The smell of chicken and balsamic glaze fills the hallway as I tip-toe out of the room. Curiosity, as usual, grips me, leading me down to the kitchen. There my eyes stare at the man I had touched a few nights ago... the man who I'd willingly let touch me in ways no one had ever done before.

He knows how to cook? I step deeper into the kitchen. My hands are behind my back as my gaze drifts over his body, down to where I'd touched him but hadn't seen. He's practically naked and he looks so comfortable...

"What do you want?" he asks, his voice laced with annoyance.

My attention snaps up to the back of his head. "It smells good. I was wondering who was cooking so late."

"Then why are you staring at my body instead of the stove?" He still keeps his back to me.

"It's distracting." I move closer to him, peering over his arm. "You know how to cook?"

"You should go back to bed, Aria..." he mutters before taking a bottle of wine from the counter and drinking half of it. He settles it back down with the other three empty bottles. "I suggest you leave before you end up seeing a lot more than you want to. And I'm not talking about my body." He peers over glancing down at me. "Understood?"

No, I don't and yet, I move just a bit further away and lean my back against the kitchen island. "Can I have some of the food you're cooking?"

He's quiet for a few seconds before he smirks. "Are you just trying to buy more time with me?"

"I could smell it all the way from my room and it made me hungry, but I wouldn't mind more time with you. You've been drinking." I glance at the wine bottle in his hand. "Rough day?"

"Let's just say some bad deals and bad choices are coming back to bite my ass."

"Like what? Maybe you can turn them around."

He laughs. "As if I would consider speaking about serious deals with someone as naive as you."

"They can't be that serious if they were bad choices." I counter his belittlement. "I thought you were smart."

"I am now. When I was younger is another story. Plus, the family inheritances." He glances back at the pan in front of him."Get a plate. First cupboard to the left of you..."

"So the bad deals happened when you were younger?" I ask moving near him and grabbing the two plates as he asked. I hold them out to him, still waiting for his response.

"I'd rather not talk of my past mistakes." He hands me the plate of food and takes the empty one. "Now eat, before I change my mind."

"How can you fix them so they don't bite you in the ass if you don't acknowledge them?" I ask as I walk over to the kitchen island and grab a fork from the utensil holder. I take a bite, letting the flavors burst along my tastebuds. "Oh wow. Did you make this from scratch?"

"No, I bought it." He scoffs. "Of course, I made it from scratch. Just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I can't cook."

"That wasn't my assumption. You can be a man and cook. But you've told me before to have a maid cook for me so I thought you didn't cook for yourself."

"I don't, usually. But tonight was an exception due to my lack of self-control that got me into this fucking mess." He looks at the bottles of wine. "I have to do what I have to do when I fuck up."

Sergio takes his plate and the bottle of wine, settling them both down next to me. "Would you like to taste?"

I smile, wrapping my hands around the bottle, mainly for his own safety. "Is this all you want me to taste? Your food and your wine?"

"If you want to taste my dick too, all you have to do is get on your knees." He smirks before grabbing a fork and eating.

My eyes widen and heat flushes to my face. "I didn't mean it in that sense." Though now that he mentions it... I am partially curious. But I shake the idea from my head. "You could make those people you made a bad deal and choices with get on theirs instead."

"One of them is your brother, and I'm not really into men." His eyes roam over my body, making the room just a bit more stuffy than it already is. "But maybe you could pay off his debt instead? Though I don't think you could."

"Am I one of those bad choices?" I ask. "The deal with my brother?"

"Yes," he says, "A minor annoyance but not really a problem. Just remind me of a puppy. But I guess it isn't too bad, given the situation."

"Because you got close enough to touch me... something you could hang over him if you chose to." I keep my gaze on my plate, swallowing hard as the thought that's been plaguing my mind slips from my mouth. "And the other deals? They don't have to taste you for them to force them on their knees. You just show them exactly how dangerous you are and make a smarter deal."

"It's not that simple, Aria. Doing reckless things like that would end up in a lot of bloodshed. Possibly countless wars and there's already enough of that."

