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I stir, groaning as I wake up. The previously dark room now lit with natural light, letting me know I slept through the night. I look around, not seeing or feeling the warm hold of Alessio's arms. My body quickly fills with panic. My eyes prickling with tears and my hands trembling.
It's not that I trusted Alessio to not hurt me. I still didn't feel safe around him. But I trusted him to keep others from hurting me. At least he would keep me safe from everyone else.
I pull my knees up to my stomach and cradle my legs. Wincing when I feel pain in my arms. In the spot Antonio grabbed me.
Then I cry. I cry like I always do, because I'm weak and that's the only way I know how to let it out. My fear, my panic, my hurt, my trauma. It all comes out in little salty droplets.
The door suddenly opens making me cower back, my eyes shut, as I put my hands up defensively.
Don't hurt me please. Don't hurt me.
"It's just me. It's just me, Bella."
Wait a minute.
I know that voice.
I look up seeing Alessio stand above me, his face not giving any hints about how he feels. I can't control it as I jump in his arms, my hand going around his neck.
Don't let them hurt me.
He hugs me back hesitantly, as I wrap my legs around his torso.
"It's okay. You're okay." He says, rubbing my back. The action that soothes me everytime. For some reason, it calms me.
My cries slowly come to a stop, my sniffling being the only sound in the room.
"We're going to my apartment today. You're not scared of dogs are you?" He says, pushing my hair back, the action making me flinch.
To his apartment? We're gonna live-
He said a dog?
Oh em gee!
A freaking cupcake, cute, squishy dog!
I pull away shaking my head, excitement visible in my face. A small, tiny smile forms on his face. So tiny, that you could easily miss it if you weren't paying attention.
"Good. Let's go. You get ready for the day. There's extra toothbrushes and stuff in the cabinets of the washroom. In 30 minutes we'll go there. We'll have breakfast there, okay?" He says.
I nod, excited to see the dog.
I've seen dogs before, I was taken by Nikolai. After that, I didn't see anymore dogs.
That makes me think.
If Nikolai is the head of the Russian mafia, what mafia is Alessio? Everyone here calls him don, capo or boss. So he is the head of whatever this is.
