I fell so they took me to the hospital. I reopened my wound..."

"You're not exactly doing much resting." I interrupted him.

"I will see you later Nicole."

 He left me alone in the room,soon after he left the maid brought me some food. This time I ate it. I took a shower, when I came out to the bathroom a dress was laid out for me on the bed.That dress wasn't mine, but my suitcases are no longer to be found. I really didn't have other choice but to put it on.He said that I would be able to move freely, so I tried my luck with the door.It was unlocked. But as soon as I opened the door I was faced with Alessandro.

"Right on time."He said.

"On time for what?"

 "I'm taking you home with me."

“Home,I thought this was your home."

He laughed a bit.

"This is one of the houses that I own, I stayed here because I had some business to do close by. My home is a bit more recluded."  Recluded as in more far away.

"Why can't we just stay here.?"

"Let's take this conversation into the car." He said as he started to walk away.

"I don't want to go." It was bad enough that he had me here, at least I knew I was in Madrid,him taking me somewhere else this is an option.

"I had a feeling this wouldn't go so easy.

Diego llévala al auto.(Take her to the car.)"

All of the sudden I was being picked up and carried down the hallway.

"What are you doing, put me down. Alessandro!" 

"What, I promised I wouldn't lay a finger on you,but I didn't say anything about my employees."

And just liked that I was carried outside and being placed in the car, again.Alessando joined me minutes later, caring my teddy bear.

"I thought you may like to have this with you." I took the bear quickly from his hand and placed it in my lap.Alessandro chuckled.

"What?  A grown person can't have a teddy bear."

"It's just that your temper doesn't really go with the bear. But it is obviously important to you."

I stayed silent for a few seconds looking at a bear in my lap.

"It was a gift from my father, He gave it to me for my 20th birthday.He said that no matter how old I would get I would always be his little girl."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you... I guess... Where are you taking me?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Seeing how I wouldn't get anything out of him I relaxed into my seat as a drive began.

We travelled for what seem to be ages,Alessandro was working on his tablet and going through some papers while I just watch outside the window. I just comed down to the point I couldn't take it anymore.

"Are we there yet, how much longer can this possible take?" 

"If I knew you were this impatient I would have ordered a helicopter."

He said ,not lifting his eyes from the tablet.

 I couldn't take it anymore, I had a feeling my ass was asleep and I needed to pee.

"Can we at least stop for a moment I need to use the lady's room." Alessandro picked up his phone and started taping, after which he tossed his phone aside.

"There is a rest stop five minutes from here will stop there."

"You know for a guy who kidnapped a girl, you don't seem to be having much interest in me.I mean I feel like a keychain." Well that got his attention,he lifted his head from the tablet and looked me over. And when I say look I mean he devoured me with his eyes,he couldn't touch but man his eyes were doing some serious work.

"Trust me Nicole I'm having a really hard time keeping myself distracted from you. I'm trying to get things done so that when we get home you'll have my undivided attention."

I really didn't know what he meant by that, and the not knowing part was driving me crazy. What can I expect from him? What does he expect from me?  How did I end up in this mess?

Soon enough we came to the rest stop and I was escorted to the lady's room, I was washing my hands and watching the door that was being guarded by the man from outside. So much so that I got started when a different door behind me opened. A cleaning lady came in ,she used the workers entrance. And her entrance could be my exit. I went through that door in a second, I wasn't paying my attention to my surroundings but it seemed to be a grocery shop or something like it. My attention was on what was outside the window. A police car.And where there's a police car ,there has to be some officers. I rushed outside and made a run for it.