A sudden thought pops into my head. Everyone in this lifestyle has a job... something they contribute. "What do you even do anyway? Aside from the deals and killings?"

"Do you really want to know what I do for a living?" He laughed. "What do you think I do? Hm? Simply sell cars and antiques?"

"I- I don't know what you do for a living. I'd like to know."

"Do you even know what your family did, what your brother still does for a living?"

"He sells guns and cars." I furrow my eyebrows. "Don't he?"

"Drug, people, and people slaves."

I suspected drugs... but people? "You... you sell people too?"

"No, Aria. I have my limits. But some people don't."

"But you sell drugs... do you use them as well?" I ask, finally taking a swig of the wine.

"Something like that."

And my brother... and my parents before him sold people. Was that why I was... I drink the rest of the wine bottle and shrug. "At least you're not selling people to become slaves. Is that really what my brother does, Sergio? They sell people?"

I keep my eyes on him waiting for an answer. I have to know. Bad or not... I need to know what he does. How else can I do something about it? "You were raised into this life... it's all you've ever known."

It's like I'm justifying his actions... but in all truth, I just mean he wasn't as bad. "Please Sergio, tell me the truth. Does my brother sell people into slavery? Is that why I'm betrothed to some mafia leader?"

"Your family has always sold women and children. You should have known this by now. Maybe that's why they've kept you in hiding."

He's smirking but I'm not smiling. My fingers curl around the wine bottle. Women and children... And their own family!

I throw the wine bottle against the wall with force. And as it shatters, my eyes widen. I push away from the counter and walk over to where the pieces lay, beginning to pick them up. "I'm sorry."

"You should've known. Didn't your brother tell you?"

"No. I suspected the drugs. But selling women and children?" I continue to pick up the pieces. "His own family member?" I flinch. Sharp pain slices through my skin. "I thought he and I were closer than that. Protective compared to the way our father treated us."

He sighs and moves closer to me. I glance back as he holds out a town to me. "Not everyone appears what they truly are. You know this, right?"

"We wouldn't have done what we did if I didn't know that, Sergio." I don't take the towel from him. I get up and toss the pieces of glass into the trash. "But that doesn't mean people can't hope to be proven wrong. That  people can't change even a little at least for someone they care for."

I sigh, moving beside him. My body slouches against the counter. "Now we're both in foul moods."

"Do you think he'll ever change? Even If you confronted them about it?"

A dark laugh leaves my lips. My chest aches. "No. He wouldn't even allow me to deny the man they want me to marry. I was disgraceful to even bring it up." I sigh. "He's stubborn and won't listen to suggestions. He wants people to follow his commands just like my father before him"

"And you, what do you want to do? Stay helpless and naive as you are right now?"

"I'd like to be able to be myself and aware." I look up at him, craving something more than this pain blooming in my chest. "Maybe strong enough to take someone like you in a fight."

"What's stopping you?"

"Now?" My hand slides over his. "Maybe a little bit of fear."

He grabs my wrists and slams my back into a wall. "Fear is an essential part of fighting. You should use it." His free hand trails goosebumps along my curves "Use it, Aria."

"Not everything can be solved with fear." With my free hand, I slide my fingers over his arm. "Sometimes a gentle approach can work."

He laughs, taking both my wrists and pinning them over my head. "No, Aria. Gentle does work in our life."

I smile and lean up, pressing my lips to his. My body pushes against him, getting the upper hand, and backing him up against the counters. "No, but being underestimated works."

Sergio smirks, keeping his eyes on me. "I don't underestimate people anymore, I just expect more from them." He reaches behind him for another full bottle of wine and opens it. "It's easier to defend yourself when you expect the worst."

"So you're saying I should always expect death whether my own or that of someone I care for? Why don't you defend yourself when it comes to me then?"

"Because I know you aren't capable of killing... yet." He tips the bottle to his lips and drinks. "You're still too soft."

I reach for the bottle and take it Fromm his hands. "I can always kill you in other ways. But you're right, I wouldn't. Would you?"

"If you made me." He snatches the bottle back and drinks again.

"Then do it."

He smirks, looking over me. He's trying to be intimidating, but I see past it. I know what his answer is.

