Chapter Seventeen
"You're a Psychopath"
"her damaged petals are what made her
more beautiful than al the other flowers,"
~ a.j. lawless
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The first thing I noticed when I regained consciousness was the crick in my neck.
I felt my face scrunching in pain, and I squeezed my eyes tighter before slowly twisting my head around. I did this until some of the pain diminished, but like always, as one problem disappeared, another one entered.
Even though I was still in my sweatpants and sweater, it was evident that I was laying on the floor. It was cold and hard—like concrete.
I tried moving my stiff muscles, and it was then that everything froze.
My wrists were chained together behind me.
Memories swarmed my thoughts, and I remembered my last few moments of consciousness. Sleeping with Daemon. Getting an SOS text from Rolie. Going downstairs, only to be blocked by Angelo. Getting knocked out by...
My throat was tightening, and it was then I felt my head pound. I lifted it off the cold ground slightly, but all my muscles felt weak.
"What the hell?" I grumbled under my breath.
I managed to use my elbows to help me sit up as best I could. Although my eyes were still blurry, I was able to have an idea where I was.
There was a set of concrete stairs leading upstairs on the far-right corner, and I figured I was in a basement. There were four halls on all corners of the square room I was currently in, but all of them seemed to have closed doors, so I couldn't look inside.
Besides that, I was lucky there were two overhead windows behind me, because it gave some sort of light in the dim room that had no furniture. Though, from the reflection of the light across from me, I could see there were bars on the windows.
Angelo. The Italians. I fucking knew it.
Some of my nerves were being replaced with scorching, hot anger when I heard a heavy metal door scrap open from the top of the stairs.
The screeching made me clench my jaw as I shuffled back, just enough so I could lean against the freezing wall. The shackles around my wrists clinked together and I froze.
"Someone's up," a teasing voice said, followed by heavy, slow footfalls coming down the stairs.
My back flattened against the wall—well, as much as I could. It was difficult when your hands were tightened behind you, and you were still wearing off from the drugs.
Drugged by someone I knew. Someone I cared for.
Finally exposed, I looked up and drilled my drooping eyes to Angelo, who was busy smiling as he casually strolled down the last few stairs. "Morning, Alina."
"Fuck you."
If he was mad, he didn't show it. "How'd you sleep?" He didn't give me time to answer before stalking forward, close enough for me to see his features clearly, but not enough for me to reach him. "You know, I didn't want you here. But precautions until there's an agreement. I'm sure you'll understand."
I couldn't help it. I started laughing.
His brows clashed together in a deep furrow before slowly, he bent on his knees. His dark eyes remained intensely on me, until his butt was hovering off the ground. "Alina—"
"Don't." My empty laughs sobered into a harsh scoff. "Don't tell me your big villain speech. I don't give a fuck. Either kill me or leave me the hell alone."
He frowned in confusion, but I didn't linger my gaze there too much. Seeing him made me want to hurl. He was my first kiss. My friend. Someone I'd basically dated. He'd been there when mama and my brother died. I'd had years of history with him, but I didn't know him at all.
But his betrayal wasn't what hurt me the most.
When I heard a second pair of feet shuffling near the stairs, my gaze snapped in its direction, glare in place for who I expected to be there. He'd must have followed Angelo downstairs, but didn't make a sound, watching in the background while he stayed pressed against the wall behind his partner.
And it was Naveen.
I was so confused.
Clearly, I was easy to read, because Angelo sighed, almost sadly. I moved my focus back to him to see him shuffling his feet, but still bent, out of my reach. "I know you have a lot of questions. I know you're mad, but—"
"There's no buts, Angelo," I rasped, really acknowledging my dry throat now. How long had I been asleep? "You drugged me, and you took me away from my family."
His expression hardened, and I felt a dreading sensation deep in my chest. "What else did you do?" It was more of a demand than a question.
"Alina..." He clenched his jaw and stood upright abruptly. And I watched him pace in front of me, running his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. "You don't understand."
"What else, Angelo?" My voice hardened. "What have you done?"
"It's what I'm planning on doing." His gaze sharpened on me before he once again, stopped in front of me. "What I did doesn't matter anymore."
I shook my head in disbelief. "You were my friend." I said the last word with disgust.
"We still can be, Alina," he whispered gently, soothingly almost. I wanted to punch his face when I saw it soften. "There's just some things that need to be done."
The longer I watched him, the more an overwhelming sense of horror occurred to me. His last visit, when he'd come to give me flowers for mama, he didn't do it for me. He wanted to provoke Daemon. He wanted him to act violently. He wanted to stay at my house, while my family went to talk things over with his dad, because his precious only son was hurt at their house.
He wanted to catch me alone, without Daemon.
Did my family even know I was missing? Did they think I ran away again? What was Daemon doing?
"Go give your speech to the mirror, Angelo."
Once again, he'd sighed, but I could tell he was losing his patience. My wrists briefly twisted around the chains.
"Two things could happen in the near future, Alina," he still spoke calmly, but his eyes were hard again. "Either we kill you, and your father will be unfit."
Clarity materialized in my thoughts, and I realized where this was going. "Or you join me. And you can help me run over the Dynasties."
When I realized he was finished, I just started at him, expression completely blank. But when I couldn't help it anymore, I started laughing. I laughed so hard water was building up in my eyes.
I managed to cool myself down, just a enough to notice that Angelo's face was twisted in anger.
"How long have you been practising that?" I asked through my chuckles before sagging against the wall, sighing longingly. "Damn, Angie."
"None of this is funny, Rosalina," he bit out. "Everything has been in motion for six years, and you've been the key to everything, and you're laughing?"
I started to laugh again. Better to laugh than cry, right? "I'm the key? Oh my God, stop, you're killing me. Figuratively, at least. I'm guessing if I don't help be the key, I'll die?"
