Forgiving Him is a Sin

30

After thinking for a while, I decided to do whatever I felt like. And what I felt like was taking a long bath. I made sure to lock the door before I got the bathtub ready and started undressing.

I've been in this tub for over 15 minutes, constantly thinking. My mind has no break, it's so busy that no time is enough for it to settle. I look outside the window, enjoying the nice view of the bright half-moon, but in the corner of my eyes, I see something black.

I turn to face the front to see Stefano standing there, leaning on the doorway, and staring at me with a blank expression. My fragile body automatically tenses and gets ready for the worst. But my mind is sadly out of options, there's nothing I can use around me to protect myself.

But how did he get in here, to begin with?

"I'm sure you have a lot on your mind and so do I, but I need you to answer my questions"

His deep voice echoes in the room, as he plays with something in his hand, which appears to be a lighter.
I bring my feet close to my chest with caution, and stare back at him, trying to look tough, but I know he can read me now.

"You see, I lost track of my most important man, the last time he was seen was with your... friend? As you might call him. I want his location"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

He lets out a small chuckle while looking down at his hand. Then speaks.

" Okay. So we're doing this the hard way." He nods twice, then rolls up his sleeves in slow motion.

My heart starts beating faster. I don't want this man to touch me! I don't want him to get close to me!

"Be clear! And I might answer..." I speak before he finishes rolling his other sleeve. I look at him and see him tilting his head to one side, smiling at me.

"Good girl." He says then immediately pushes the leather couch in the middle of the room towards the tub. He sits down while facing me, his face only a few inches away from mine. I grab my legs as tight as I can, the tub is filled with bubbles but just in case he sees my body through it.

"Now. Where's my man?" He speaks with a stern tone, but his eyes are shining for some reason... he's finding this situation amusing, isn't he?

"As I said, you need to be clear with your explanation, or I can't help you"

He looks away, closes his eyes, taps his foot a few times then looks back at me.

"Okay... let's see. He went to see your friend, Tony White to be clear, at a bar in New York. The security cameras caught him entering the restroom, but never coming out. How do you explain that?"

I roll my eyes and smile widely, then turn to look at him.

"Well it's obvious someone touched the footage isn't it?"

He gives me a forced smile, moves his foot faster, and then speaks again.

"Oh sure! I didn't know that. You told me to be clear, I can't be any more clear than this. Where-is-my-man?" His face changes back to seriousness mid-talking.

"Do you have any evidence that Tony is responsible for his disappearance?"

He looks at me for a few seconds, a few seconds that for some reason I wish didn't end.

"No, but it was him he was going to meet, he didn't engage in conversation with anyone else but him"

"You can't blame people like that Stefano. But I will let you know one thing. If the person behind your man's disappearance is Tony, then rest assured he's in good hands. He is healthy, he is being fed, no one is torturing him, and no one even raised a finger at him. Unlike some wild animals, Tony is a civilized person. A certified human."