I stare into Matteo's almost black eyes, and hidden within them is anger, so much anger, but also... Curiosity? While his eyes show one emotion, his lips curl into another, and I struggle to decipher just what exactly he's feeling.

I open my mouth to retort something but am quickly stopped by the ring of a phone. I slowly close my mouth as my gaze averts to the source in Matteo's pocket. Ever so slowly, not leaving my eyes, he pulls it from his suit and answers the call.

"Hello?" Matteo says, still not leaving my eyes.

I bite my lip and am the first to break eye contact. I can hear the frantic voice of a man on the other end of the phone, but his words are all a blur. I look back at Matteo whose concentration is now fixed on the table.

Whatever the man on the other end of the phone is saying, it looks like it could be serious. "No, I'm busy, I have shit that needs to get done. Dagli i soldi e una volta che avremo le nostre pistole, sparagli a tutti. C'è una ragione per cui ti ho dato meno di quello che chiedevano." (Give them the money and once we have our guns, shoot them all. There is a reason I gave you less than what they asked for.)

I flinch at his words. I know what this man is capable of first hand, and i know what the world is like, but still when i hear someone order another to kill, i can't help but want to retreat far away.

My mother always said that the life I was born into isn't what I have to become. She made sure that i grew up normally, and learnt morals, the difference between right and wrong, so that one day i would not have to live a life where death is an everyday occurrence.

But here I am. It's inevitable.

My heart aches at the thought of Mum. I miss her, I didn't call her enough when i moved to New York. I was too busy caught up in college and partying. Hell, I even spoke to Dad more than the person who actually raised me!

I'm such a terrible daughter.

"Cazzo, ho una chiamata in arrivo. Fallo e fai trasportare le armi al molo. Assicurati che non accada loro nulla. Ricontrolla l'importo, se qualcosa va storto fammelo sapere, non partiremo per il Giappone per qualche giorno, quindi se qualcosa va storto, c'è ancora tempo. Ma non pensare che non ucciderò la tua famiglia se succede qualcosa."

(Fuck, I have an incoming call. Do it and have the weapons transported to the dock. Make sure nothing happens to them. Double check the amount, if something goes wrong just let me know, we won't be leaving for Japan for a few days, so if something goes wrong, there is still time. But don't think that I won't kill your family if something happens.)

Japan? He's going to Japan in a few days?

My lips quirk into a smile which I hide quickly from Matteo as he glances up at me. This is perfect! I'll be able to escape so much easier when he's gone, and within a few days i'm sure i'll be back to normal, if not only a bit better.

I could scream with excitement! I can only imagine everything I'm going to do when I'm free from this hot psychopath. Finally I would be able to wipe that smug smirk from his face as he finds out he's going to jail for the rest of his life. That is of course my father even lets him live.

I try to listen again to Matteo's conversation again, but now it seems as though he's talking to someone else completely. His tone of voice is softer, though he still speaks as though he could kill you at any moment.

"Just book dinner for tomorrow night."

It's like he wants me to know where he is at all times, like he wants me to escape. What if he's just teasing me, and wants to see if I'll run?

I lean back in my chair, continuing to listen in. "Have the report sent to me immediately and ensure that the jet is prepared for my departure on Wednesday."

With that, Matteo hangs up and slips his phone back into his pocket. Once again, his attention is focused on me, and only me.

His eyes study my face and then my body. They roam every inch of me and I feel so objectified. "I have somewhere I need to be." Matteo says smoothly. "You are free to roam the house, do as you please. Though I suggest in your current state, you don't try to escape."

He then stands and leaves the room, leaving me behind to wonder what the hell just happened. Is he mad at me? What is he planning?

There is no way he didn't notice my slip up, the way his demeanour changed clearly showed he caught me, so why is he leaving me? Could this be a test?

I feel as though I can't even take a breath without worrying about the consequences. I'm so tired from having to constantly worry about whether I'm in danger or not. I just want to go to bed in my own bed, and see my old friends in Australia. I miss the days when I could catch the train into the city and go out shopping, not having to worry about anything.

Even then I would sometimes forget that I was the daughter of an infamous mafia don.

Placing my head in my hands, I take in a deep breath.

I miss the salty breeze of the ocean that would kiss my cheeks as I rode on the ferry around the harbour. I miss late nights where my friends and I would stay up watching horror movies. I miss going out on awkward dates with boys in high school and then gossiping about them the day after.

