~𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 - 𝟐𝟎;𝟎𝟒𝐩𝐦~
I sit up on the thin mattress residing in the corner of the cell, my back resting against the cold of the concrete that sits behind me. I stare off into the dirty and dark doorway, watching as the cold wind slips underneath it and floats up the hallway, whistling as it goes. My fists tightened around the thin cover of the mattress, I begin to stand up. I struggle at first, the heavy ball chained to my ankle shifting on itself.
I struggle to move around with the restraints I wear, moving regularly on my hands and knees to visit the bathroom. Somehow I manage to limp towards the tall bathroom door, my weak hands grip the handle, pulling it down as it opens. The hospital's white bathroom gleams around the dirt between the tiles. I grab the faucet of the sink, letting the cold water rush over my dirtied hands, I raise my head slowly in line with the mirror before claiming my idea. If I were to smash the mirror, I could just make a weapon out of the glass.
I take a deep breath, raising my fist to the glass. However, the sound of metal clinking from the other room stops me, I immediately flush the toilet and turn the tap back on.
I see him come into the bathroom behind me, he stands behind me pressing his crotch to my ass, grabbing my hands so I can't move. He cranes his neck letting his head fall onto my shoulder as he kisses his way up my neck.
"Dominico," I reason.
"Don't give me that shit,"
"You like it, and you know you like it. Quit acting like a virgin, if you'd fuck Vincenzo, surely you'd fuck me, eh?" He smirks.
"Get off of me," I hiss.
I didn't get upset as I did with Marco, it made me angry.
It really pissed me off.
Soon enough he yanks both of my arms behind my back as I cry out in pain.
"I told you, don't give me that shit." He spits, guiding his free hand up to my throat and squeezing so tightly that I struggled to breathe.
"Stop resisting me," He mutters over me.
"Dominico!" I hear a voice call out through the steel door.
It sounds masculine and demanding, to say the least.
"Dominico! Get your ass out here."
"I'm busy, padrone." He yells back, twisting my arm the slightest more.
"Dominico I swear to god, she's here."
I gasp in pain, feeling his fingers dig deeper against my skin.
"Fuck, I'm coming." He spits angrily, throwing my arms down and giving me one last glance before turning to leave my cell.
"You better be ready for when I get back Stellina." He smirks before slamming the steel door to the stairs closed behind him.
Little Star.
It was like I was back in that horrible place that I lived in as a child.
I instinctively run my fingers up the long scar climbing up my spine, sprawled lazily across my back like a tree vine clinging to an old cottage.
Most scars fade with time, but in almost nine years, mine hadn't. If anything it had become more visible. I felt as though I had moved on back in the Romano house, it hadn't worried me and I hadn't been so keen to keep it covered up, but now I felt it burn into my skin once more.
I take a deep breath covering the overbearing scar once again with my curtains of hair. It would have been better if I had just disappeared that night, it would have been so much easier for me. I would have been far away from Italy and its god-forsaken curses that I could no longer escape from.
I had fled away as a child, but every obstacle I had defeated was tackling me 100 times stronger now.
I hadn't seen Dominico since I fled that taunting house close to a decade ago, yet I can't find an exit now. I saw him as dead, his ghost had haunted my dreams for far too long for him to appear alive and healthy now. He was different, not only in the ways he looked but the ways he acted.
Dominico was no longer the little boy I used to play hide and seek with at only 8 years old, he was no longer the little boy who used to take the blame and serve my beatings for me. He was no longer the little boy who sacrificed his precious life for me to leave and find my own life away from the treacherous manor we were imprisoned in.
It surprised me really, I mean 'Nico now worked with if not for Giuseppe. Giuseppe stole our childhood from us from the moment we arrived in that hell of a house.
He had taken every piece of joy we owned and replaced it with fear and obedience. It was the only home I had known for the longest time, and he was no father to us in it. He was our master, and we were his bargaining pawns, eventually, he would have sold me off, as he told me himself and Dominico would end up dead, or as his right-hand man, as he was to choose.
I grew up for 13 years in that household, by the time I got there, Dominico had been there almost two years before me. He kept me out of trouble for the most part, but it grew worse, he comforted me when we felt the pain our master had inflicted.
I shared my pain with him, and now he had thrown it all back at me.
Master was right about that, I had been sold off into marriage, no matter what I found in the arrangement, and Nico had found his way into our master's army.
As my eyes begin to water, my mind wanders back to that terrible time.
"What have I told you about crying Anastasia," Master yells.
I cry harder, I couldn't help it. I hated it when he yelled, I hated it when he punished us, I hate it when he hurt Nico.
"I-I'm so-orry." I mumble, trying to wipe my tears and stop crying.
I was unprepared as I fell from my knees with the harsh slap landed across my cheeks. I press my eyes together tightly a sharp gasp leaving my lips.
It wasn't uncommon that he 'punished', us this way.
"Stop stuttering you wench, you brought this upon yourself. You bit that gentleman!"
