Page 9 of Blood and Beauty (Owned by The Don)

Jackpot.

I grab a couple of soaps and notice that they are unopened. Maybe he holds many women captive and this last one didn't last long enough for a shower. I smack myself inwardly for the thought and sigh.

Just shower and search the medicine cabinet for sleeping pills, he obviously has sedatives.

I set my clothes down on the table next to the bidet, yes,bidetand I quickly strip out of my sweaty smelling clothes. My long, brown hair catches on my bra and I yelp. It’s in desperate need of brushing.

Once in the showers, I turn on the knobs and sigh as soon as the warm jets come to life. I sit on the marble bench inside and fold my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms tightly around my wet legs and resting my chin on my knees.

I can't tell if I should scream, cry or sleep right here in the steamy water. Here I was sitting in my dream bathroom under the most terrifying premise known to man. In a way, I've been held against my will my entire life. But I knew it would change as soon as I turned eighteen. I knew at some point in my adulthood, I'd have a way out. I just didn't know as soon as I found that way out I'd wind up right back where I started, only worse because there's no way out of here.

I grab the soap bottles and begin to massage the shampoo into my sore scalp. The smell invades my nostrils and I sigh in content. It's a mixture of vanilla and lavender and I am instantly calmed by it. It reminds me of a body soap I've used since high school. Soothing and familiar.

Once I rinse and apply conditioner, I begin to scrub my body. There are a few bruises on my arm, light purple marking my tan skin. I pay no mind to those because my wrists are what makes my stomach begin to turn. They are red and near welting, the skin looks angry and inflamed and I want to smack the person who caused this.

I feel like an animal almost, like a caged bird, smacking and squawking against its bars for a way out. I gently massage my wrists and calm my quivering lip, willing back the sudden tears and sadness that rushes forth.

My whole life I've just been trying to survive, do whatever it takes to make it through the next level hardship to get that much closer to peace. All I've ever wanted was peace, yet all I've ever received was the constant mess that my mother had made for me to clean up.

I guess you could say it's almost ironic that now she's here, cleaning up the mess of one of the most monstrous men in the world. It is her karma and her rightful punishment, but like always, I am her second skin that accompanies her downfall. Her biological shadow comes in the form of her keeper, her own maid, me.

I rinse the soap from my body and my hair and turn off the jets, immediately missing the massaging warmth that kissed my tight skin. I am exhausted and nearly to the point of passing out here in the shower, more than likely due to the sedatives that I was given and not so much the stress that I've endured. I wish that I hadn't made it easy for them by passing out of my own accord, so that I could at least be aware of how they drugged me to keep me knocked out.

I grab a towel from the rack near the shower and pat myself dry before I dress. Once I am clothed, I make my way towards the large mirror and wipe away the steam. I catch the reflection in the mirror and take in the bagginess beneath my eyes, the purple puffiness revealing the evidence of my pure exhaustion.

I grab a brush from the counter and run it through my hair quickly, biting my lip as I yank the knots out from my long, wet strands. I rummage through the drawers beneath the countertops and search for hopefully an unused toothbrush, and to my pleasure I find one with an unopened box of toothpaste to match.

Once I'm done brushing and lathering my teeth, I swish some water around to rinse it out and look up in the mirror once more before gasping and dropping the toothbrush, splattering foamy toothpaste all over my clean shirt.

In the doorway stands Dante, looking dark and menacing as usual. His eyes rake me from head to toe and the expression is unreadable, but it makes me immediately uncomfortable. I spin around and lock eyes with him, trying to mask my sudden shock as best as possible. His ego is large, and I want to do my best not to feed it.

"I see that you've made use of your new amenities. I trust that they've made you more comfortable?"

I noticed that his accent sounds thicker right now, dark and gravelly and dangerous.

I switch weight on the balls of my feet and look down at the ground, doing my best to ignore him and hoping that if I do it enough, he'll leave. Much to my dismay, he stands in the doorway still looking as cocky as ever.

After several minutes of silence, I decide to speak.

"Yes, thank youMaster, but it seems that I'm not really in the mood for small talk right now. If you don't mind, I'll be going to bed."

I make my way to the doorway and stop, eyeing him, hoping he will move out of the way. Instead, he stands there and crosses his arms, leaning a broad shoulder up against the doorway, still staring at me raptly.

I allow myself to look at him more thoroughly. His eyes hold no emotion, but their color almost leaves me in a trance. I've never seen a pair of eyes like this on a human before, they look like they belong to an animal. Which I guess in a way, they do.

He eyes me up and down, moving slowly over my face and finally stopping on my breasts. I am immediately aware that my nipples are poking through my sports bra, and I cover my arms over my chest to block his view. I want to be disgusted, yet once again, that familiar fluttering begins in the pit of my stomach. He smirks at my sudden movement and backs away, leaving a small bit of room for me to pass through. I take his invitation and march into the bedroom, dying for space.

"I'm not your enemy here, Esmer-"

"It's fucking EMMIE!" I shout suddenly, infuriated with the use of my full name and this entire situation that he and my mother have put me in. I'm tired and sore and frankly, over the bullshit.

He looks taken back for a small second, but then once again, regains his normal and cool composure which makes me want to slap him even more.

"I'll allow that outburst just this once,Emmie,as I know it's been a little confusing for you these last few hours."

"You think? I've come home one time in months to get a simple signature from that woman and it's led me to being held hostage by a fucking drug lord! Confusing? No. Pissed off, yes. I'm infuriated right now, Dante. I've worked my ass off to leave my abusive childhood and once I'm finally just one signature away from leaving that woman for good, you take me away from any chance I had at peace. You both have successfully robbed me of any sort of future for myself!" I rub my hands over my face, frustrated that I've bared my emotions to this monster, this dark man who could give a fuck less about anything that I have to say.

I sigh and look up, holding his stare once more.

---