PRINCESS

XI

"W-what do you mean?" I refused to believe what I was hearing.
Maybe I was purposely trying to be oblivious, but I honestly-

"Oh, Annie, I am so sorry." Her clammy hands found mine and held tightly, "I begged him-" she sniffed,

"I didn't know," I whispered hoarsely,

"Even if you did, there's nothing you could have done. He is too powerful."

"So you mean he has been force-feeding you drugs? Why didn't you say anything?" I swallowed a lump that sat at the back of my throat,

The silence was quite deafening.

"Can you leave? Like run away...this cannot be healthy- I don't want you to die." I had a hard time squashing the myriad of emotions I felt.

"I don't want to leave you here." She said determinedly,

"I can come along, I have some money stashed... let's just leave." I pleaded, "Please, just do it for me."

"If he finds us, Annie..." Her voice broke,

"He's not." A film of tears covered my eyes, "I won't let him."

"I can't risk your life..."

"Just trust me." I took a deep breath, "So what are we going to do?"

"He will eventually release you, he can't keep you here forever. The moment you are out, go under my bed, and you will find a contact book...dial the first number-"

"What if father tracks my calls?"

"He's too self-obsessed to worry if a child would betray him. Like I was saying, when the person answers the call...tell him that you need help, he will know what to do."

"Who is answering exactly?"

"Stefano, your father's brother."

****
I had saliva on my face.
It had dried, so the texture was flaky and the colour was white. I dusted it from the side of my lips as I watched my mother breathe through her mouth.

I still had no idea how she expected Giovanni's brother to help us, but she seemed convinced that he would and he must have earned her trust if she was ready to put her life in his hands.

Loud footsteps echoed in an almost rhythmic way. The turn of a key was heard and the door creaked open.

"Roxanne, your father wishes to see you." A man said,

I felt a squeeze on my thigh,

"Just remember." She whispered,

"I don't have time to babysit some kid, stand up while I still have my patience."

I glared at him whilst I gathered the strength to stand up.

"Don't touch me." I hissed at him when he tried to grab me,

"Listen here, little-"

I picked up my pace and left him mid-sentence, trudging to the only place I knew my father would be at this particular time.

The bar.

He caressed a glass of whiskey like he would a child, his back slouched slightly.

"Have a seat, Annie."

"I would prefer if I stood," I replied, my voice monotone,

"Have it your way then."

He took a sip.

"I don't take too kindly to being deceived, let this be a lesson learnt."

"Is that all you want to tell me?" I shifted on my feet, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second,

"For now. You may leave." I rolled my eyes and walked out of the bar, this was his thing.

Taking advantage of his prey at their weakest so they would succumb to his desires.

I quickly walked up to my mother's room and did all that she instructed. The quicker we left, the better for all of us.

"Hello? Is this Stefano?" I asked,

"And who might you be?" He boomed from the other side,

"I-it's Roxanne."

The tone of his voice changed immediately, "Annie?" He sounded surprised, "Why- how?"

"My mother gave me your number." I heard footsteps approaching, "Stefano, we need help." I said quickly and hung up.

My heart thudded in my chest as someone pushed me into the room.

"I knew I heard someone." My father spoke,

"I was just- my mother's stuff." I stumbled on what to say,

To my surprise, he came to sit on the edge of the bed with me.

He took a deep breath, "Annie, you know I haven't been the best father...I am honestly trying but this..." He gestures at himself, "Came with the job."

Yeah, right. Sending men to torture me totally came with the job. As if he read my mind, he spoke again.

"I have to put on another personality in front of the men so they won't think their leader is weak. I myself won't trust a weak leader, so if I spare anyone, it would be a stain on my image."

I wanted to yell at him. Tell him that he had no right, even if he didn't respect me as a human being, he could have...as his daughter.

But I didn't, I asked another question instead.

"Do you love me, Dad?" This sealed everything. I didn't care if he was sorry or not, and if he didn't love me, any affection I harbored for him would instantly disappear.

I looked at his face for any sign of hesitation, then again, Giovanni was awfully good at masking his emotions.

"Of course, Annie." He took my hands in his, "I love you with everything in me, you are my blood. My daughter."

"W-well... I," I push out a deep breath as tears spring to my eyes,

I wasn't expecting that at all.
My hands were still in his...
I couldn't do this. If my father was genuinely sorry, then I couldn't live with the fact that we didn't give him another chance. If I hadn't given my mother a chance and listened to her...then...

My body trembled and I swallowed thickly, "I wasn't here to go through Mom's things."

"What?" His bright grey eyes snapped up to mine,

"We-" I stopped talking, "We planned to escape...to leave. I called Stefano... your brother."

He stood up, heaving slightly.

"You did what?"

His eyes darted round wildly, and I wondered if I had made the wrong decision by telling him.

I had.

A/N:
Thank you sm for 6k reads.
I promise to do better from today...(maybe)
Side note of the side note: I see the comments, and I'm TRYING. *Wails in despair*

Have a Capri-sun, you'd feel better.
Toodles.