I miss being free.

Those few days in the cellar were mentally draining. If i didn't have Scott to help me through it, i probably would've had a breakdown. The darkness was terrifying, and it was everywhere. I never thought that as an adult, I would find myself crying because I was afraid of the dark. Yet, that's exactly what I did, and Scott was there to tell me that it was alright.

I haven't even seen his face.

Oh god, I haven't seen him in five days!

He must think I'm dead, or what if he's dead? I have to find him, I have to know if he's okay.

I promptly stand from my chair on shaky legs, and use the table for support as I make my way towards the hallway that leads down to the cellar. I don't care if suddenly Matteo comes out and catches me, I don't care what punishment this could entail, I simply must see Scott. I must know if he is alright.

I lean on the hallway wall as I stumble towards the cellar door that is in my sights. My head begins to ache slightly, and I stop to take a breath before resuming, finding myself in front of the door within seconds.

I clasp the handle, and thank god it's open. I listen to it creak as I push it open, and look down into the terrifying darkness. My lips begin to quiver and my body begins to shake. Flashes of the darkness and loneliness appear within my mind as I recall my brief and unpleasant stay down here.

I flick on the light and am slightly comforted by the warm glow emanating from the bottom of the steps, so I take my time, trying not to fall as I begin to descend the staircase.

The first thing that hits me is the familiar bitter cold. It surrounds me and a chill runs down my spine. I waste no time as I limp down the hall where I was dragged, trying not to look too closely into all the cells.

Something definitely smells like it's rotting, and I don't want to bear witness to that.

Finally I reach the end of the hall after what feels like a painful hour. I stare at the cell that I was kept in. I look at the pile of blankets and pillows still huddled in the corner where I had managed to find some semblance of sanctuary.

"Scott." I whisper into the cell beside mine.

The light is enough for me to make out a huddled shape in the corner of the room, but their face is still in the darkness. I can't tell whether they are asleep or awake, or dead.

"Scott, it's me, Mia." I whisper again. This time it gains a reaction, and the person groans, stretching out their limbs.

"Mia?" I whimper with relief as I rush towards the bars of the cell, clutching onto them with dear life.

"Scott, oh my god, Scott. Are you alright?"

I want to close the distance between us so much, I want to wrap my arms around him and thank him for keeping me sane, when I'm sure even he was questioning his sanity being kept down here. I want to escape with him and go to England where he said he would take me, and I want to look up at the stars and into his eyes knowing that we are both alright.

Scott stands and stumbles towards the cell door, and it's then that I finally see his face.

He's tall, much taller than me. His hair is long and curly, falling onto his face, a mix of browns and blonde. His face is bloodied and bruised and his clothing tattered beyond recognition, stained with blood all over.

I sob at the state of him. I want to help him desperately. I want to tell him that it'll be alright. But deep down i know it won't, and i don't think lying will get either of us anywhere.

Scott's hands wrap around mine through the bars. They are large and warm, and give me more comfort than I have ever been given in my whole life. His eyes stare at me earnestly, and he doesn't need any words for me to understand what is written so clearly on his face.

"Thank you Scott. Thank you for helping me." I sob.

He just continues to rub my hands, and I notice a rough material also rubbing up against my fingers. I look down to see that, wrapped around his hand are bandages, covering the three stumps where fingers had once been.

I let out another sob. I cry for Scott, and for me.

"I'm so sorry Scott, I don't know what to do, I don't know how to help you..." I trail off as my words become incoherent.

"Shhhhhh, it's alright Mia. I told you that we will get out of here. Soon we will be free." I smile sadly at his words. They used to comfort me greatly, but now? I don't know how to feel. "I'm so happy you are alright, Mia. I thought he had killed you, I thought you were dead."

I shudder. Matteo had said that I could've died if I didn't get help.

"I'm alright now." I lie just as one of my headaches appears once again. "I'm just glad that you are here, i don't know what i would've done if you were gone."

"I would never leave you behind, Mia. You must know that." Scott smiles sadly and wipes away the tears falling from my eyes with the pad of his calloused thumb.

I jump back as I hear the distant sound of footsteps and a door slamming.

"Go, Mia. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me."

I purse my lips. "I'll be back."

Scott's eyes glisten in the warm light raining down on us.

"I promise." I say.

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