Chapter Four

Anya's POV

I allowed myself to be led by this stranger who helped me calm down.

“Sit down.” He said. His voice was cold and authoritative.

I looked at him for the first time and I gasped. I was staring at the most attractive guy I have ever seen in my life.

This guy had an oval face, with a slightly pointed chin and a sturdy jaw line. His green eyes were small and spaced evenly apart, sitting below trimmed eyebrows that seem to curve as a natural extension of his broad, crooked nose and for some reason, I found that really sexy.

He had a smirk on that lush lips of his and his natural brown color hair was neatly combed to reveal a wide forehead. This hottie was putting on an armless shirt and gosh those muscles.

He had tattoos on his arms. I could spot two cardinals on a tree facing each other tattooed on his right arm and under it were the words ‘I am always with you’.

He was breathtakingly beautiful and at the same time, scary.

I definitely know he is someone I am supposed to be scared of but right now,I couldn't care less.

I looked up at him and he was gazing at me with a look I couldn't understand.

“Are you done?” The corners of his mouth twitched.

I tilted my head and asked “Who are you?”

His expression closed up and he suddenly looked serious. “Who are you?” He asked coldly.

Okay! Now I was scared of him. I couldn’t talk so I kept on staring at him.

“Talk.” He boomed and I flinched.

“Anya. Anya Chirkov.” I said trembling.

“Anya.” My name rolled like honey from his lips and for some reason, I clenched my thighs tighter

I mentally face palmed myself. What the hell was wrong with me? I can’t believe I am thinking of this right now.

“Fucking Russians.” He said and a line appeared between his brows.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“You really don’t know who I am?” He asked and I shook my head.

“You must have heard of me. My name brings terror to those who hear it. I am Vincenzo Cassano.” He said smirking.

Oh my goodness! I screamed internally.

My mouth fell open and my heart stopped beating for a moment. It was like we were the only people in this huge room and he was crowding my space.

Fear paralyzed me and my heart hammered in my chest.  I can’t believe I am in the devil’s lair, the person I tried to run away from.

This was Vincenzo fucking Cassano staring at me right now. I felt goose bumps on my arms. He was known as the devil because he was the devil in the literal meaning.

He is a terrifying and dangerous person. This guy is cruel in every possible way.

Vincenzo Cassano is the youngest Capo of the La Cosa Nostra, the Italian famiglia. He was the youngest Capo in Italy’s history. He attained the position when he was just ten.

Fear coursed through me. I have never been this afraid before. Vincenzo scares the living daylight out of me and he is not someone I want to cross.

“You can start breathing.” He said.

I realized I have been holding my breath so I let out a sharp breath.

“Who are you looking for?” He scrutinized me like I was a disgusting pest. That’s true anyways, I was a mess because of the fall.

“Did your father send you?”

“Hmmn?” I muttered.

“I asked a question and I expect an answer.” He said glaring at me.

“What did you say?” I asked as if I did not remember what he asked.

“Did your father send you?” He repeated. I could tell he didn't like repeating himself with the way he narrowed his eyes.

My father? He thinks Uncle Pietro is Dad.

“Your father owes me, so he thinks he can steal from me to pay back his debt? Oh what a joke.” He gave a sinister laugh.

“Hey, I don’t know what you are talking about, my Unc… I mean, my dad did not send me to do anything.” I tried defending myself.

“So what were you doing in the woods?”

“I…I…I lost my way and I ended up there.” I explained.

“You want me to believe that bullshit?” He smirked.

“Yes, that is the truth. I ran away from home because I realized they were trying to sell me to you and I ended up in the woods by coincidence. I do not know who that man was.” I said in one breath.

“But you ended up on my turf.” He said.

I know and that itself was scary, you don’t need to remind me. I thought.

“So what are you going to do to me?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“What do you think? I am going to make you pay in your father’s stead.” He stared at me.

How? Was he going to kill me or make me his whore, because that was what men like him does? My eyes widened at the last part. That would be so horrible.

“Why should I be the one who has to pay for my father’s crime?” I asked.

He shrugged, “Beats me.”

“So how are you going to make me pay?” My body shook with fear.

“You are going to cook and work with my maids.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Cook?” I screamed. That’s all?

“Why? The spoilt Chirkov’s heir can’t even cook?” He cocked his head.

“I am not spoilt.” I glared at him. “That’s not it. You want me to cook for you. Just cook? You are not going to ask me to be your whor…” I stopped before I could complete my sentence.

“Be my what? What more were you expecting? He drew nearer to me and I shrank back in fear.

