Bella's POV:

It felt like weeks, months or maybe years had passed caged in this house without my family and Gabriel. With each passing day, I was losing the count of days and the hope of freedom.

When my father used to hit for small mistakes I wanted to run away and leave that house, but my mother's worried nature stopped me every time. As I grew older, I looked at my siblings and decided to protect them from the man that we called father. I always wanted to get a job so I could take my mom and my siblings away from the evil man that kept us hostage. Graduation was the only thing that was keeping me in his house.

I cried thinking about school. Graduating and getting a job was my only chance to change my future but now it has been shattered as well.

I looked out from the window and looked at the beautiful green grass. I'd never seen any car, bus, and people in the neighborhood. It looked like I was in the middle of nowhere. I had screamed for help, tried to unlock the windows and door, but every attempt went unsuccessful.

I was falling in depression, negative thoughts and hopelessness were taking over my mind.

The bedroom door opened and someone entered but I didn't bother to turn around. I kept staring out of the window, focusing on the beautiful bird relaxing on the long ivy tree.

"Bella, it's lunchtime," Nate called.

I wasn't hungry, the smell of food had started to make me vomit. I stayed quiet and ignored him.

I didn't know when I stopped talking. Speaking to anyone felt like a tiring task.

"We have a salad with grilled chicken and spaghetti with tomato sauce. I hope this appeals to you," Nate said with enthusiasm.

Every day he would bring delicious food for me, hoping that I will eat it. Unfortunately, the lack of appetite had been making it hard for me to enjoy the meal but I appreciated his efforts.

"Are you listening to me?" Nate said walking over me and grabbing my arm.

He turned me to face him and he winced, watching my bloodshot eyes.

"You need to eat something and take a nap," he dragged me to the table where he had put the food.

The odor of the food gave me shivers.

"I can't eat...I'll puke," I told him.

He kneeled down, looking concerned.

"You've lost so much weight. You look all skin and bones," he said, staring at me.

I knew Nate cared for me and that's why he was being concerned but I didn't need him. I needed my mother, my siblings, and Gabriel. I missed his soothing touches, his deep voice, and his warm embrace.

If he was near me, I wouldn't be so hopeless and alone.

"Your eyes are bloodshot and you've dark circles under them. I know you've cried all night," he said.

I didn't deny anything because I'd cried the entire night.

"Do you have any idea how will Gabriel feel when he would see you like this?" Nate asked.

At the mention of Gabriel, fresh tears came into my eyes. I gulped feeling overwhelmed.

"What if he didn't come? It has been months since he left," I mumbled.

Nate took my hands in his and gave them a squeeze.

"He's going to come to save you. He loves you, Bella," Nate said, trying to reassure me and give me hope.

A practical side of my mind gave me logical reasons behind his distance for so long. It forced me to think that he had moved and forgotten about me. He only had a crush or mutual attraction, not love. He probably had gone to Italy and continued his life like nothing happened while I wait for him to come back.

However, somewhere in my mind, I still hoped that I was wrong and he would come for me.

"I know you're saying that to give me hope. When I told you he would come to get me, you weren't convinced," I reminded him.

"I'm convinced now. I'm not saying that to give you hope."

I stared at him in bafflement.

"How can you be so sure, Nate?" I asked him.

He gave me a smile and caressed my cheek.

"I just know, Bella. You've to trust me, I promised to protect you, didn't I?" He asked me.

I nodded my head.

Nate made a plate then handed it to me. I attempted to eat, having a hard time swallowing everything. I couldn't finish all the food that he had given me.

"I can't eat anymore," I told him.

"Try to finish it," he pleaded to me.

To make him happy, I took a few more bites then gave up.

His phone rang and he picked it up.

"Hey, I was about to call you. Yeah, I just wanted to tell you that we need to cancel tonight's plan. Actually, my sister isn't feeling well," Nate said.

I rolled my eyes and snatched the phone from him.

"Hey, Emma! It's Bella here. He's not my babysitter and I can take care of myself. The plan is still on," I said to her.

He glared at me and I glared back.

"I think she is feeling better. I'll pick you up around five," he said ending the call.

"Why did you do that?" He asked in annoyance.

"What do you do all day, Nate? You take care of me and leave the house to check on your club when I am sleeping. This isn't your life. You don't have to babysit me," I said.

"But you need me more than Emma," he said.

"No, she's your girlfriend, the love of your life. She needs you more than me. You should be spending time with her," I told him.

"But..."

I pressed my hand on his mouth.

"Shut up and listen to me. I'll take medicine and sleep. Don't spoil your night because of me," I told him.

He sighed and nodded.

"Promise me you will keep the door locked. I'll put your dinner and snacks in the room," He said.

I hugged him and he rubbed my back.

"Take care and dream about your loverboy," Nate said surprising me.

"My lover boy?" I asked him.

"I mean Gabriel," he said with the wink.

Then he forced me to take the sleeping pills so I would at least take a nightmare free sleep for a few hours.

I didn't know how long I'd slept. When I woke up, it was dark outside. I went to the washroom and did my business then washed my face. I looked at the food and snacks that Nate had left in my room with a note.

I picked the bag of chips and started to eat while looking at the wall. Suddenly I heard the sound of yelling and something smashing on the floor. I ran and checked my door if it was locked properly.