His teeth grinded, and I took his moment of distraction to wiggle in my shackles again.
"Stop that."
My brows rose. "Stop what?"
"Stop making everything a joke. This is serious."
I nodded absently. "Totally."
He clenched his jaw as he peered to the side, so I could see his Adam's apple move clearly. But from his silence, made me remember his words. Everything has been in motion for six years.
"What do you mean it's been in motion for six years?" I blurted, because doing the math in my head... no. That wasn't right. It couldn't be right.
"Your father is weak, Alina. At least, for the women he loves," he started, his gaze pointed at me fiercely as he crossed his arms. "We'd hoped to control him after your mom died, but clearly, that wasn't enough. It'd actually made things worse, because he had motivation. For you. To keep you alive. And then when you ran away," he chuckled under his breath, like he knew something I didn't, "That fuelled him even more."
"You think hurting me will hurt my dad?" I let out a disbelieved scoff. "You're overestimating our relationship. He hates me. They all do."
He tsked, and once again, bent on his knees in front of me. "Come on, Alina. You can't really believe that. Even Micah, your sadistic brother, seems to care for you. Who do you think ran the search party all these years?"
My heart felt like it was being squeezed in my chest, but I kept my face impassive. I had to remain cool, even if I was squeezing my legs together to keep my nerves at bay. "Whose plan?" I asked, but when his brows furrowed together, I added, "You said this plan has been a work in process for the last six years. Whose plan was it?"
"There's a lot you don't know," he exhaled before peering over his shoulder, where a stiff Naveen stood. I couldn't help but linger my gaze on him—he looked just as I remembered: honey skin, deep-set, chestnut eyes and thin lips. He was still bulky as before, but his stubble seemed to grow out a bit.
While they were both busy staring at each other, I tried to see if I could twist my thumb enough to slip out of one of the cuffs. Not that I would try to escape now, but this conversation didn't seem to be going anywhere. Might as well spend my time doing something.
There was a chilling silence when I accidentally snapped my wrist a little too hard, which resulted in the chains clinking against a metal pole that was next to me. The noise echoed inside the small square room, and Angelo's eyes blazed with anger when he realized what I'd been doing.
Before I knew it, Angelo crossed the safe distance between us and slapped me across the face.
The pain was stinging, but I was so dumbstruck that I kept my head angled to the side, unable to feel anything. My lips were parted in surprise, and all the fury was building up inside me.
"Don't think about it, Alina," his voice lowered threateningly, and I finally turned his way when he took a step back. Now, his expression was cold, his eyes unblinking on mine. "You don't understand. It's me or death."
My lips were still parted, and my throat was as dry as a desert, but I managed to speak steadily. "You really think this will go your way? My family probably already knows I'm here. Daemon will come."
Some of his anger washed away, and I sucked a breath when I noticed a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "That's the plan, Rosalina," he smiled, but it turned chilling. "And don't worry about the убийца. He will be dead soon enough."
Finally coming to the realization of what he was planning, I tensed up against the wall again. Fears coursed through me at the thought of my family being cornered and killed. Daemon being taken from me.
I tried to hide my dread, but Angelo noticed. His eyes softened, and he bent on his knees again, just so he could try to cup my cheek. I snapped my head to the side and ignoring how dizzy I was, I tried to bite him.
I missed and he laughed amusingly, pulling his hand back before I could snap my teeth between his flesh. "You're a psychopath," I hissed.
He only grinned in delight. "Don't be mean. Otherwise, I won't show you your present."
"What makes you think I want anything you'll give?" I smiled back, just as cold.
He grinned, clearly enjoying my obliviousness. But he didn't have enough time to mutter up a reply, because the door at the top of the stairs creaked open again.
I couldn't see anything at first, the wall blocking my view. But while all three of us concentrated in its direction, I couldn't stop avoiding this nagging feeling inside me. Angelo seemed confident. More confident than usual.
There was one pair of heavy feet coming down, a step at a time, but by attuning my hearing better, I couldn't help but notice there were soft patters following along.
Then, both intruders appeared, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.
Even though I'd known his betrayal, even though it was him who had drugged me, seeing him standing, just a few feet from me, felt like a knife was being crammed deep inside my chest. Because his betrayal hurt the most.
And as his eyes settled on me, I wanted to scream. Yell bloody Mary. Because he had the gall to look sorry.
His tall, slim frame filled the space as he reached the last stair, not taking his eyes off me. Styled in casual clothes, Rolando appeared how he always was—except, his wavy, champagne blond hair was messier than normal. Like he'd ran his fingers through it constantly.
"Hi, Lee..." He whispered, but his voice cracked halfway through.
My eyes instantly darted to his side the same moment I pursed my lips together. I didn't know what I would do: cry or yell. But while I was stuck on deciding, I noticed someone standing behind him, someone shorter.
My eyebrows clashed together in confusion as I tilted my head to the side, just enough to notice a head of long, blonde hair. Definitely longer than mine. And they had small arms. And a—
Rolando took a single step to the side, and I had a clearer view of the person who'd been crouched behind him, hiding their face behind their hair.
"Don't be shy," Angelo cooed, and the stranger stiffened.
And slowly, they lifted their head, and their features came to light, one by one.
A pointy chin. Two dimples, on either side of their full lips. Small, refined nose, and slightly hooded but upturned green eyes. Blonde hair. Blonde hair.
Her eyes slowly widened, but I was already gaping. Tears were threatening to spill at any second, and I knew I wouldn't be able to stop it.
"Mama?"
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WELP guess I should start by
apologizing: but again in my
defence this week has not been
my friend :')
however! my reading week is
starting, thus, maybe I will
FINALLY write a chapter
or two
till then, I hope you have a great
week, and I'll see you in the
next one x