"I-I couldn't help it! He put his fingers into my mouth, I could hardly breathe master, you have to forgive me." I sob, wiping my tears harshly.
"Is that how you respect your superiors, Anastasia?"
"No, master. But I-"
"Do I need to get my whip, Anastasia? Might I need to beat respect into you once again? You never seem to learn do you?"
I stay quiet, unsure of what he wanted me to say.
He kicks me harshly in my stomach, I hunch, bringing my knees to my stomach.
"Answer me when I fucking speak to you whore." He spits, taking my hair into his fist, and pulling.
"No, master. You don't need your whip, I am sorry."
"Good girl, but I don't think it's enough."
"What do you want me to do for your forgiveness, Master?" I ask, sniffling away my tears.
"I think you need to see what will happen to you when you do something like that again." He chuckles, pushing my head to the ground with his foot.
"Master, I promise. I won't ever do it again!"
"Beg."
"Huh?"
"I said beg, Anastasia. Fucking beg me before I start showing you real pain."
"Please master, I promise I won't do it again."
"Keep going."
"Master, I've learned my lesson! I won't do it again!"
"More."
"Master! I beg you to forgive me, I have learned my lesson."
"Do you even value your life?"
"Please master! I'll do anything for your forgiveness. I will learn my lesson, and never do it again!"
"Anything hm?"
"Anyth-"
"Silence."
He places his tumbler of whiskey onto the oakwood table with a soft clunk.
"Bring Dominico in."
"No!" I yell up to him.
Giuseppe steps onto my fingers as I yell out in pain.
"Didn't I tell you to be silent?" He hisses, pressing my fingers deeper into the hardwood floor.
"Dominico now!" He snaps at his guard.
"Bring me that god-forsaken boy."
"Master please no," I beg to cry once again.
"Anastasia shut the hell up, your whining is giving me a migraine."
"Ma-" I say standing up.
He smacks me with the back of his head across the face, making me stumble a little regaining balance on the edge of a drawer, as my head moves with his hand.
I scream out in pain.
"Stay down wench, and shut the fuck up, before I permanently silence you." He hisses.
As I climb back onto my knees, he sits down in front of me.
Once a moment later a loud knock echoes throughout the room, and the man from before enters dragging Dominico in.
He had clearly put a fight up as his nose was already a little bloody, and his wrist red and sore.
"Where do you want him, sir?" The man asks.
"Put him there, and bring me the girl." He commands.
"Yes sir," The guy mutters, tossing Dominico to the floor as he grabs my arms.
I don't cause a struggle, I didn't want it any worse for Dominico, I knew what would happen to him. It wasn't the first time.
Every time he knew I wouldn't learn the lesson he wanted me to, he would use Dominico and beat him to near death if that's what it took to get me to beg for it to stop.
The guard lifted me onto the master's lap, the master grabbing my head as he turns it harshly towards Dominico.
"Teach him the lesson." He chuckles.
Even as I try to turn my head he holds it in place forcing me to watch as he beats part of my soul. I close my eyes pressing them tightly together.
"If you want him back alive, open your fucking eyes."
"Yes master," I mumble my eyes spilling with tears as they open now glossy with my tears.
----------
I lay back on the makeshift mattress shutting my eyes and wanting to fall back asleep.
I open my eyes to see something oh so unexpected.
"Thalia," I gasp.
"Anastasia," She smiles with glee.
"Thalia... why are you here?"
"Not to worry." She smiles sweetly.
"Did they take you too?" I ask.
"No, Ana."
"Are you real?"
"No, Ana." She repeats.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here to warn you, something terrible has happened."
"What's going on?"
"Anastasia, they took my sister too."
"Amara is here?"
"Yes."
"Where is she?"
"She's in another room,"
"Why is she here?"
"They want to take everything from Vincenzo."
"Why?"
"Because he stole you from them."
"No he didn't."
"Shhh," She hushes. "There isn't much time Anastasia. They might hurt Amara if you don't listen to them. You need to listen to them, promise me you'll protect Amara?"
"I promise."
"Thank you, I miss you so much, Ana. I wish I was still here, but I can't be. I have to go, someone's coming."
"Wait," I call out.
"Drink this, it will give you energy okay?" She encourages.
"I love you, Thalia."
"I love you too Darling."
I take the cup from her fingers as she watches me closely.
I drink the liquid, it tastes sour and almost like-
--------
I wake up with a terrible headache, it takes me a minute to remember what happened.
"Thalia," I gasp.
"Thalia is dead." Dominico mocks.
"No-"
"Yes, you killed her."
"No, she was here, I saw her?"
"Maybe she's haunting you," he mocks.
"She wouldn't do that."
"Are you so sure?" He asks.
"Yes! I know she wouldn't." I hiss.
"Vincenzo promised to protect you, yet here you are with me."
Dominico smirks, reaching out to touch my hair.
I move my head away from him and shuffle my body a little away.
"Anastasia, you're not alone here. You have me, Stellina."
