FOUR

FOUR

Her eyelids were heavy.

She felt weak.

Struggling between staying awake and being weak.

Isabelle looked round the room she was in,it was dark but not so dark that she couldn't see.

Where was she?

It looked like a basement but not just any type.Looking around she could see blood stains on the walls,hand printed blood stains of people who struggled to live.

That was when she remembered—

Wedding day.

Gunshots.

Men in black.

Kidnapped.

Her body shook with fear and she tried standing from the chair,only then did she realize that she had been chained.

She tried pulling her hands from the chain,then she heard a voice…

“I wouldn't do that,if I were you,” a deep velvety rich voice stated.The voice making every hair on her body stand,deep and sweet like chocolate but dark and menacing.

So she wasn't alone?

She turned quickly towards where the voice had come from,she was terrified to death.

The man walked out from where he sat initially and Isabelle could see that he was tall…really tall.

She was sitting but she could tell.

Where had he come from?

He didn't look any close to the men that had attacked her in the woods.

He was different.

He seemed to be the boss.

And he wore a suit.

Finally recovering her voice, “You are not me,so don't tell me what to do”

She waited for his response.

Nothing for seconds.

And then—

“What's your name?” he asked,that voice again eliciting confusing reactions from her body.The voice deep.But gentle.Perhaps soft,making it difficult for her brain to know how to react.

“Sarah,” she responded.Perhaps,if he thought she wasn't the one he was looking for,then he might actually let her go.

“Isabelle Conti…right?”

He disregarded her response.

She looked down in disappointment. Although she loved the way he called her name.It felt like a sensual caress and she had never heard her name being called in that manner before.

“Isabelle…when I talk to you,you fucking keep your face up.You LOOK AT ME! Do you get that?” he stated in a commanding voice.

He was definitely the boss.

Isabelle looked up immediately.

“Yes I'm Isabelle,” she replied in a defeated tone.

She heard the basement door open and close,with someone walking down the staircase.

“She's awake?” the man who just joined them asked.

Mr. velvety voice nodded.

“Boss, can I kill her now?” Luciano asked.His hand filled with ink and the scar on his neck blending with the monstrosity his face displayed.

“Not yet…be on standby,” Alessandro responded.

Luciano stood firm.

“Luciano.Leave us!”

He took one look at Isabelle.She noticed the hesitation mixed with darkness in his eyes.

Luciano desperately wanted to kill her.His impatience gave that out. But instead of doing what his mind wanted to do,he obeyed.

The basement was silent for a while.

“I’m Don Alessandro Moretti and your worst nightmare. Your father crossed the line when he killed someone special to me years ago.And now,I'm going to repay the favour by killing someone special to him,” he revealed as he came even closer to her.His hands on each side of the chair,their faces up close to each other.They could feel each other's presence.

She felt trapped with the position he chose to be at the moment.

Yet,she was drawn.

“And oddly,that's you.”

“My father is not a murderer! I don't believe you and I would never believe you,” Isabelle said loudly.

Isabelle looked round the room and she did the first thing that came into mind.

She screamed.

“HELP ME! Anyone please HELP ME! They're holding me captive…p-please,” she cried out.

If anything,she was getting on his nerves at the moment.

God! It's just been minutes he has spent with her and it's concluded that he can't stand her.Why on earth was she screaming?

She should have known that everyone here was at his mercy.

He knew Giovanni had a daughter but never knew she was this dumb.

Alessandro’s anger riled up even more.He held her on her throat to prevent any further screaming.

He wasn't the type to hurt women but this woman was pushing him beyond limits.

And she just got here.

Isabelle halted with the screaming as soon as he held her throat.She watched him quickly pull a knife from his pocket.Her life vanished before her eyes.

He was going to kill her.

He replaced his hand with the knife at her throat.If she moved or screamed,it'll tear at her skin or probably through her throat.

Either way,she could end up dying.

“If I had known Giovanni’s daughter would be this foolish,I would have had you killed right on the altar.Do not test my patience,Isabelle. I am not a good man and when I loose my patience,people die.”

Noticing that she had gone silent,he gave out a wicked grin of victory.

She was bleeding,because the knife had given her a slight cut.

Alessandro behaved like he was oblivious to it.

He looked at her and all he could feel was hatred.

She was too young.

Too innocent,yet—

Too Giovanni.

“Do you think screaming is going to save you? Look…

She looked towards the direction his head pointed to.

The basement door.

“Who do you see coming to help you out?”

Nobody.

An answer that felt like a slap to her face.

“It shows how worthless you are.If my men didn't crash your wedding,you would have been Domenico’s whore.Forgotten and unrecognizable. I am not my men.I am Don Alessandro.If you can scream with them,know that doing that with me would get you unalived."

Her eyes were down again.

“I said fucking look at me,Isabelle.Don't get on my fucking nerves”

Tears slid their way down her cheeks.

She felt defeated.

“Tears already?”

He removed the knife off her neck.

“Do not cry yet because things are only starting to get terrifying for you.I'm going to make you regret the second you laid your eyes on me”

Isabelle sobbed even more.

From the pain of the knife to her neck and from the horror of what her future with Alessandro would be.

Looking at the man,she could tell how much he hated her.

“Please if you let me go.I promise never to be seen again. You will never have to hear of Giovanni's daughter anymore.Don't do this to me…please,” she begged admist sobs.

But Alessandro was past caring.

His heart was dark with only one thing on his mind.

‘Revenge!’

He ignored her,brought a key out of his pocket and walked towards her.

He unlocked her chains and set her free from any other ropes she had been tied with.

Isabelle looked by the side on the floor.

There was a gun.

How had she not noticed it?

She picked it up,as soon as he stepped away from her.

“Now let me go.Don't come any closer,so you better just let me go,if you don't want to get hurt,” Isabelle threatened,her hands shaky.

She was born into a mafia family but she had never held a gun her entire life.

Alessandro’s grin widened.

He had never come across such a fiesty and a stubborn woman before.

He was used to their begging.

Their pleading.

But never seen one who had the guts to hold a gun at him.

Isabelle Conti,interested him far more than he would like to admit.

He smiled,but didn't move nor respond to her threat.

Isabelle’s confidence began to diminish.

Who smiles when a gun is being pointed at him?

“I'll pull the trigger,Alessandro.Let me go!” she threatened again.

“Go on, then. I dare you,” he responded.” “Kill me.”

Her facial expression stained darker with anger or…frustration.

“ Don't tempt me.I could do it,” she warned again.

“You can't because you're not a killer”

“Maybe I am.You could be my first victim” she replied,noticing he still blocked her way.

“Fucking pull the trigger,Isabelle!” he ordered loudly.

With his commanding voice,Isabelle pulled the trigger.

BANG!

A single gunshot erupted in the air like lightning.