Chapter 3

ADRIANO'S POV~

I surveyed the dark room I had speciallybuilt for nothing but pains for traitors like these, a grim smile curling my lips. Blood and sweat was heavy in the dark basement made specially for torture as I walked in.

"Traitors," I spat, my voice cold.

I watched impassively from the other side of the glass, my posture rigid, hands folded across my chest. The screams and pleas of the men in the torture room echoed against the reinforced walls, but I felt nothing. There was no room for mercy in my empire.

As the minutes dragged on, my men worked with brutal efficiency, extracting every shred of information they could from our prisoners.

At long last, one of my men emerged from the room, his suit splattered with crimson stains. He approached me, his head bowed in respect. "The mission is accomplished, boss." he said, " We have the information we need."

"Hmm..." I hummed in satisfaction, slowly unfolding my arms and turned to him. "Tell me, who dares to bring trouble upon himself?"

My subordinate rubbed the blood stains on his palm, and then lifted his head. I watched my subordinate approach me, then bend down and whisper in my ear. The flames in my eyes vanished instantly. Dark anger flowed through my veins, and my jaw clicked.

"Good." I muttered through gritted teeth, but there was nothing good about this. "Throw the body of the leader to the traitors. I want his body wrapped in an appropriate gift bag, with ribbons and those shiny, obnoxious things people put on gifts. Give it to him as a present, and let him know that I'll be coming for him soon." I commanded.

Sounds of heavy footsteps echoed through the damp, blood-soaked air of the basement, but my gaze remained fixed on the traitors and my men who were making away with the traitors.

From my peripheral vision, I saw Salvatore approach, "Boss!"

I refused to turn, my focus razor-sharp. "Speak," I ordered.

Salvatore approached cautiously, the sound of files flipping through his fingers echoed across the basement.

"Boss, we've found her." Salvatore's voice was low, his gaze flicking to the traitors and back to me. "The nurse."

At those words, a dark thrill coursed through me, lighting a fire in my eyes. Slowly, I turned to face my second-in-command, a wide shark-like grin on my face.

"There you are, my wonderful and diligent second in command." I praised, walking to hold his shoulders while beaming. “Excellent work, Salvatore. You impress me as usual. Give me.” One of my hands slid away from his shoulders, outstretched for the file which he placed instantly into it.

I examined the file on Cassandra Ashford, the little nurse who had brazenly challenged me and dared to slap me across the face.

"Cassandra Ashford," I murmured to myself, a smile of malevolent satisfaction twisting my lips as I ran a long finger on the small photograph attached to the folder. "Salvatore, you've done well. Now that we've discovered the girl, it's time to pay her a personal visit." I closed the file with a snap and handed it back to my loyal underling.

"What are your orders, sir?" Salvatore asked, glancing at his wrist watch as I turned on my heel and headed towards the door.

"Get the cars ready, Salvatore," I commanded, a dark and possessive hunger building inside me as I anticipated finally laying eyes on the girl who had captured my twisted interest.

~ ~ ~

As I stepped through the hospital's sliding doors, flanked by my battalion of armed soldiers, a hush fell over the normally bustling hallways. It was as though the very air held its breath, waiting to see what would happen next. I swept my gaze across the room, noting the sudden silence and the palpable fear that hung in the air.

Women blushed as my eyes landed on them, while men lowered their heads, averting their gazes from my own. Even mothers dragged their kids closer to them, shielding them from my piercing gaze and it amused me.

I stalked through the corridor, my footsteps echoing against the tiled floors. My soldiers followed in perfect formation, their weapons reminding them of the power I held in this place.

I paused, a slow smile curling my lips as I caught the scent of fear wafting through the air. I relished in this feeling of control, this knowledge that I commanded such power that even a simple glance from me could turn a room on its head.

"Everybody out," growled Salvatore, his deep voice booming through the hallway. His lips barely moved, but his command was law. His steely-eyed gaze swept the room, demanding obedience.

In an instant, the once-bustling hallways erupted into chaos. Men shouted orders, guns were cocked with a deafening click, and terrified screams pierced the air.

"Run!" someone cried, and within seconds the crowd was a stampede, desperate bodies surging towards the exit, trampling anyone who stood in their way.

“Ah!" I exhaled a satisfied sigh, inhaling a deep breath and shutting my eyes for some seconds, enjoying the sound of the chaos that had ensued.

The receptionist, trembling with fear, made a move towards me making my eyes quickly snap open but was immediately stopped by one of my men, who raised his gun menacingly at her. She froze, her face paling to a sickly shade of white.

"You have no right to come in here, guns blazing, like you own the place," she sputtered, a mix of anger and terror trembling in her voice.

But I remained silent, my eyes burning with dangerous rage.

Without a word, I watched as Salvatore grasped the terrified receptionist by the neck and threw her aside like she was nothing more than a ragdoll. My men snarled, their guns trained on the quivering woman. "Where is the director?" Salvatore demanded, a gun held to her forehead.

A man in his fifties, his eyes wide with fear, emerged quickly from the chaos, the glint of his glasses the only thing glinting in the now darkened hallway. Recognition dawned on his face, and he immediately bowed, his spine curling in submission.

“Don Adriano, welcome. I'm so sorry for whatever inconvenience you've faced in reaching me quickly. I assure you that the hospital would serve only you tonight. Please what are your orders?"

I approached him slowly, relishing in the fear radiating off his body.

Leaning down until our faces were level, I fixed him with a cold, calculating stare. "Tonight, Cassandra Ashford will be serving me," I growled.

The director stuttered as his eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape. But there was none to be found.

I straightened, my cold gaze never leaving his trembling form. "Now, my dear director, take me to my girl."