Page 3 of Velvet Chains

Her eyes were now as wide as golf balls and looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. I could see that she was scared and it almost made me smile; what had happened to the confident woman from a minute ago? It was then that I noticed that her eyes were not just hazel brown, they also had emerald green specs in them.

“You’re coming with me,” I whispered, pulling her close and taking in more of her scent. She smelled like roses with a hint of chocolate, and it was slowly becoming addictive.

“One wrong move and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

I could tell that she understood the gravity of the situation then.

“Walk,” I said, holding her tighter. I made sure there was enough force in my voice that she would take me seriously.

I ignored the looks of people around me and continued to move towards the entrance. I couldn’t tell what they were thinking, but I knew that my face and my demeanor was keeping them at bay. They dared not approach. When we got there, I signaled to my driver to bring the car closer. He nodded and moved the car in front of us.

“Where…?” she started to ask, but a look from me shut her up immediately. She was practically shaking, but I didn’t care. If she was really my enemy, she deserved what was coming to her.

My driver stepped out and opened the back door for me to enter. I kept ignoring the inquisitive looks of those around me and shoved her into the back of the car.

“Get in,” I said. She seemed like she was about to resist, so I pushed her harder until she was fully seated. I couldn’t afford for her to make a scene in a place that was as crowded as the airport, it would not end well.

I didn’t need to tell my driver what to do, because as soon as the door closed, he sped off, away from the airport, leaving the bustling terminal behind. I didn’t take my eyes off her for a second. I had a feeling that if I let my guard down, she would do something stupid. I watched her, waiting for her to make a move, but she didn’t; she just sat there, looking like a deer caught in headlights. I kept the gun trained on her still, unwilling to give her any chance; who knew what she was capable of. I no longer had to hide it, so I lifted it a little bit higher, directly above her chest.

All of a sudden, she started breathing heavily, casing the gun to move up and down. She was looking around frantically, as if she suddenly realized how much danger she was in.

“Keep quiet and behave,” I said, lifting the gun so that it was now pointed at her head. She calmed down instantly, raising her hands a little as if trying to tell me that she was up to nothing. I let my grip on the gun relax, not because I trusted her, but because I knew that I could overpower her if she tried anything. The car was now very silent, the tension so thick that it was palpable. I cleared my throat and began to speak.

“We are heading to my estate. There, we will have a little chat about your involvement in all of this.”

She said nothing, she just continued to stare into the distance. She was now gripping her thighs. I could tell that she was scared. Even though she was scared, she clenched her jaw, staring stubbornly ahead.

I suddenly became curious about her. Who exactly was she? If she had been sent to spy on me, at this point she probably would have started begging for her life and spilling the secrets of the master that sent her, but instead she was quiet. She said nothing, she didn’t even look at me. She looked scared and stubborn at the same time. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of her.

She then turned to look out the window, gazing at the sights around us. It was like she was looking at everything except me. I shrugged, thinking that it was probably because I was her captor.

I looked outside and saw that the sun was already setting over Palermo. Though it was beautiful, it meant I had to hurry and get to the bottom of the situation that I found myself in.

Her eyes were now darting nervously around, I just watched her. It was good that she was nervous, that was more of a normal reaction than her staring straight ahead. She was probably reacting that way because of the opulent gate we were driving into.

The estate, a sprawling villa nestled among the trees sat ominously at the top of a hill. I glanced at her and I could see that she was still looking around nervously. Her face was now pale, and her knuckles white as she gripped her seat.

The tall gates were open, revealing meticulously maintained gardens and the imposing mansion that served as the Caruso family's stronghold.

“Out,” I ordered, as soon as the car came to a stop.

She hesitated for a moment before she finally stepped out. She took one hesitant step after the other before she stood, looking around her in awe and a little bit of apprehensiveness.

I quickly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards the entrance. She got the message and started to move, matching my steps. Soon we passed the foyer and went up the staircase. I could tell that she was trying to hide her emotions, I could tell that the house was very impressive to her. I had lived there all my life so I was no longer moved by the grandeur of the mansion.

Soon, we reached the guest room and I dragged her to the bed, waiting for her to snap out of whatever she was feeling.

“You will stay here,” I said, in a calm tone. I wanted her to understand that I was serious, “Don’t even try to escape,” I said, looking straight at her.

I could see a flash of defiance in her eyes, but I ignored it. She would realize soon enough that there was no escape. Even if she tried to run, she wouldn’t get far. The room was far too high for her to use the window, and if she ran, one of my staff members would shoot her before even letting me know, because that was just standard practice, and they were always watching.

I closed the door behind me and locked it. I waited a moment, knowing I would hear her try to open it. When she did, I almost laughed, then I shook my head and left. She just doesn’t listen.

“Pietro!” I called, putting as much volume behind my voice as I could. I knew he was around the house, and I needed him now.

He appeared soon enough, with an eyebrow raised, as if asking me what I needed. Pietro and I had always been different. He was a calmer, more relaxed version of me, but that didn’t mean that he was any less dangerous. We had received the same training, we had had to, for our survival. Even now, he was wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt with sunglasses while I was in a dress shirt, pants and dress shoes. He was my second in command, the one I asked to do almost everything when I wasn’t available. I trusted my brother with my life.

“Take the suitcase to the buyer,” I said, giving him the box, “make sure everything goes smoothly.” Pietro already knew about the suitcase so I didn’t need to explain too much. He also understood how important the suitcase was and why it had to get to the buyer. Pietro nodded, not needing an explanation.

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