3

She took a step back clearly frightened by the sight of him and Enzo was not surprised. This was a natural occurrence whenever he came in contact with someone for the first time, his men said he exuded a terrifying aura or maybe it was just the scar that ran down his left eyebrow nearly touching his eyes.

“I..I…” she stuttered.

“You...You…” he took the world off from her mouth chuckling.

The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to cut through with a knife. She stood there, her body tense, fear, and defiance mixing in her eyes as she stared at me.

Enzo knew that look in her eyes, probably trying to piece together her next move, perhaps even contemplating if she could make a run for it.

He remained unmoved, his arms still folded across his chest. It was not often that someone dared to voice their opinions about him so openly, especially within the walls of his estate.

Yet, here she was spitting fire and brimstone, her words laced with accusations and misconceptions.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't surprised," he mused aloud, allowing a small smirk to play on his lips. "You seem to have quite the opinion about me, Gabriella. Formed from whispers and rumors, I presume?"

Her stance hardened, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Saviano. I don't need rumors to form an opinion about a man whose name is synonymous with danger."

He chuckled lightly, taking a step towards her. He could see her body tense even further, ready to flee or fight at a moment's notice. "And yet, here you are, in my home, alive and well. If I were the monster you paint me to be, wouldn't you be in a far worse situation?"

She didn't flinch, though he saw the briefest moment of confusion flicker in her eyes. It was clear she was struggling to understand what was going on here.

"I'm not here to harm you, Gabriella. You were brought here as a gift," Enzo explained, his tone softening slightly. "Your father is quite a generous man, If I knew what he was willing to offer I would have done business with him a long time ago."

She seemed to consider his words for a moment before responding, he watched her eyes flicker in confusion, "W-What the hell are you talking about?"

He stared at Maria and she nodded taking the hint that she needed to leave.

"Don't," Gabriella yelled at her noticing the eye contact between Enzo and her, her words made Enzo chuckle. Is she going to trust a mere maid to protect her from me? Enzo thought to himself.

"S-Sir," Maria stuttered waiting for his order but Enzo didn't respond to her. She gulped and gave Gabriella one glance before leaving the room. Enzo watched Gabriella's eyes trail his maid until she was out of the room closing the door behind her.

"If I wanted to harm you, I would have done that while you were knocked out, don't you think?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"I don't care what your intentions her, let me go now. You must be mistaken, I am not one of your girls," she snapped.

"One of my girls?" He raised his eyebrows, feigning innocence. "Now, Gabriella, that's a serious accusation. I assure you, I don't deal with such matters. You've got me all wrong."

Her stance softened just a tad, the defiance in her eyes dimming. It was clear she was trying to process the situation, her mind racing to make sense of her predicament.

"Then why am I here?" she demanded, her voice a mix of curiosity and lingering fear.

Enzo unfolded his arms and took another step towards her, ensuring his movements were slow and non-threatening but she took a step back. "You're here because of your father's debts. He owes a significant amount to me, and he offered you as a... temporary collateral, shall we say."

Her face drained of color, disbelief, and horror mingling in her expression. "That's impossible. My father would never—"

He cut her off with a gentle, yet firm tone. "Unfortunately, Gabriella, it is very much possible. Your father has made many mistakes, and this was his solution to protect the rest of your family. You are not a prisoner here; think of yourself more as a guest."

"A guest?" she repeated, the word sounding foreign on her lips. "Guests can leave whenever they want, can't they?"

He nodded, acknowledging her point. She was outspoken, he would give her that. "True. And in time, you may. But for now, your presence here is necessary. Not as a pawn, but as a guarantee of your father's cooperation."

He could see the gears turning in her head as she tried to come to terms with her new reality. She looked around the room slowly, he had no doubt she was still looking for an escape route but sorry to break her heart, no one could leave Saviano's estate without his approval including his workers.

"And if I refuse to be part of this... arrangement?"

He let out a sigh, "I'd rather it not come to that. I believe in finding mutually beneficial solutions. Your stay here could be comfortable, even enjoyable, if you allow it."

The word 'enjoyable' seemed to catch her off guard, and for a brief moment, her anger spiked up in her eyes, "Who finds being kidnapped enjoyable?"

He smiled, this time taking another step, she took another and he did the same until her back came crashing into the wall without a space to escape.

He stood in front of her shaking my head, "You will be a hand no doubt, but since you came in more beautiful than your picture I will give you your first gift," he extended his hand to touch her cheek but she spanked his hand off, her head moving to the side avoiding his gaze as she kissed her teeth.

"You will have access to the entire estate, minus a few private areas. There are gardens, a library, and art to admire. And, of course, you'll be under my protection."

Silence followed his words for a second and then her lips curled up into a smile as she busted into laughter. "Protection?"

"You find that amusing?" He asked, genuinely curious about her sudden shift in demeanor. It was interesting to find a woman laughing in front of him, he did say the rest preferred to pretend to be composed around him.

She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still chuckling. "Oh, Mr. Saviano, you live in your own world, don't you? Protection from what? The world outside, or the monster inside this mansion?"

Her boldness surprised him, a rare trait in people who found themselves in her situation. Yet, it was refreshing. "Both," he replied simply. "The world is not a kind place, especially not for people associated with me. And as for the 'monster' inside this mansion, I can assure you, you'll find none scarier than the one standing in front of you."

Her laughter faded, and she looked up at him, her gaze sharp. "And should I feel safe or terrified by that statement?"

"Terrified," he answered without hesitation.

She pushed herself off the wall, standing her ground but with a less confrontational stance. "I am not scared of you, Mr. Saviano."

"We will see about that, Gabriella," he said, offering her a slight nod. "For now, I'll have Maria show you to your room. You'll find everything you need there. Rest, and when you're ready, we can talk more about how things will proceed from here."

He took a step back and snapped his fingers signaling Maria, who had been waiting just outside, to enter. Gabriella gave him one last look, still wary, but with a hint of curiosity, before following Maria out of the room.

As the door closed behind them, Enzo couldn't help but feel that this encounter has shifted something in him. Gabriella was not like the others before her.

For the first time in a long while, he found himself genuinely looking forward to her stay here.