Traded In

Chapter 1

Leilani's POV

"Papa?!" I cried, held back by some unknown men while he just stood there. His own daughter...this man dared to carelessly give me away as if I was some object. "papa?" I cried out once more. "Mr Lucciano can have her in exchange for the money."

"Your own daughter?" The man that negotiated with my father let out in amusement. "Just take her." He voiced calmly, "dad?" I questioned, I couldn't believe my father would dare give me away like that, like I was nothing.

The man nodded and signaled to the men that held me to go.

"Fuck no!" I yelled as they lifted me off the ground. "Let me go!... Dad!" I resisted as they dragged me away, "DAD!!"

They aggressively pushed me into the back seat of the car. My hands were cuffed. So I could barely do anything about all this.

His hand reached in from behind me and held me tightly by the arms while the other man brought a cloth up to my face. "What are you..." He pressed it against my mouth and nose, muffling out my words, and it all slowly turned black.

I tossed and turned, awakening to a dark room. I pushed up against the soft bed that cushioned me and looked around.

"Where the fuck am I?"

My feet touched the ice-cold floor. I walked up to the large wall to wall window. Looking out, I could only see men in black stationed everywhere, some were moving around the premises.

There were trees everywhere I looked. I definitely wasn't in the city anymore.

I stepped out of my room, "Hello?" I called out, but only the echo of my voice answered.

I reached the living room. Only then did I realise that this house was empty. It was just me.

I gulped and ran back up to the room, slamming the door shut before sliding down to the ground.

Just like that........ I couldn't stop thinking about how the man I loved with everything in me just gave me away like I was nothing to him. For heaven's sake, I am his daughter, his only child, but he used me to pay off a debt.

I shut my crying eyes and wrapped my arms around my legs. Growing up, I only had my father. My mother, I could barely remember what she looked like.

He, well my dad told me she left us, probably dead. I don't know he's never making sense. Even though I know the truth.

I only had pictures of her growing up, it was hard, but my dad did all that he could for me. That included borrowing money from wherever just to satisfy my needs. He loved me but why would he do this?

I fell asleep on a wet pillow. I cried my eyes out last night but I still felt like trash, a thing that could be given away for literally any reason.

I took a shower, rid my body of all the dirt and I felt.....fresh. Although I still had the same clothes on.

Someone had to be here. I went out of my room and scanned the living area from upstairs. Empty, just like yesterday. Were they really going to leave me here alone? I mean who holds someone hostage like this?

I was starving. I had nothing last night, so I could only hope that this place didn't only look pretty but actually had food.

I opened the refrigerator and man was it packed. Meaning someone lived here, but who?

I scratched that thought and got to cooking. I had a few eggs frying in the pan, some bread in the toaster and I even took the liberty of making some freshly squeezed orange juice.

I couldn't help but notice that some of the drawers and cabinets were locked. They were useless, I guess, seeing as this was a very big opulent kitchen.

The men outside began to swiftly move around. For a house literally made of glass, it wasn't hard to see what was going on outside. Then, a few moments later, three cars pulled up.

I froze watching as the men took very specific positions, as if it were all rehearsed. The first and last cars had more men in black coming out. The door to the car in the middle was opened and someone got out. It was another man in a black suit. He seemed to be their boss or something.

It was hard to make out their faces, as they were all very far away.

They all began to move towards the house.... Whoever it was, they didn't look friendly or like a good person. I strided back to the kitchen and, mindful of my breakfast, I took the eggs off the heat and hid behind the kitchen island. A knife in my hand, I heard the door open then close.

I sat on the floor in silence, not wanting to make a sound. It wasn't long before I heard footsteps, he was heading towards the kitchen...

I shut my eyes as I scolded myself inwards.....my toast was burning, shit.

I crawled to the other side of the island while he made his way to the toaster. Silence filled the room. Was he gone? I raised myself to take a slight peak....... 'bang'

I fell to the ground as the glass wall shattered upon colliding with the bullet and scattered all over the floor.

Did he just shoot at me?

I tried crawling over the glass to the other side but he got to me. He tightly held me by my hair, forcing me to drop the knife. Then he violently pulled me up and forced me to look at him..."Who are you?!"