Allison's POV
"You'll pay off your debt by being a spy for our enterprise," Zain declares, his voice cold and final. "You'll make friends with some of Gerald's girls, go to a party, and get picked. You will allow yourself to get picked, Allison. No fights. No tantrums."
I listen as Zain delivers my fate, the words stabbing deep. Darius isn't here, and his absence annoys me to my core. He's insulted me, letting his insignificant brother dictate my future.
"Your brother said I'm not going on the mission." The words escape my lips before I can stop them, surprising even me. Zain's eyes narrow in disbelief, his jaw tightening with rage.
"Are you really that stupid? Talking to me like that?" he snaps, his voice low and menacing. But I don't care. My anger towards Darius drowns out any concern I might have for Zain's irritation.
"He said so. I was there, and you were too…" The boldness in my voice is unfamiliar, dangerous even. I need to stop before Zain decides to make an example out of me.
He stares at me, as if trying to figure out whether I've lost my mind. "You think my brother has better plans for you?" He laughs, a harsh, mocking sound.
If I weren't in my room, sitting up in bed and clutching the black duvet like it's a lifeline, I'd… I don't know what I'd do. It doesn't matter. No matter where I am, I belong to Darius and his egotistical brother.
"My brother doesn't give a damn about you," Zain continues, his voice dripping with scorn. "And I heard about your little show with his daughter. Must've been quite a performance. But if you think that's cleared your debt, you're more delusional than I thought. This isn't some love story where the big bad mafia heir falls for the helpless debtor."
I've never had such a thought, not even for a second. Zain is a pathetic lapdog, not worth the position he holds. He should be a bodyguard or a janitor—anything that doesn't require a brain. Even they command more respect than he does.
"I'm not delusional, sir. There's only one delusional person in this room."
It's just the two of us here, and I've already denied the accusation, so I guess he knows who I mean.
"Yeah, that's you…" He shrugs, clearly not getting the hint, but I let it go.
"My dad will pay the money once my mom's okay. He won't leave me." The words sound hollow even to me. I know my father won't come back, not after he left me here like this.
Zain throws his head back and laughs, a cruel sound that reverberates through my soul. "Frank? That worthless gambler? Girl, your dad sold you off. To him, his debt is settled. You are our sixty-five million dollars in person, so you've got to work it off."
I lick my lips nervously. Maybe Darius did change his mind. Maybe he wants me on the mission after all.
"Did he… Did he really change his mind?" My voice cracks, disappointment seeping into every word.
"Yes," Zain confirms. "Thessa should've started your training, but I took over. I want to speed things up." His wicked smile makes my skin crawl.
My fingers tighten around the duvet as Zain steps forward.
"Don't come any closer…" I whisper, but the fear in my voice betrays me.
He ignores my warning, lunging forward and yanking the duvet from my grip. Thankfully, I'm dressed—jeans and a sweatshirt, thanks to the cold last night.
"All dressed, I see," Zain sighs, disappointed. He grabs my arm, pulling me off the bed. "What do you say we continue the training your mother started? I bet she was preparing you for this…"
I struggle, trying to become dead weight as he drags me across the room. "Don't you dare talk about my mom, you ugly cockroach!"
Zain just laughs. "Look at you, a tiny, red-haired, disrespectful little bug. A cockroach and a mosquito, a special breed of pest."
I slap his wrist with my free hand, frustration boiling over as tears spring to my eyes. Just as I start to give up, Thessa bursts into the room, her hands flying to her mouth in shock.
"Jesus! Zain! What do you think you're doing?" Thessa demands, her voice sharp. She plants her hands on her hips, her eyes darting around the room. "Where's the boss? He said he'd be here…"
Zain, startled by Thessa's sudden appearance, drops me. "What are you doing here? I sent you on an errand."
Thessa raises an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Clearly. But your brother pulled me back. He wants me to take over. So, I'll be taking her now."
