{ZHARA}
My eyes burned with each step I took toward the room I was settled in when I first got here. The hallway seemed to get longer and longer after every second.
I barely trusted Inan's words, but if there was any chance what he said was true, I would take it in a heartbeat.
"They got word of your cousins' arrival in the city, if you can act civil until tomorrow evening, then we will take you to see them and figure out how they can help us."
I hadn't seen or heard of my cousins since my mother's funeral, and I'm sure they would jump to the opportunity to go against my father for what he did to get their biological aunt killed.
First, we have Leiah, my mother's sister, who was also the craziest but most amazing bitch I know. She works back and forth from Italy to South America, keeping the cartels in line and running things with her husband's side of the family, too. She had almost killed my father right after word got out about my mother if it weren't for the stupid alliance...that also just so happened to break with the finalized widowship of my father, if that's what you wanna call it.
The only thing keeping my mother's side of the family from pouncing on my father was, well, my mother.
Second, we have Estazia, or Ester for short, the first-born daughter of Leiah and the heiress of the Rehanna family business. She was definitely my favorite. Because she was just a year younger than me, we were able to get along very well in our childhood. She was just as much of a badass as her mother.
Third, Ester's younger brother, Lalo, is basically a genius. One of the smartest kids I know, surpassing an IQ of 152 at seventeen. He is just as charming as his father, which leads us to the great Alejandro Rehanna, who took his wife's last name out of spite towards his own family that never believed in him or his talent.
But he also did it because he adores Leiah to an extent I can't even comprehend.
Known for being the retired sniper, Uncle Alejandro gave up his chance at becoming a paid assassin for an underground-ran base somewhere in Europe to be with his wife instead. And that's why I adore him so much. I'm usually not a sucker for love stories, but their stupidly cute fairytale is admirable and iconic.
So the fact that the Armani's found a way to get in contact with them was hard to comprehend in my mind. But if they actually pulled this off, I will rethink my whole 'let's-bomb-the-Armani's-because-i-hate-them-and-their-stupid-amazing-Italian-genes' thing.
But of course, I would never tell any of them that I did.
They can keep thinking I hate them, maybe it will keep em' on their toes.
I walked into my room with cautious movements, not knowing whatever shit they might have done to this place just in case I had gotten out of their little trap...
Speaking of that night he locked me in the cell, I still did not know how to feel about the way he...
Geez
I shook my head to myself as I made my way over to the bathroom, wanting to wash all the dirt and blood off me from the last few days.
I'm also surprised that they didn't confront me about the little double homicide I pulled outside of the basement. I'll be expecting a scolding from Zion about that tomorrow if he doesn't already know about it.
I mean, what did they expect?
A simple break out, just a tiny little exit?
Fuck no.
The warm water felt like my savior as it soaked my body, rinsing it clean of any tension from earlier. I would just stand here for twenty minutes if I didn't have to hurry and get to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be unpredictable, and I need as much rest I can get for it.
I shut the water off after fully bathing and reached around the large glass walls guarding the shower to grab a towel. Clutching the fluffy cotton close to my body as I stepped onto the cool tile of the large bathroom, I felt the drops from the tips of my wet hair fall down my skin.
I stopped in front of the mirror, wanting to brush my teeth before going back out to change into something comfortable.
I looked more than rough, fresh bruises in places I didn't even realize were hurt to begin with. I scrunched the ends of my hair up continuously as I walked out of the bathroom after finishing up my routine.
Obviously this motherfucker could not leave me alone for one goddamn second, because now I had the Don paying me a visit at almost 3 AM.
I eye Zion cautiously as his eyes snap up to meet mine. He placed the book- my book- back down on the side table near my bed and my hands clenched around the edges of my towel, keeping it stuck to my body.
"What do you want?" I question, knowing damn well that if I 'misbehaved', my hope to see my cousins and solve this huge problem will go down the drain.
He stands, pushing himself up from the white chair placed in the corner beside the bedside table. His eyes make their way down to observe my appearance, and I suddenly remember how bare I am.
He had taken his suit jacket off since I had last seen him, but I wasn't really interested in actually having any more encounters.
"I want you to understand something, Zhara," he replies, pressing his chest to my towel-clad body so my back hits the wall. My neck craned to look at him directly in the eyes, barely able to stand still because of the close proximity. It was too familiar.
"And what is that?" I ask carefully, my legs feeling a bit shaky from having to keep my guard up in such a position.
"I want you to understand that you cannot and will not be the one throwing orders around like you actually have control over things that I own," he threatens slowly, his warmth hitting my damp skin, "and I have had quite enough of your little scheme planning, so next time you mistake my power for your control, I will show you exactly what real power is."
My mouth went dry with loss of words, even though I had a million responses running through my mind, at least half of them ending in me getting killed.
"I dare you, Zion Armani," I spoke quietly but seriously, standing up straight against him. If he wanted a challenge, I would happily take him on. And maybe that was my first mistake going into this life, but it definitely wouldn't be my last.
His jaw tightened in a set stance as my words sunk into his mind, giving him the permission he needed.
His hands latched at my waist, pulling me even more flush against him as he leaned down so his lips grazed my ear. My neck shivered as I went still in his grasp, trying not to enjoy the feel of his toned body against mine.
I should not be feeling this way. The emptiness of my stomach flooded with different emotions I couldn't describe.
"You're a damn catch, Zhara. Such a fucking catch," he whispered hastily into my ear as his grip tightened, and suddenly everything telling me to stay away from him vanished, and my heart thumped so loudly in my ears, I wondered if he could hear it.
