“What does Mr. Salvatore do?” I was asking the wrong person, but it was worth a try.
“Business.” She shrugged. Laughing, I pulled the tie on my ponytail and ran a hand through my hair. “Mr. Salvatore wants you to wear this tonight.” She pointed to a box on the bed. “You want me to open it for you,signora?”
I shook my head. “It’s okay.” I had no intention of wearing whatever was in the box. If he wanted me to attend his party without any of my clothes, then he was going to wish he’d sent me home instead. I knew I was tempting faith by going against his wishes, but I was staying, which meant he couldn’t kill another man. So, I was prepared to take my chances.
Rosana moved to a glass table near the window. “Your lunch.” She lifted the silver lid to a plate of grilled chicken drizzled with a white sauce, roasted vegetables, and a side of green salad.
My stomach gave a silent churn of appreciation, but I ignored it. “Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”
Since my father abducted me, my appetite had disappeared. Yes, that’s what it was. An abduction. because he didn’t bring me to my mother’s funeral, he’d abducted me, my life, my love, and with it, all the happiness I’d known. Something I wasn’t sure, I’d get back. Rosana left after a quick nod. I ambled over to the floor-length French doors looking out onto a large terrace edged by waist-high glass paneling. Sliding the doors open, I stepped out, my gaze taking in the sheer beauty around me.
On one side, plush white couches surrounded a glass coffee table and behind that, a wall-mounted fireplace looked ideal for those cold winter days. Not that I knew where we were to envision the seasons. On the other side, a white marble jacuzzi sat on a two-stair platform. Nearing the edge, I inhaled the slight breeze drifting around me and glanced around. The castle sat on top of a mountainous hill that peered over the sea. I stared, drinking in the stillness of the water, laid out like a blue-green carpet. Then my gaze dropped down into the cavern below me.
Suddenly the gravity of my situation hit me. My shoulders tensed and my legs buckled. I gripped the railing, recalling the falling body of the man I was responsible for killing. What were his last thoughts before he jumped? Did he have family? What had he done to deserve such fate? Now that I was alone, the fear that I’d tried to hide suddenly clung to me like a second skin. The tears came quickly and with it, unbearable tiredness I couldn’t fight.
Letting it all go, I allowed myself to break, to sink to the floor in a debilitating mess as jerky sobs slammed through my chest, ripping through every inch of skin, muscle, and bone. Taunting me to fight it. I couldn’t. It was just too much. I hadn’t even begun to live before I died. Leaning my back against the glass, I surrendered to the misery of the last few days, allowing it to consume me. Because there was nothing else I could do.
How had I ended up here? Despite all the protection my mother had given me, it all proved futile in the end. My father still got his way. What was my mother’s last day like? Did she suffer? Once more the questions plagued my mind and I cried harder. Pulling my knees up to my chin, I dropped my brow and rocked my body, allowing the tears to console me because no one else would. I’d lost everyone who could.
24
Gianna (18 years)
Sliding my legs off the bed, I stood and reached for the box with the engagement dress. I held it up against my body for a moment. It was a knee-length white halter neck with a scooped bodice and tucked-in waist, reminding me of the one from Marilyn Monroe’s famous steam scene. Only, my hot air came from two arrogant men, one being my father. Irritated, I grabbed the two ends meeting at the neck and tried to rip the dress apart. It didn’t even tear. “Shit.” And the movies make it seem so easy. “Aargh!” So much for my attempted insolence. Tossing the garment aside, I left the room, not bothering to check if I was decent enough for this so-called engagement.
My footfalls soaked by the thick carpet running down the center of the marble staircase, I descended at a snail’s pace. There was simply no reason to hurry. Just as I reached the bottom landing, Rosana appeared out of nowhere and ran a slow gaze over my crumpled dress. Her eyes met mine and I could see the part amusement part dread swimming in those soft browns.
“I know what you’re thinking.” I patted her hand lightly. “That I’m behaving like a childish misfit.”
“No,signora.” She shook her head quickly, her eyes darting to all corners of the hallway before coming back to mine. “I’m worried for you.SignorSalvatore doesn’t like anyone...”
“Challenging him?” I finished for her. She nodded, her smile hesitant. “It’s okay, Rosana, I can handle whatever punishment he has for me.”
Her eyes rounded for just a fraction before she dropped her head, hiding her expression and just the tiniest bit of uncertainty tickled my nape. Did she know something I didn’t? Obviously. She worked for the man. He’d warned me not to disobey him then again, I was still here wasn’t I? Leaving her standing there, I wandered down the hallway that resembled something out of a Cinderella fairytale—when she’d arrived at the palace and ran down the passages searching for prince charming. Only I was on my way to meet the evil beast. Yeah, I didn’t bother that I was mixing my fairytales. Mine didn’t have the happily ever after but who cared.
Soft music emanated from my right as I entered the large floor-to-ceiling double doors. Fifty or maybe a hundred people stood around in small groups chatting and drinking bubbly champagne served by white-jacketed waiters. I glanced around, admiring the beauty of the ballroom before my gaze fell to the platters of delicious hors d'oeuvres set on a long sideboard. My mouth watered, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten all day. Remembering whose function this was, I refrained and moved away.
