Amelia stood at the counter, her hands shaking slightly as she clasped the warm mug of tea to her chest. The kitchen was dark-the only chill came from the overhead bulb, casting a soft glow across the countertops. Supposedly, she was to find comfort in this silence. Yet, there was nothing peaceful about this. Her mind seemed to be in chaos; every thought was overshadowed by one haunting reality-she just couldn't stay here anymore.
The words of the members of the gang kept on ringing in her head as each said more alarming than the other. Enzo was unsafe. She knew that from the first day, but the truth never stood before her so openly and brazenly. They were right-mercyless he was, and the life she herself found herself entangled with was a nightmarish asphyxiating one. The idea of staying here, of continuing living under Enzo's rule, made her stomach churn. This was something she wanted to be away from-without any chance of escaping his grip.
Her mind trailed back to the words Lily had said. Her mocking tone echoed in her ears: "Having fun with our master?" That was a strange thing to say. Lily seemed to know Enzo in a way Amelia did not, and she'd been here quite some time. Amelia just didn't know what to make of it, but something just didn't sit right with her.
She could still feel the weight of Enzo's presence, as though his eyes watched her every move when he was gone. It was enough that the thought of him consumed her: the cold touch of his hands, the dominance that had intrigued her. No matter how many times she'd told herself that leaving was the best choice, some twisted part of her was scared to let go.
Her hands, having set the mug down on the table now went to rub over them, cold suddenly, and she smiled faintly at the gesture. She'd made up her mind. She couldn't live like this anymore, always on standby, not ever sure which day would bring what from Enzo. The dark thrill that ran through her veins once - pumping life and getting her heart beating wildly inside her chest - now promised to smother her, like a little bird locked in its cage.
At that moment, it was decided. She couldn't stay here. Consequences be damned, she needed to leave. But just as soon as she decided that, the door to the kitchen swung open.
Amelia's breath caught in her throat. She froze.
Enzo.
He came into the room with the same commanding presence, his gaze cold and unbending, his movements smooth and calculated. It was enough to make her tummy somersault just because of the way he stared at her. His eyes had darkened as they then latched onto hers, and for that instant, the entire room did shrink around them. Amelia hastily averted her gaze to regain her composure, but the unease was palpable.
This time, she was trapped inside like a mouse caught in some trap from which she could not escape. This time, she knew she could not. She could not let him have her any more.
"Ammelia," Enzo's voice broke the silence, low and smooth and made her shiver along her backbone. "What are you doing in here alone?
His tone was deceptively calm, but beneath that calmness lay a dangerous undercurrent. Amelia swallowed hard, fighting the urge to back away as he stepped closer and covered her with his suffocating presence.
"I. I've been thinking," she said, her voice shaking barely. She clenched her fists to steady herself, trying desperately to hold on to her fragile, gathered courage. "I can't stay here anymore."
One of Enzo's eyebrows arched, and his lips curled into a slight, knowing smile. The kind of smile that ran her blood cold. "What's this? You're trying to leave, Amelia?"
Her heart stuttered as her eyes met his, the resolve slipping a little. But no. She couldn't back down now.
I want out. I can no longer work for you, Enzo." She spoke with determination, though her voice cracked a bit. "I am not meant for this life. It is too deadly. too much."
A soft laugh escaped his lips, the sound darkest of dark. "You think you can just quit?" His eyes darkened, taking a step closer to her, so large, looming over her, overwhelming with his sheer presence. "You think you can just walk away after everything I've given you? After everything you've seen?
Amelia's breath caught in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, words abandoning her like the worst kind of traitor. Her heart drummed loudly in her ears as her body was paralyzed by the brute strength of his presence.
"Do you really think that I will just let you quit?" Enzo continued, his voice husky with a dangerous undertone. "You are mine now, Amelia. I do not let things go that easily.
His eyes grew even darker as he closed the distance between them, his eyes locked so fiercely into hers that she felt her heart racing. He reached out; with his fingers softly touching the skin of her cheek, his touch shot electricity down her skin.
Her body tensed instinctively at his touch; she could have screamed in her mind to pull away, but she didn't. Couldn't. She felt trapped, a puppet caught in some web of his domination, with no option but to remain helplessly within his grasp.
You're not going anywhere," Enzo whispered, his lips just inches from her ear. "Not unless I say so."
Amelia tried to step back, but his grip only tightened as his hand found her wrist with a strength impossible to break. "No," she said, her voice soft yet desperate. "Please, Enzo, I cannot do this anymore. I am nothing like the others.
His lips curled into a dark smile; his fingers slid down her wrist to her hand. "You think you're different?" he murmured. "You think I'll just let you walk away? You're mine now, Amelia. And there's nothing you can do about it.
Her heart was racing in her chest, the tension between them suffocating. She tried again to pull away, but Enzo's grip was unyielding. He was holding her tight, not letting her get away from him-a presence dominating every inch of the room.
"Don't make me laugh," Enzo said icily. "You think you can quit? You think I will just let you go? You belong to me now, and you will stay with me whether you like it or not."
His eyes gleamed bright with intensity, sending her shivers down her spine. There was no escaping him. He had marked his territory-body and soul.
"I'm not going to make it easy on you, Amelia," Enzo whispered while his lips brushed her ear and his fingers closed tighter around her wrist. "You're going to learn something from me. I always do get what I want. And right now, I want you."
Amelia's breath caught in her throat as his words sank in. The world seemed to close in around her, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All she could be aware of was Enzo, his grip on her, his presence consuming her.
"I want you, Amelia," Enzo said again, and his voice was dark with something that hit her ears but didn't quite have a name. "And you'll stay with me. Whether you want to or not.
Amelia's mind was racing, while panic rose higher in her chest. She had chosen to leave, to escape this life, but it seemed now there was no way out. Enzo had her cornered, literally in a cage he himself made, and she didn't know how to get out of it.
But no matter how hard she fought, no matter how much she wished to be free, the truth was as clear as day. Enzo wasn't going to let her go. And that knowledge made her stomach drop.
She was trapped.