Do it, Zion, show me.
"No one drives me as crazy as you can," he seethed, his words meaning totally contradicting things to what he thinks. "Dammit, I hate you, Zhara Di Maggio," was the last thing I heard before his eyes went parallel to mine, just as his lips put a period on his sentence.
oh shit, he did it.
His hands shoved me up further into his hold, taking my mouth prisoner to his. He was correct when he said he would show me what power was, because this...this was pure power over me. And nothing inside me wanted it to stop.
All I felt was him, he was everywhere around me. Overflowing my mind and my senses, he did have control. The most control I would let anyone ever have.
All the pain and guilt and sadness that was brimming for release was let go between our colliding bodies, and he was the one who kept pulling for more.
His lips moved aggressively against mine, slipping his tongue through the gap I was enchanted into making for him, and only him. I felt his slight stubble rub against my cheek, and I realized just how close I actually was.
I was kissing Zion Armani, willingly and whole-heartedly.
My hand grazing the smooth skin on the side of his hand placed on my waist snapped him back to reality, causing him to shove me away as the force of what just happened fully dawned on me.
My jaw dropped as I looked up at him, my back resting as far as it can against the wall, as far away from him as I could get. My fingertips padded the bruised skin of my lips, which had just been claimed by him. His eyes showed so much more than his face did, lust and desire. But he contorted his face up with a scowl, glaring at me like it was my fault.
Regret. He hated that he just did that, and a part of me hated him for it.
He ran a hand through his hair, taking a shaky step back, and for once, I had seen Zion with his guard down. Only for a second, though, and now he was back to wanting to murder me.
He blinked, looking back at me after glancing at my body. His eyes flashed toward the door, and I now knew what I was in this situation.
He did hate me. So, so much.
And I hated that I liked it.
~***~
I woke up around noon, barely able to make eye contact with myself in the mirror.
After last night, the shame would never be washed away.
He was the enemy. The damn enemy, and I fucking kissed him back. I had no idea why, though. I hate this guy. At least I kept telling myself that. The fact that I let him see me that vulnerable to begin with is inexcusable.
The only thing that was keeping me from breaking down into a puddle of emotions was the fact that I had a chance to see my cousins tonight. And a part of me wished they still respected my father, then maybe there would be a possibility of me getting out of the Armani family alive.
But again, this is something I had to do myself. No one will save me if I can't save myself.
I pushed open the closet door, hoping to find something in here that was presentable enough for tonight's dinner. If I 'behaved' until then, Inan would allow me to see the closest family to me at the moment.
Looking through each row and section, I finally came across some weirdly accurate-sized dresses. Most of them seemed to be night-out garments, except for a few which were a bit more formal.
A silver mid-thigh dress caught my eye, so I pulled it off the hanger and held it up to my body in the mirror. It wouldn't show too much, thanks to the torso part looking like two pieces of fabric folded to make a loose V-neck. The thin straps would fall over my collarbones, revealing just enough of my upper body and tattoos. The sinched waist was scrunched to one side and flowed out right below my mid-thigh, keeping it decently modest.
Nodding my head to myself in content, I shuffled into the bedroom before laying the dress out on the bed along with a pair of heels and a simple necklace.
My body was still sore from the past couple of days, but most of the bruises had faded or were going to be covered later.
I shook away the fears holding me back from doing this and sighed to myself.
If anyone could work a firearm, it would be my uncle. If he and his family show up just like Inan said they would, then I have a guaranteed feeling that all will go smoothly. Or that if all goes to shit, I would be protected.
Slipping the silk fabric over my body, I watched as it flowed over my skin in the mirror. For the first time in weeks, I see the girl I used to know. As long as I don't look at my own eyes, everything would look normal. Just a teenager going to dinner with her put-together family, and probably getting scolded by her eldest brother for wearing a dress a little too short.
I shut my eyes, my imagination going too far for my emotions to keep up with. Covering my eyelids with the palms of my hands, I look up towards whatever higher power is watching me from above. Hopefully being my mother, I mumble something about hating this situation and asking for strength to get through it.
"Zhara."
My head snaps over to the door, an angry look set in stone on my face as my eyes search for the intruder.
Inan stands in the doorway, one hand on the doorknob and one hand propping himself up on the side threshold.
Unclenching my fists, I relax my face and give him a questioning glance.
"Your cousins are in the dining room with Zion," he announces, silently telling me to hurry up. The mention of Zion's name made me shiver. Inan wouldn't look at me, which made me wonder if he knew about what happened.
I nod, hurrying into the bathroom to make sure my hair looks decent. It looked good enough for me, so I slid on my heels and looped my mother's ring through the chain of the necklace I had laid out before putting it on. Inan stepped out of the doorway to let me through, so I took my steps in front of him as he trailed behind me.
I'm sure he was wondering how I already knew my way around, but I didn't care enough to tell him about how I had gotten very bored one day.
Bored enough to make a mental map in my head as I stalked through each individual hallway.
I turned the corner that led to the main dining room, already hearing some hushed whispers from servers and maids through the open kitchen doors.
Inan's steps slowed behind me, notifying me he was going to keep his distance when I approached my family.
He was probably the only person I could tolerate from now on.
Finally getting to the doors, I looked over my shoulder at Inan, who still wasn't looking at me. His eyes were toward the floor, obviously lost in something else. Shaking it off, I took a deep breath.
Twisting the knobs to the double doors, I extended my arms to the side, slowly pulling them open.