“I-you, I didn’t mean that.” I stuttered.

“Carlo.” He suddenly called out loudly and a broad shouldered blonde walked in. He was intimidating and scary too.

“Take her to the maid’s quarter and give her a free room there.” he said and turned to me.

“You are to start work immediately and do something about that cut on your head.” he told me and Carlo dragged me out.

When we got out of the room, I pulled my hands away.

“I can walk on my own.” I glared at him and this asshole kept on frowning.

He walked away without looking back expecting me to follow him. So I followed him while looking around.

From the looks of things, this mansion was freaking big and beautiful. Our home doesn’t even hold a candle to it. I paused and held the rails as I looked at the living room.

The chandelier hanging from the roof was exquisite.

“Keep walking.” Carlo boomed.

I snickered and made faces at his back until we arrived in front of a room.

“I will give you thirty minutes to get ready. Your clothes are on the bed.” he said.

“Are you kidding me? Thirty minutes to wash up?” I looked at this moody jerk in front of me.

“Your time is counting.”

“Scumbag.” I said and entered the room and bolted the door.

I undressed and made my way to the bathroom. I drew my breath when I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was a mess. I can’t believe I met Vincenzo Cassano looking like this.

My body was hurting a lot from the fall so I took a long warm bath not caring about the guy waiting for me outside. He can wait that long for all I care.

I was tired of my life and it was instances like this that the thought of ending my life came but I kept going because of Erik. I had forgotten all about him for a while, I need to find a way to get to him.

I dried my body with a clean towel that I found in the bathroom and after applying body lotion, I put on the maid’s gown that I found on the bed.

It was so tight and short. I should really be grateful that Vincenzo didn’t kill me. I combed my hair and packed it in a neat bun. I found some medicine and a band aid kit on the table.

I put a bandage on my cut and sat down on the bed, staring at nothing in particular.

The depression was kicking in and my medicine was not with me. I can’t bear having a meltdown in this place.

A loud banging on the door surprised me and I quickly stood up to open the door.

“Are you going to spend…?” He stopped mid sentence and gawked at me.

Wait, was that lust in his eyes? Fucking men. I scrunched my face in disgust and snapped my fingers in front of his face and that brought him back.

“I see you’re ready. Let’s go.” He turned and walked away. I followed him and he stopped in the kitchen.

“Cosima, Boss has a new girl for you.” He said softly.

What was that? So this moody asshole could talk softly like this.

“Oh dear, where is she?”

I peeked from Carlo’s back and I spotted three other girls beside Cosima in the kitchen. Cosima walked to me smiling brightly and enveloped me in a bear hug.

I pulled back immediately, this felt weird. I haven’t been hugged in a long time.

“Oh, what a little beauty you are.” She beamed.

I smiled awkwardly when she turned me to the other girls.

“This is Bruna, the head cook.” She huffed and turned away. What the hell was wrong with her?

“This is Natalina and Camila.” Natalina gave me a small smile while Camila, a red haired cutie, giggled and waved at me. I smiled and waved back.

“Now, girls, get back to work.” Cosima ordered and she pulled out a chair and sat me down. She was older, maybe in her sixties, with streaks of silver running through her dark hair. I couldn’t help but like her.

“I hope that boy, Vincenzo, didn’t hurt you?” She asked.

Her words caught me off guard. She didn’t call him ‘Boss’ like the others did. Just Vincenzo—like she wasn’t afraid of him.

I shook my head. "Not yet," I admitted, my voice quiet. "But it feels like he could… any time."

Cosima chuckled, shaking her head. "He isn’t like that."

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, right. He could snap at any moment he wants.

Cosima’s expression shifted as she studied me more closely. "When’s the last time you ate, sweetheart?"

I frowned, trying to think. My stomach twisted painfully, but I had grown so used to hunger that I barely noticed it anymore.

"I… I don’t know," I admitted honestly. "Last night? Maybe the night before? I don’t even know how long I’ve been here."

She nodded and started preparing food. Few minutes later, she laid down a table full of good looking food in front of me.

I looked at her questioningly. “Is this for me?”

“Yeah. Eat up.”

“But… But, Vincenzo sent me here to work and not to eat.”

“It’s fine. Vincenzo doesn’t have a say in my kitchen.”

I looked at the food and tears welled up in my eyes. Even though I was living in a huge mansion, aunt always starved me.

No one has ever offered me food for a long time with love in their eyes like this woman. She was staring at me and smiling with her eyes. She pulled me in, for an embrace and patted my back.

 I felt reassured that someone was here to look after me in this place and that cheered me up.