XVII. Where Am I?
. . . . .
Groaning, I slowly opened my eyelids. My head was pounding loudly, aching intensely. "Urgh. . ."
I sat up slowly from what appeared to be a bed, cradling my nape with my right hand, gently massaging it in a circular motion. 'What even happened. . .' I thought as I tried to recall what had happened. "I was invited to dinner by Zephyr. . . He left me. . . Haah—. . . I then went to a park. . ." I trailed off as realization suddenly hit me.
Someone kidnapped me.
However, as I took notice of my surroundings, I realized I wasn't bound in any way. I was lying down on a soft mattress, the fabric cool against my skin. The room was dimly lit, with shadows dancing along the walls.
I sat up slowly, taking in the details around me. The walls were adorned with dark wood paneling, and a small window let in a sliver of light that illuminated the dust motes floating in the air. A dresser stood against one wall, and a chair sat in the corner, but there was no sign of anyone else.
I can only sit on the bed in wonder. 'Where am I?' I'm unable to look through the dimly lit room. Squinting my eyes in the process to see anything in the dark room. To no avail.
The sound of blunt footsteps can be heard, and I had to check if I still have my gun intact on my thigh.
However, there's none.
My gun is gone.
I realize as fear gradually emerged. Making me quiver for what's about to come. 'I'm in an unknown place with no weapon. Combat fighting is not an option if I'm in this state.' Referring to how exhausted I am.
I rose from the bed as it emitted a small creaking noise. I grabbed the lamp on top of the nightstand and tiptoed my way towards the door of the room where light was able to make its way through the holes of the door.
I waited patiently.
And creak. The door opened.
I immediately lunged forward to slam the lamp at whoever the man who walked in was.
Unfortunately, my attack was easily subdued, and the person immediately twisted my hands at my back, making me let go of the small lamp at hand. Groaning in pain, I yelled "Let go!!"
However, without uttering a word, the man forced me to step forward and he closed the door shut behind us. He didn't lock it as I didn't hear a click.
He dragged me toward the bed, the sudden force of his grip catching me off guard. Before I could react, he pushed me onto the soft mattress, the impact leaving me momentarily stunned. My heart raced as I scrambled to sit up, confusion and fear coursing through my veins.
"Fuck off! Who are you?!" I growled, my voice laced with anger and confusion. I sat up quickly, turning to look at him, and to my surprise, I stammered, "H-huh, Dakari?"
Him?. . .
He was now sitting on a chair near the bed, his posture relaxed but his expression dark. "Did you have a great time with Zephyr?" he asked, his tone laden with displeasure.
I narrowed my eyes and snarled, "What's it to you if I did?!" The frustration boiled within me, fueled by the absurdity of the situation. Being kidnapped by him at the end of dinner was not part of the plan.
"Why am I here?! Bring me back to the manor right this instant!" My voice rang out with a mixture of anger and desperation, demanding answers that I feared he might not provide.
"I believe I cannot do that." Dakari replied, his voice steady yet tinged with an underlying tension.
"Why not?!"
"I told you, you're mine." Dakari said, his voice low and filled with an unsettling intensity. I could hear him chuckling softly, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "I can't have you marrying another man that is not me."
"You've got to be kidding me." I groaned. "What do you want?"
Dakari lit up a cigar and placed it on his lips. The smoke curled around him as he spoke, his tone dark and filled with possessiveness. "Break off the engagement with Zephyr Caspian and become my wife."
I scrunched my nose at the acrid smell of the cigar smoke that hung in the air, making it hard to think clearly. "That is something I won't do." I said with certainty in my voice.
"Is that so?" He only muttered darkly.
I narrowed my eyes. "Do you think father will be delighted knowing that you kidnapped me?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Again, he laughed, but this time it was much more boisterous, echoing off the walls and making me look at him incredulously. "You don't know your own father that well, do you?" he mused, a smirk playing on his lips.
"I know him better than you'll ever will." I spat, my voice sharp.
He hummed, unconvinced. "Poor girl, you truly are deluded."
I bit my lower lip in anxiousness and frustration. 'What does he even mean by that? I'm confident I know quite a lot already. It may not be all, but I already heard the important details from my father and that's what matters.' Clenching my hands together, I asked him, "What do you mean by that, Dakari?"
Dakari leaned back slightly, a bemused expression crossing his face. "You think you know everything about your father and his plans?" he replied, his tone dripping with skepticism. "You're only scratching the surface, darling."
"What are you talking about?" I shot back, irritation flaring within me as I glared at him. "I've heard enough to understand the situation."