"Don't call me that."
"Why you used to love it."
"You're not the same person you used to be, Nico called me that."
"Darling I am Nico, I am just not so naive. I didn't try to hurt you when I took you here you know, I did it to protect you from Vincenzo. He's up to something Anastasia, he wants to hurt you, Anastasia."
"No, he doesn't."
"Yes, he does. He has you fooled Stellina."
"No, he doesn't," I frown.
"I know you don't want to believe it, but you have to understand that I don't want to hurt you."
I begin to sob.
Dominico moves closer to me, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me closer.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"You don't trust me."
"I want to, Ana."
"I don't trust you."
"I know Baby, I wouldn't either."
"Can I get out of here?"
"I can't let you go, you know that."
"Please, I don't want to leave. I just want to get out of the basement."
"Why?"
"It's cold, and I don't like the dark. I feel so alone down here, Nico.."
"I know angel... I will take you upstairs, but you can't stay up there forever."
"I know.. just today please.." I whisper.
"Okay.." He says hesitantly.
Dominico stands up and sorts through his keys, unlocking the bolt around my ankle.
"Get on my back."
I nod as he crouches down in front of me, and lets me climb onto my back.
"Close your eyes okay? If I find out your eyes are open you're gonna come straight back down here."
"My eyes are closed."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"Good girl."
----
I held onto him tightly as we climbed up the endless stairs, my eyes were closed. I didn't trust this fucker, he probably thinks I do but I don't. I want to survive.
"You can open your eyes, but don't look around. Just sit on that stool." He says placing me onto the stool and nodding towards a stool in the far corner. He follows me over there and handcuffs my hands together.
"What do you want to eat?" He asks.
"Anything.." I mutter hanging my head low.
"Are you cold?" He asks.
It wasn't until then I realized that I was visibly shivering.
I nod, and he tells me to stay there before he heads in a different direction. I look around, noticing the large cameras in every corner of the room.
I realized there was no way that I could escape at this rate.
Only moments later he comes back with a sweater and jogging bottoms, clearly too big, as they belonged to him and he was at least 6ft1. He slides them along the counter before turning away and sorting through the cabinets.
First I stand up struggling to put the bottoms on with my hands bound so tightly together. It takes only a quick glance for him to understand the situation.
He sits me back on the stool and slides them gently up my legs and lets me stand back up to pull it over my hips.
-------
Dominico places the place of spaghetti in front of me yet not handing me the fork. He begins to swirl the pasta around the fork and lifts it to my lips. I give him a small look before hesitantly opening my mouth. I pull the food off of the fork with my teeth, my eyes not once leaving his face.
"Dominico, do I have to go back down there after this..?"
"No, you can stay up here for now."
"Do you promise?" I ask.
"I promise, Mi Stellina."
--------
Nico lays my head against the pillow and pulls the duvet over my head before turning the bright light off. I hear him lock the door however I can't see where he hides the key before scrambling into bed beside me.
-----------------------
-SAME TIME-
We stayed searching for Anastasia, we had looked into that man that was on the screen by now we had narrowed it down to just under 150 suspects. We had a room just dedicated to whiteboards of connections.
And as for Vincenzo, he had barely made it out of his office. He had eaten for most days, but he had drunk non-stop since the disappearance.
He was broken.
He was broken but the one person he'd get comfort from when he was broken was gone. Anastasia was his rock and she was MIA. He wasn't just angry anymore, he was sad, really fucking sad. And some days he had given up, and some days he was so determined that he was ready to walk into a warzone for her.
I knock on the oak doors.
"Vincenzo, I brought you food," I mutter.
I hear a quiet sob, before a cough.
"Coming," Vincenzo croaks.
When he opens the door his red and puffy face is unmissable.
"Vincenzo." I gasp, setting the food down.
"I miss her Amara.."
"I know," I mutter taking my big brother into my arms and hugging him tighter than I ever had before.
"She's gone, and I need her. I really need her Amara." He mutters, hugging me equally as tight back.
I held myself together for him.
I sucked back the tears so my brother could cry in my arms.
"I know you do, buddy."
"You know you could come and help us, we really need your help, Vincenzo."
"I will, I just need some time. I don't want them to see me like this Amara."
"They won't care, everyone's a mess without her."
"No, I won't let them see me weak."
"Enzo, we all know you under your armor. For god's sake, we're your family, all of us are."
"I know.."
"I'll see you later, you better be there or I'll drag you there myself."
"Yes ma'am."
---------
"It can't be him, he wasn't even in this country at the time of it all."
"How do you know?"
"I have the footage from the hotel and he was having-"
"Vincenzo," Elio gasps.
"What do you guys have so far?" He asks.
"Take a look for yourself."
"Welcome back dude," Ivan smirks.
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A/N
Hello! Sorry if this way is a bit confusing, or random; but it will all make sense as you read on. Thank you for reading we have over 45k reads now and I couldn't be happier sharing this book with you all. Stay safe and have a good night.
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