He chuckles and shakes his head. "No. You should finish up and go to bed. It's late."

I move beside him, letting out a sigh. "You can just tell me that you want me to be away from you."

"Wouldn't that just break your little heart?" He drinks more.

"Are you really that afraid of breaking my heart?" I ask, looking over at him. "Over a simple, I don't want you here."

"Do you even want to be here, Aria? You originally chose to stay here because of your brother, but now that you know the truth about what we both do, are you still willing to give your freedom for your brother?"

He says it like he hasn't given me free will to leave this so-called prison. He's given me far more freedom than my brother. He even gives me answers and teaches me to defend myself. ANd if I were to answer his question honestly... "I still want to be here. Do you want me here?"

"No." He admits, placing the bottle down. "But I don't mind the company. So as long as you can keep your curiosity controlled."

I stifle a laugh. It wasn't just me... I know it, but I won't give up that information. "So no acting upon my curiosities of touching you again. Got it."

I grab my fork and take a bite, stealing a glance at him.

"Or quietly staring at me when you think I can't tell you're around," he adds.

"I never said I didn't think you weren't aware." I finish up my plate and place it into the sink. My gaze drifts to my hand as I run water over the cut. "But if that's what you want. I won't stare. Any other requests?"

"Learn to fight and then figure out how you're going to confront your brother about your marriage."

"Then teach me how to fight."

"Me? No. You're gonna have to figure it out on your own."

"How about I teach myself how to fight if you lay your load on me?" I side in his direction. His gaze falls on me, trailing up my body until I stand before him. An inch separates us, but even then, it feels like he's all over me. "Let out what's bothering you."

"You're supposed to be my victim," he whispers softly. His hand grips my hip and spins me. His arm wraps around my waist. "And yet I feel like I am yours."

I sink easily into his warmth, letting out a sigh. He leans down, resting his chin on my shoulder. His fingers find their way under the hem of my shirt and trace little circles over my skin. "Are you really this easy?"

My body tenses at his words but soon relaxes. I push on his chest gently, giving me just a little space to wiggle away from him and turn. "Are you always this... flirtatious?"

He scoffs and shakes his head as his gaze follows me. "No. But I am never really around women anymore..."

"Were you before?" I ask, walking back to the kitchen island and leaning against it. "With your other victims?"

He looks down, almost like he's ashamed. "You're my first."

His first? but... "Then who's Mellie?"

His attention snaps to my face. His entire body tenses and he narrows his gaze at me. "That's none of your concern."

No? I let out a scoff. Of course, it is my concern. He might not see it as one but I do, especially with the way he looks at me now with that look of anger. Either she did something to him or he wants me to be a substitute.

"I can't replace her, Sergio. You should already know this. So please don't use me if that's your end goal." I swallow hard, not liking the sudden churning in my stomach. "If-if you only see her when you see me or when you and I did things or do things then we shouldn't."

Sergio shakes his head, running his fingers through his hair. "That's not it, Aria."

"Then tell me what it is."

He looks at me, then at the ground. He begins to pace, four steps to the right and then left. A low growl comes from his mouth. "What if I do see you but don't want you?"

"If I'm being honest..." I keep my gaze on him and close the space between us. My chin tilts up to get a better glance at the large man in front of me. "I think you do want me, you just don't want to accept that. You're a man who can get anything he wants. And I think that could be the real reason I'm still here because as you said, you want me here and it's ok to want someone else who isn't the person you wanted before. It just needs to be accepted. But you're also a stubborn man. But that's what I see, I could be wrong. And you might say I am whether that's true or not but I've accepted that I enjoy being here. Being around you as fucked up as that may sound to someone else."

"Right." He scoffs, shaking his head. "So now that you're small, oh-so-encouraging speech is over, you should be heading home by the end of the week. Since I already have you, what else are you useful for?"

His words do exactly what he intended. They gut me. They rip open my chest and let me bleed.

"Nothing," I say softly and head out of the kitchen. "Since you, apparently, got what you wanted..."

❤︎❤︎❤︎

total ONC word count: 19,334

thank you so much for reading along! ❤︎