Melissa's POV
As he placed me on the chair, my body screamed in protest, every bruise and ache throbbing in unison. Weakness seeped into my bones, threatening to consume me whole.
My mind raced with questions - "Why was he acting so strangely?" - but my energy was sapped, leaving me unable to ponder further.
Hunger gnawed at my belly, and my head spun with dizziness. I felt like I was floating away, my body surrendering to the torment it had endured. I tried to steel myself for what might come next, but my strength was depleted. I couldn't muster the will to care anymore; fate would have to take the reins. My head lolled forward, my chin dipping towards my chest, as I succumbed to my exhaustion.
Vincenzo's voice was laced with sly amusement as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with a knowing glint. "It's obvious you're starving," he said, his gaze roving over my frail form.
He consulted his watch, a sleek smile spreading across his face. "It's 3 a.m. already. And fortunate for you, I have nowhere to be today... except here, with you." His smirk grew wider, his words dripping with sarcasm. I was too weak to respond, my energy sapped from the prolonged torment. Vincenzo leaned in, his voice taking on a mocking tone.
"If you want to escape, don't you think you need to eat... and be strong?" He raised an eyebrow, his expression taunting me.
"Like you care about me at all!" I spat out, each word a struggle, my voice laced with pain and skepticism.
Vincenzo's smirk only grew wider as he began to unzip my leather jacket, his fingers brushing against my skin like a cold, calculated touch. I tried to resist, but my body betrayed me, the constant aches and pains rendering me helpless.
"Sweetie, don't resist... or you'll get hurt," he whispered, his voice dripping with false concern, his eyes gleaming with a sinister intent.
He continued to strip me of my clothes, his movements efficient and detached, leaving me shivering in only my lingerie. I felt exposed, vulnerable, and utterly at his mercy.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice cracking as tears streamed down my face, my body shaking with fear and vulnerability.
Vincenzo's expression turned cold, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Tch! Don't flatter yourself," he said, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at me with a mix of repulsion and fascination.
"You're nothing but a filthy, broken thing, and I'm about to clean you up." He smiled, a self-satisfied smirk spreading across his face as he placed his hands on his hips, admiring his handiwork.
He turned to the table, picked up the AC remote, and adjusted the temperature to a chilling 15°C, the air growing colder, mirroring the ice in his eyes.I began to shiver violently, my teeth chattering uncontrollably as the icy air enveloped me.
"Stop it, please... I'm freezing," I stammered, my voice trembling with cold and fear.
But my words were met with indifference. I felt my body give way, and I crumpled to the ground from the chair he placed me on, my head striking the hard floor with a sickening thud. The impact sent a fresh wave of pain coursing through my already throbbing skull. Vincenzo's face twisted in anger as he yanked me to my feet, his grip rough and unyielding.
"Why are you so reckless?" he thundered, his voice booming off the walls as he seized me by the arms, his grip like a vice.
He shook me violently, my head snapping back and forth like a rag doll, my teeth rattling in my skull. My brain reeled from the force of his grasp, my vision blurring at the edges. I felt like a puppet on a string, helpless and at his mercy.
My thoughts were consumed by regrets, wondering why I had even taken on this mission, but they were abruptly interrupted when Vincenzo released his grip on me. I swayed unsteadily, my legs buckling beneath me like a fragile twig. The cold seeped into my bones, and the pain in my thighs reignited, making it impossible for me to stand upright.
I stumbled, my body crying out in protest, and fell to the ground, my knees cracking against the hard floor. I struggled to rise again, my muscles screaming in agony, but my legs refused to cooperate, leaving me crumpled and helpless.
Vincenzo sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on my battered form as I struggled to rise from the floor. My body was a map of bruises and scars, my muscles trembling with exhaustion. He gazed at me with a mixture of curiosity and contempt, his expression unreadable. I felt like a broken doll, my limbs fragile and unstable, as I tried to summon the strength to stand. My eyes met his, and for a moment, we locked gazes, the air thick with tension. I saw a flicker of something in his eyes, but it vanished before I could decipher it. He looked away, his jaw clenched, as I finally managed to haul myself to my feet, my legs shaking beneath me only to fall again.
"Please, just stop this," I begged, my voice cracking as tears streamed down my face.
The words were a struggle to form, my body screaming in agony, my muscles trembling with cold. Vincenzo's expression twisted in mockery, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Aww, how pitiful," he cooed, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
"Look at the tough little kitten, learning to be polite," he sneered, his voice heavy with condescension.
He rose from the bed, his movements fluid and menacing, like a predator unfolding from a crouch. He began to loosen his black tie, the silk sliding smoothly through his fingers as he pulled it free from his collar. His eyes never left mine, his gaze holding me captive as he unbuttoned his waistcoat, the fabric parting to reveal a black shirt beneath. He flung the waistcoat to one side of the room, the gesture dismissive and imperious. Then, his fingers moved to the sleeves of his black shirt, unbuttoning the cuffs with a deliberate slowness. He folded the sleeves back,
his forearms rippling with muscle as he did so.
"Don't…"