Chapter 11

Artemis Thaleia's POV

"Hmm, it's so good to be back," Sin said as we stepped out from his private jet.

"I miss the warm comfort that my king-size bed gives me. The bed I slept on in the NBI was too hard for my liking, and it hurt my back. I can't believe that I stand to sleep at that for a month,"  Sin said before he wore his aviator glasses and walked to his sports car.

I went straight to his car, and before I could move to get inside.  Sin drove it away, leaving me behind.

I shut my eyes closed and gritted my teeth.

"I guess you weren't that special after all,"  Kanoa commented as she flipped her hair and went straight to the Aston Martin that Conrad got into.  

"I damn hate that woman. One day, I'll find my way to get her out of this miscreant," I whispered.

Lorcan and Eul's car pulled away one after the other.

"Damn it!  Are they going to leave me here?  I know nothing about Naples aside from the fact that it's one of the many cities in Italy!" I ranted as I watched their cars.

I was left with no choice but to ride with Sin's men or pawns, as he called them, in their SUV, but before I could open the door. The car drove away from me, too.

I closed my eyes and sighed.  Annoyed, I stomped my feet and looked around.  My face quickly lit up when a Bugatti Veyron driven by Thayer stopped in front of me.

"It's passed 7 in the morning. I'm tired and hungry as hell. Are you going with me or not?"  He asked.

"I'm going with you! Please!" I pleaded. 

"Then get the hell in, Artemis Thaleia."

Our gazes locked in as Thayer refused to start his car.

"What?"  I raised my eyebrows.

"Your seatbelt—"

Oh, come on! You're a mafia boss, yet you're scared of driving without your and your passenger's seatbelts on?"  I asked him mockingly. 

"Are you going wear it, or I'll leave you here?" I raised my hand in mid-air and smiled sarcastically.

"Okay, okay."  I pulled his seatbelt and wrapped it around my waist.  The moment it clicked in. Thayer maneuvered his car as if he were in a car race and aiming to win a championship cup.

"Where are we going?"  I asked. 

"Miscreant Chateau. It's the Miscreant Mafia Group's Bosses official residence." I pressed my lips into a thin line and drowned myself with my thoughts.  

"Does the Miscreant Mafia have control over the Naples government? Why are you guys free to roam around this city?" I asked him, but Thayer didn't mind answering my question and chose to drive faster. 

After more than 20 minutes, we reached a vast and tall gate.

Thayer put one of his hands on his forehead to salute someone posted at the gate before he drove again for another meter.

Amusement etched on my face as I couldn't help but praise the whole estate.  This one looks like it is the Palace where Zeus and the other Gods and Goddesses in Mt.  Olympus reside.

"I see. You like this place, don't you?"  Thayer asked me when he realized how much I was in awe because of the exterior of the Chateau.

"With all these armed men. Anyone could mistake this place as a military base instead of a residence,"  I commented as we passed by men in suits carrying a gun on their waists.  The moment we stopped in front of the Chateau's golden double door, it opened.

"Welcome to Sin's Kingdom," Thayer murmured while I couldn't help but roam my eyes again, scrutinizing the furniture and sculptures around the house.

"Tofu!"  

Thayer and I turned at the same time to look for the owner of that voice.

A woman whom I guess was about my age was chasing a breed of Samoyed dog who was running in our direction. Thayer bent down and opened his strong arms to chase the dog.

A few seconds later, that woman stood in front of us like the female pilot that flew us here. This woman looks too innocent to be in a place where someone like Sin lives.

"Thank you,"  she exclaimed and took her dog from Thayer. 

The woman stared at me as if she was trying to remember who exactly I was. 

"Dr. Artemis Thaleia Belmont?"  She asked.  Gone was the innocent-looking face that she had earlier. Her expression, as well as her persona, changed within a snap.

I nodded at her and faked a smile.  "And you are?"  I asked back.

"Annistyn Mallory Solistice - Silvano," she said to introduce herself formally.  She held out her hand, which I immediately accepted.  

"I think I heard your name before. I can't remember where or when." 

"Lady Mallory, Lord Lorcan was looking for you."  A serving woman butt in on our conversation.

"Now I remember! You are that woman Conrad and Lorcan were talking about back in the Philippines," I added. Mallory smiled.

"It's nice meeting you, Dr. I'm waiting for you to eliminate Kanoa Roman from the ranking," she said and smiled.  

"It's nice meeting you too, Mallory. Can I call you that?" 

"Yeah, sure, whatever you like," she answered before she turned to her servant.

"What does Lorcan  want from me?"  She asked and began walking as she carried her dog in her arms.

"Is she?—" I couldn't finish what I was going to say when Thayer nodded at me.  He was smiling and had a slight smile on his lips.

"She's Lorcan's wife, Miscreant's unofficial Queen. The top-ranked female mafia boss," Thayer said, turning behind us after he felt a new presence.

"Excuse me, Lord Thayer. Lord Sin needs to have a word with her," the woman said, then turned around and walked ahead towards the direction that Mallory also went to when she left."

"I guess you have to go now. Dr. Sin is a very short-tempered person. You wouldn't want him waiting for you." Thayer smiled at me.  I nodded and followed the woman who would bring me to where Sin was.