Page 24 of Sweet Misery

Massimo was right. It truly was Hell, and I didn’t want to be another statistic here. Eventually, I’d earn my freedom. I’d make my father pay for this the moment I broke free from here. I just had to survive first. It was my end game.

My stomach rumbled with hunger.The monsters holding me didn’t seem to care if I needed a shower, food, or water. They’d bring me in random soups and sandwiches, but it wasn’t often or enough. I laid in my bed, feeling sorry for myself, running my finger along a flower design intricately carved into the mahogany headboard.

Flowers seemed out of place in this madness.

I sniffled and wiped at the fallen tears on my cheeks. Being so lost in my pity party, I hadn’t heard anyone come into the room until a soft touch landed on my shoulder.

I jumped at the warmth and rolled over to see one of the twins. Renzo or Roman. I wasn’t sure which. Nothing helped to distinguish them. In the big scheme of things, it didn’t matter. They were both a nightmare.

“You didn’t greet me,” he said in a calm, deep voice.

I swallowed hard, not wanting to be hurt again, and slid off the bed, taking my sheet with me and looked up at him from my knees. If I had to do this, I was going to make it as painless as possible. Maybe they’d eventually take pity on me and release me. I doubted it, but at some point, something had to give so I could get the hell out of here.

I was used to falling in line anyway. This was no different. This time, my life depended on it.

“Look at you, little snowflake,” he mused, tilting his head and smiling at me, a lock of his black hair fell across his forehead. “Such a good girl remembering to get on her knees for me.” He reached out and cradled my face.

I exhaled a shaky breath and kept my focus on his designer leather shoes. They probably cost more than my entire wardrobe back home combined.

“Eyes on me,” he murmured, his warm hand still on my face.

I lifted my gaze and stared up at him.

“There we go. Such a pretty little thing. So delicate. So… innocent. You’re a heartbreaker, aren’t you, snowflake?”

I swallowed. “I’m just me.”

He smiled at that. “Just me.Well, you’ve pleased me, so I think you should be rewarded. Do you want a reward?”

I wasn’t sure if it were a rhetorical question so I went back to looking at the floor.

“Little snowflake, answer me,” he urged softly, running his thumb in gentle circles on my jaw as he continued to cradle my face.

“If it would please you,” I whispered.

He chuckled at my words. “If it would please me.Tell me which twin I am and I’ll give you another reward. If you fail, I’ll punish you.”

I trembled. I had no idea which one he was, but I had a fifty/fifty shot.

“R-Renzo?” I rasped.

He let out another soft laugh. “Incorrect, but that’s OK. I like a little pain with pleasure. Come.” He held his hand out to me. I stared at it for a moment before I slid my palm against his. He brought me to my feet and smiled down at me.

He was quite handsome. And deadly. I could tell just how volatile and wicked he was in just his smile alone.

He led me out of the bedroom in nothing but my sheet which I clutched around me with my free hand. When we didn’t pass anyone in the hall, I breathed out a sigh of relief. We stopped outside a door and he opened it, allowing me to go in first.

The room was elaborate with a table ladened with food, a living room space, a massive bed, an ensuite bathroom, and a balcony overlooking a field of wildflowers that met a lake in the distance. A dark woods lie just beyond the lake. I was going to make it a point to get out of here through that balcony. I could make it to that woods and run.

It was as good a plan as any.

“I have food for us. I thought you might like to have dinner with me.” He led me to a chair, his words surprising me. The brothers always just left the food without much fanfare. He pulled my seat out and I sat, feeling self-conscious in my sheet with the dried blood and come on it.

He settled across from me, dressed in a black button down shirt and black pants. His blue-gray eyes locked on me.

In another life, I’d have swooned someone like him was even looking in my direction. This wasn’t that life. In this life, I had toescape from the monster I was sure would enjoy the chase. I just couldn’t let him catch me.

“Are you making a fashion statement?” he asked, eyeing my white sheet. “You’ve been wearing it for nearly two weeks.”

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