Zain glares at me, his eyes burning with hatred. "This isn't over. I'll be the one to train you…"
"Actually, Zain," Thessa cuts in, her tone firm, "Darius specifically said the girls would handle it. He wants you at the madhouse. Something about Lucas."
After a string of curses and one last menacing stare, Zain storms out, slamming the door behind him.
"Oooph, what did you do to piss him off?" Thessa asks, amused. "Anyway, you've been picked by Darius for a mission. A scary one, to be honest. He chose you over our best girls. You, with no survival skills. You're a virgin in this world, Allison. A baby." The words spill out of her like venom, but I'm too drained to argue.
I slump back onto the bed, my eyes staring blankly at the black tiles that reflect my misery.
"Hey…" Thessa's voice softens as she sits beside me, draping an arm over my shoulders. "You're strong, tenacious. I know you can learn on the job. You'll be amazing. I'll be strict but gentle, if that makes sense. But you need to forget your past and accept your fate. You work for Darius Hunter now. And as much as you hate him, he's the best criminal you'll ever work for."
I lift my head slowly, giving her a look of disbelief. Her heavy makeup makes her look almost grotesque, intimidating even.
"Why did he choose me? Why did he change his mind?" My voice is thick with regret. For a moment, I thought I understood him, especially after what happened with his daughter. I thought he'd be grateful enough to let me off the hook, at least a little.
What was I thinking?
"It's Darius. He does whatever he wants."
The words make me nauseous. "So you all just do whatever he says, based on his mood? I bet you'd suck his…"
"Allison! Jesus!" Thessa turns bright red, holding back a laugh. "Darius is like my brother. That would be incest."
"But you've slept with Zain…" I blurt out, the accusation wiping the humor from her face. She looks shocked, even disgusted.
"How the hell did you know that?" she asks, her voice careful, her forehead creased in confusion.
I don't know how I knew. Maybe my instincts picked up on something during their conversation. My mouth just ran with it.
"I just guessed." The lie slips out too quickly.
"Guessed, huh? Well, I guess our conversation is over." Thessa stands, her mood souring the room's already putrid atmosphere. "Time to meet the other girls. And from now on, don't introduce yourself as Allison. Your new name is 090. Here's your ID."
She shoves a card into my hand. I stare at the weird picture of me, wondering when it was taken. The name on the card reads 090, along with a star.
"What does the star mean?" I ask, my fingers trembling.
"It means you're new. I have six stars on mine."
My mind spins as we enter the elevator, descending into the unknown depths of the house. I never realized it had a basement.
When the elevator doors open, I'm greeted by three women standing before me, nearly identical in height, with athletic yet sultry figures that scream both danger and allure, with their arms crossed over their chests, glaring at me like I'm some kind of insect. They look like triplets at first glance, their tight black spandex suits accentuating every curve, but as I study them closer, their differences become clear.
One has ebony skin and sharp, angular features that make her look like she could cut someone with a glance. The second, with olive skin and a square jawline, has an air of authority that demands respect, her eyes narrowing as if sizing me up for a fight. The last, with a lighter complexion and soft, almost innocent features, contrasts sharply with the venom in her gaze, making her the most unsettling of the three. Their hostility is palpable, their degrading sneers telling me that to them, I'm less than nothing—just another burden in their already dangerous world.
"Is she the girl?" one of them sneers.
"Yup. Darius wants us to be nice but quick with her training. She leaves next week."
I'm too stunned to speak, trying to take in as many details as possible about each woman. But all I can sense is their hostility. They clearly don't like me. I'd imagined we could plan an escape together, but it seems I was wrong. Very wrong.
"Hi, I'm All—oww!" Thessa jabs me in the arm, reminding me not to say my real name.
"She's 090," Thessa announces. "And you will respect her because she's Darius's pet. He's the only one allowed to hurt her."
The other girls grunt in disappointment, and in that moment, I realize just how terrible this training will be. I might not survive it long enough to even face the mission.