CHAPTER NINETEEN

Lyla's POV

A guard stands at the entrance to the library. He insisted on the door being open, saying something about new instructions from the boss. I just took everything in stride.

I had a plan. I would escape from this place. I'm sure they already think I am a calm well brought up girl, which is what I have been trying to portray. “Get into their good graces, then you run away,” I whisper as I flick a new page to the book I started this morning.

After the very award breakfast with Achilles. I took a shower and grabbed a couple of snacks I found in the kitchen. When I got to the library, a large grey bean bag, some pillows and a table with a chair were in the room. The bean bag faces the large windows and I opened the curtains, marvelling at the sight of their garden. Too bad they didn't trust me enough yet to let me out.

I sip the diet coke I had grabbed, reading through the lies the male character was feeding the girl he cheated on. “What a loser,” I sigh, swiping to the next page.

“Who's a loser?”

I look up. Emilio. So far amongst all the brothers, he is the one that seems completely enamoured with me. Always touching me, wanting to spend time with me. The card game was a floozy to get me naked but it would all be fine as long as I am able to escape alive from here.

I made up my mind to escape this morning while I watched Achilles. He exuded too much power, too much of everything. As much as I was attracted to that, I didn't want to trade my father's prison for another one. These men would never let me go, if they had the choice. They were just like him.

“Nobody,” I smiled at him. If being a good little girl would get him to be trusting, then I would hide my fangs. “Just a loser in this book.” I wave the book towards his direction, showing him the title.

Footsteps come closer to me, and he grabs the chair from the desk, placing it by me. Emilio is as big as his brother, even if he just dresses more casually. Today, he has on some ripped jeans and a navy blue band T shirt, his sneakers shining so bright, the sun could hide from it. I study him closely.

“You have a nice piercing?” I blurt out in shock. Most made men were not so liberal. They could think he was a homosexual for just having that.

“Yeah,” he smirks at me. “X did it for me.”

Emilio reaches down and grabs the pack of pops I placed there, putting some in his mouth.

“You're not thinking of running are you?” he suddenly asks.

I feel my heart beating loudly and I curse underneath my breath. How did he get that idea?

“No,” I say slowly, closing the book and stretching my legs out on the floor. “Why would I?”

“I would have,” Emilio laughs. “It's okay little bird. It's a survival instinct.”

I stare at him, “I am not stupid. Running away when I don't even know where I am is suicide.”

“You can try, I know you can see the road from here.”

He was right, I could see a pathway. Did it lead to a gate though?

“I'm not running away. I am assuming you have asked my father for a ransom?” I cork a brow at him.

“Ransom?” Emilio quizzes. “No hunnay, your Daddy has been a bad bad man, working with our enemies. No ransom yet.”

This is good. He's being open with me so this is the best time I could get information from him. “The Donovans are your enemies?” I try to make sure my voice is soft, hoping not to give any suspicious energy. He doesn't seem like he is wart of me, which is awesome.

“Yes. They did something.”

Emilio stands up. “Enjoy your book little bird. You can't even escape. I'll catch you.”

We stare at each other, his light blue eyes pressing into mine, urging me to defy him. I look down in fake surrender, batting my lashes. “I wouldn't dare.”

“That's good. I do love to chase though.”, he strokes my hair a bit.

As Emilio leaves the library, I just realized how wrong I was about him.

He was probably more crazy than his brothers.

I turn back towards the window, looking at the path. I had to bide my time then. Get on all their good sides, Achilles, Xiomar and Emilio. When they trust me enough to let me outside, I would see where that road led to. I needed a plan, hopefully one that ends up with me being able to run away from the Mafia family forever.

I wouldn't be a bride to any man , I wouldn't be captured, traded and no price would be on my head. A grin rested in my face and I grabbed the open packs of pops, settling to continue my book while I scheme.

Leaving this place wouldn't be easy, I already know that. I have a guard when they aren't around, monitoring and reporting occasionally into the earpiece they had on and I need to study their patterns. It would take me at least a month to know the rounds. I also couldn't predict how the men worked. It did seem X and Achilles went to work everyday, I had no idea what Emilio spent his time doing. I raise my head up slightly from the bean bag, looking at the overhead camera I had noticed the other day I was here. The red light was on,and I could bet it was Achilles that was monitoring this.

I gave the finger. He was rude and mean to me all the time, he deserves worse.

In the meanwhile, I settled for escaping into the literature piece I had on my laps.