sanctuary. [oscar diaz]

[13] the devil & the serpent.

I could tell he was the man in charge - Cain - just by the fact he was in a blue, suede suit compared to everyone else's plain attire of black jeans and black shirts.

He was slim and older. The hair on top of his head was gray along with his mustache and short beard. His eyes were small, but sparkled with something that made me shudder. I quickly regained my bad bitch and I stood as tall as I could.

His workers silently stood out of his way as he approached me, parting like the red sea. He smiled as he stopped a couple feet in front of me. He smelled of cologne and as I felt his aura surround me I understood why they called him Cain.

"Violetta," he started, his voice deep and silky. It was so haunting it sent another chill down my spine. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to meet you. It's a pleasure."

"Can't say the same," I shot back, flatly.

"To be in the predicament you are in right now, you have quite an attitude," he observed.

"Well, what can I say? I'm just made this way," I fake smiled, turning it into a compliment.

He chuckled, nodding his head once before meeting my eyes again. "Sorry for the chains, but we went through so much to find you - can't have you getting away so easily."

"You gonna apologize for having your men ambush me while one knocked me out with... what was that?"

"Chloroform," he answered. "And I do apologize, but a tough girl like you wouldn't come willingly, I'm sure."

"You're right, and I won't be staying, either."

He smiled a whole, teeth showing smile. "I'm sure you're experiencing a killer headache. I apologize for that, too. You were starting to wake up on the way here and we were fresh out of Chloroform, so my real good friend Copper had to knock you out."

My eyes flicked over to the white girl and she smirked at me. I rolled my eyes, looking back at Cain. "Isn't she sweet."

"Anything but, actually. She's called Copper for a reason."

"And that reason is?"

"Her aim with that beautiful weapon in her hands is immaculate and unforgiving," he told me, motioning to the rifle. "I wouldn't want to be on her bad side."

I scoffed. "I've spent the last month and a half dodging bullets. That Victoria Secret model reject doesn't scare me."

"Like I said, you're one tough girl," he repeated. He turned around, walking towards one of his men who was sitting down. He approached him, and he quickly gave him his chair. "But that isn't why you're here, Ms. Acosta."

He dragged the chair in front of me as he sat down, laying his leg on his other one as he leaned back and leaned up to me. "Enlighten me."

I knew why I was here. It was because of my father. This was the man he sent me away for so he could kill him. Clearly, he hadn't got to that part yet.

"You, Violetta, are collateral damage of your father's betrayals," he informed me.

My eyebrows crinkled in confusion. What was he talking about? My father was a man if ethics and morals. He was harsh and unemotional, but his values were ones that never faltered. And at the top of that long list of principles was loyalty. It was so important that it was the number one rule he gave all the gangs he ran. He would never betray anyone of his own.

"Mi padre nunca traicionaría one of his own," I spat, defensively.

"That's what he says, but he, my dear, is un mentiroso," he said. "Rio, bring her to her knees!" I heard clinking from above in the shadows and the chain holding me up became loose. I dropped down, my knees hitting the floor with a thud. I grunted as I felt the chain raise my arms back above my head. I felt it lock into place and glared at the man who was now eye level with me. He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at me.