"He kept you in the dark about a lot of things and he intends to keep it that way. And, Silvestre won't even bat an eye if you're kidnapped by me, he's a coward, Lucrezia." Was his only nonchalant response. "Quite simple as that. Isn't it, darling?"
With my eyes widening, I felt a surge of anger at his words. I understand that my father cares for me deeply, and I know he would be furious if he found out I was missing. "You're mistaken, Dakari." I said firmly, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling within me.
He just scoffed and grinned at his sit. "Let's test that out, shall we?" He pulled out his phone and held it up to show me the phone number he dialed.
It was indeed his.
My breath hitched at that. Worry slowly made its way to my mind. 'What if he was being truthful that my father doesn't care?' The thought sent a chill down my spine. No. No. It can't be.
Ring ring.
The phone rang for a minute before it was picked up. Dakari pressed the speaker on. It was loud enough for me to hear.
"Hello?"
"Silvestre."
"Dakari? Is there anything you want to inquire about?"
I confirmed that it is indeed father's voice on the other line. I can only listen in silence as I gulped.
"I have your daughter." Dakari said into the phone, his voice calm and measured.
I looked at him with narrowed eyes. 'Getting straight to the point already? Is he just like this?'
". . ."
Dakari merely smirked at the silence on the other end of the line. "Your precious daughter is with me, Silvestre." He stated, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement. I narrowed my gaze, glaring at him intently as he spoke. "I expect you to be there when she walks down the aisle, Silvestre. Won't you give us your blessing?"
The audacity of his words sent a surge of anger through me as I scoffed. "Dakari, I will never marry you. Fuck off!" I snarled furiously, rising from the bed and storming towards him.
"Is that so, darling?"
I tried to snatch the phone from his hand, but he deftly avoided my grasp. Catching me off-guard, he seized my waist and pulled me onto his lap, straddling him.
"What the hell? Let go!" I demanded, but his grip only tightened, causing me to hiss in discomfort.
"Stay still, darling." Dakari said, his voice smooth and almost teasing as he tightened his grip around my waist.
"Don't call me that!" I snapped, trying to twist away from him, but he held me firmly in place.
"Why not? It suits you." he replied with a smirk, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're fiery, passionate and. . . sweet. Aren't you, darling? Or should I call you sweetheart?"
"Let go of me!" I demanded again, my voice rising in intensity. "You can't just hold me against my will and expect me to listen to you."
Dakari leaned closer, his breath warm against my skin. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Lucrezia. I'm trying to make you see that there's more to this than what your father wants. You have choices— options you haven't even considered."
My eyes narrowed as I started to squirm, trying to break free from Dakari's grip. Glancing at the phone, I realized it was still on the line.
"Father! Help me! This jerk kidnapped me!" I shouted, but Dakari only chuckled, pulling me even closer to him, making me hiss.
He was just looking at me with those ocean blue eyes. Watching my expression as I struggled and ask my father for help.
". . ." The other line remained silent for a minute before father said something that made my blood boil even further. "Lucrezia, there's nothing I can do." My eyes widened as I stopped flailing and squirming in Dakari's hold.
What. . .
Surprise washed over me first, quickly followed by sadness. I felt a surge of anger and betrayal wash over me as my father's words slowly sank in. "What do you mean there's nothing you can do?!" I snarled. "Answer me!"
I glared down at Dakari as his blue eyes were transfixed in mine. A lopsided smirk was still on display, as if he was thoroughly enjoying the chaos he had created.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The phone call immediately ended with a beeping sound, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
I grasped Dakari's collar tightly, desperation flooding my voice. "What do you really want? Can't you just let me go? Let me be!" My face reflected a mix of anger and sadness from the recent betrayal. "Please. . . just let me go, Dakari. Stop this madness and let me return home." I pleaded, lowering my head as my hands trembled.
His grip on my waist remained unyielding as he watched me in silence. I could feel the warmth of his body against mine, but it did little to comfort me. Tears slowly welled in my eyes, blurring my vision and spilling over to stream down my cheeks. "Hic hic. . . P-please stop, Dakari." I stammered, my voice trembling as I fought to keep my composure. "Whatever games you're playing, it's not funny. . ."
I watched as his right hand set the phone down and moved to my face, gently wiping away my tears. "Shh. . . It's going to be okay. You'll be much more happier in my care." He said softly, his voice a mix of coaxing and commanding. "Give yourself to me, Lucrezia. Become my wife."
I glared at him.
How dare he. . . The audacity of this man.
"Fuck off! This is all because of you! None of this would've happened if you just kept to yourself!" My voice was fierce, but the tremor in it betrayed the fear and frustration that coursed through me. Once again, I began to struggle to get away, twisting and turning in his grip. "This is all your fault, you devil!" I snapped, throwing weak punches at his chest. My fists landed against his solid form, but he barely flinched, only tightening his hold on me.
"Stop it, Lucrezia." he said, his voice low and steady, almost amused by my futile attempts to break free. "You're only making this harder on yourself. If you keep that up, your hands will throb. We don't want that, now do we?"
"Harder? You think this is hard?" I shot back. "You have no idea what hard is! This is a nightmare!"
I heard him sigh as he stood up, his arms supporting my weight, which caused me to cling to him in surprise and from the fear of falling.
The sudden shift in position startled me, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck.
He didn't say anything, instead, he focused on carefully setting me down on the bed.
As he released me, I scrambled to sit up, keeping a wary distance between us.
What the fuck?
"Rest, my dear." Dakari simply said.
"Stop calling me that, you jerk!" I snapped, my voice sharp.
He brought my hand near to his lips and kissed the back gently, sending a shiver down my spine. "Rest, Lucrezia. You still need to call off your wedding with that man." he muttered darkly, his tone shifting from tender to serious in an instant.
I pulled my hand away hastily. "Don't tell me what to do. I won't call off my wedding with Zephyr." I declared firmly, my voice steady.
He stared at me impassively. "You have no choice, Lucrezia." he stated as if it was a matter of fact. His right hand grasped my chin gently, tilting my face up to meet his gaze as he leaned down. "You were destined to be with me from the moment you were born into this world. Your father can confirm that and as you said lately, you already know about the contract between the two families. We're only doing the part of the contract. Fulfilling our part as pawns in their game."
"I don't believe in destiny." I retorted as I glared at him fiercely. "Your own father knows I am betrothed to another. He chose to ignore the oath so Zephyr and I can marry. You have no reason to be so riled up about this."
"Is that so?" he muttered darkly, his voice low. His blue orbs raged with anger, brewing beneath the surface despite the calm facade he tried to maintain.
"Yes. Ask him yourself."
He hummed. "The old man is the problem here, isn't he?" He asked with a dark promise underlying his tone. "I will kill him. I'll take over him as the family head and we will proceed with our marriage, as planned."
My heart dropped, a mix of shock and horror flooded my senses. I shuddered as my blood run cold at his words. "W-what?"
'Now, what the fuck is this man yapping about.' He can't be serious about that. . . He has truly gone insane.
"I'll kill my father, for you. For us." I felt a chill run down my spine as he grinned, his right hand still caressing my face.
"No!" I gasped, pulling away from him instinctively. "You can't mean that! It's your own father, how can you ever think of that?!"
Dakari's smile widened, but there was a feral glint in his blue eyes that sent shivers of dread coursing through me.
He reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear, holding it ever so gently. "The agreement made by our family will be fulfilled, just how it is supposed to be, Lucrezia." he murmured, his voice low and hypnotic.
With trembling hands, I pushed away his hand. "G-get away from me—. . ." I stammered as I pulled myself back. "You're insane. This is pure madness, Dakari."
His keen eyes only tracked my every movement, like a predator assessing its prey.
With a weary sigh, he spoke in a soft tone. The sudden shift of demeanor left me stunned in place. "I want you to rest now. Sleep well, darling."
The endearment felt like a mockery in the context of our conversation, and I recoiled slightly at the sound of it. Only realizing just now that he has been calling me that way again. "I'm not your darling." I shot back.
But he merely smiled, that infuriatingly calm smile that always made my blood boil.
He turned to leave, and I felt a surge of relief wash over me, only to be quickly replaced by dread as he approached the door. The sound of the lock clicking into place echoed ominously.
I remained stunned in place as my eyes stayed fixed on the closed door where he once stood.
"T-this c-can't be happening. . ." I muttered to myself. 'This must be a morbid dream. Dark and twisted. This isn't real. This isn't real.'
I repeated to chant in my head.
"This can't be real. . ."
No way my own father abandoned me just like that. Did he really just do that? How am I going to escape from here if he, himself, can't do anything about it.
I don't want to stay here.
I refuse to stay here.
I bit my lip in anxiety, the familiar sting of pain as I licked my lower lips, tasting the blood.
". . ." Pulling the blanket tightly around me, I sought refuge beneath its warmth, as if it could shield me from the harsh realities I now faced.
Tears began to swell in my eyes once more, spilling over onto my cheeks. The pain of my father's abandonment, the fear of Dakari's twisted plans, and the uncertainty of my future all converged in a torrent of anguish.
I cried throughout the night, my sobs muffled by the fabric of the blanket. The tears flowed freely as exhaustion slowly crept in.
I then drifted off to sleep. Finally succumbing to the need of rest.