I heard shouts and sound of more things breaking. I sat down on the floor trembling in fear.

When all the noises died down I got up and unlocked the door. I didn't know what made me do the most stupid thing in the world but I stepped out of my room.

With the madly beating heart, I made my way downstairs. The lights of the living room were dim, making it almost impossible for me to see clearly. I saw a figure sitting on the couch with the bottle in his hand while the shattered vase laid on the floor a few feet away from him.

I turned to leave when I knocked out a showpiece by accident. I cursed myself but it was too late to escape. Someone grabbed my arm and turned me. I came face to face with Tristan. His eyes were bloodshot, his face had a five o'clock shadow, and he was reeking with alcohol.

"Looking for more trouble to get in," he said with an amused smile.

I glared at him trying to remove my arm from his grip.

He dragged me to the couch and forced me to sit down. I got up to leave when he grabbed my arm and said, "Sit!"

I sat down despite wanting to leave. I scanned him from.head to toe. His clothes were rumbled, his hair looked like he had just rolled out of the bed. He had dark circles under his eyes, they looked puffy like he had cried for hours.

I didn't know why I felt sympathy for him.

"What happened?" I asked him.

He picked the beer bottle and took a sip then sat down beside me.

"Nothing happened that concerns you," he said in a monotone.

I clenched my hands in anger.

"A stone like you is showing emotions. I believe something must have happened to bring that side out of you," I said.

He peeked at me and sighed.

"Are you scared of me?" He asked.

"Do you think I am?" I asked him.

He gave me a wide smile and shook his head lazily.

"You're scared of me but you don't want to show it," he said.

"No. It's more like I don't fear you but I am afraid of your actions," I confessed.

"You should be. I am not exactly a good man," he said.

"You can be if you want to be," I said.

He gazed at me for a while then picked a beer bottle. He opened the cap with an opener then handed it to me.

I stared at the bottle in confusion.

"Drink it. This makes me a different man, a one that shows emotions. Good or Bad, I don't know," he said taking a sip from his bottle.

"I don't think it's legal. I'm not twenty-one yet," I said nervously.

He chuckled at my statement.

"You're quite a comedian, aren't you? I guess that's why Nate loves your company," he said, chuckling.

"Excuse me?" I said with the scowl.

He leaned closer to me and I swallowed in fear.

"I'm the Mafia leader, doing everything against the law and you are telling me you can't drink a beer because that's illegal," he said to me.

"Fair enough, that was stupid of me," I confessed.

"I agree," he said, taking a swig from his bottle. "Are you going to try it or not?"

I looked at the bottle and sighed. With shaking hands, I bring it to my mouth and took a mouthful sip.

It burned my throat when I swallowed it making me cough.

"It tastes so bad. Why do people drink this?" I asked myself aloud.

"Keep drinking. It wouldn't taste as bad as it does now after a few more sips," he told me finishing his bottle opening and another one.

I didn't know why but I took another sip then another. A few minutes later, my bottle was empty and I couldn't feel my body.

"I feel so light, almost like a bubble," I said, leaning my head on the couch and looking at him.

I didn't notice before that he looked pretty handsome to be a bad guy. His brown hair looked nice, his eyes were pretty, and his sharp jaw had a dark stubble. The permanent emotion on his face was arrogance like no one can defeat him.

"I can feel you boring holes into my body," he muttered.

"I was trying to figure out why a good looking guy like you would become a bad guy," I said with the shrug, picking another bottle and trying to open it.

He snatched the bottle from me and opened it then handed it back to me.

"So you think I am a good looking guy?" He asked with the smirk.

"I know you're a bad guy," I said, drinking the beer which tastes much delightful than before.

He sighed resting his head back on the couch.

"I was born to be a Mafia Leader and my dad was one. When he died I was eighteen and his friends forced me to take over his place in the organization so I wouldn't get killed by more dominant leaders. This business depends on power. If you are strong enough you would survive otherwise you will die."

I frowned at his answer.

"So, how powerful you are?" I asked him.

He glanced at me. "Powerful enough to disappear you from this city and no one will ever find you."

"That's actually a great idea. Can I tag my mother and my siblings along? It wouldn't be fair to leave them with my cruel father," I said to him, hoping that it would be possible to escape from my father so effortlessly.

He sat up straight and looked at me in concern.

"What do you mean by cruel father?" He asked.

I didn't know what pushed me to tell him about my father but something did. I had never shared anything about my father to anyone except Gabriel.

"He used to hit me when I was young. I'm scared he would do the same with my siblings. He hasn't done anything to them yet but maybe that's because mom and I are enough to release his anger on," I said.

I didn't stop drinking because it was making me calm despite the fact that I was talking about the person I hate most in this world.

"Your father is fûçking bastard," he said with clenched fists.

I couldn't help myself and giggle. He gave me a confused look.

"You're calling him a bastard when you did the same. When you forced Nate to hit me. That night, I saw the flashback of all the memories of my father hitting me," I told him.

He threw the bottle he was drinking on the floor and it shattered in thousands of pieces. I jumped at the noise and he turned to me.

He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me close to him. His face just breath away from mine. His eyes were staring intensely into mine.

"I didn't want to hurt you. I was in rage thinking about the dead eyes of my father when they brought his body. I wanted to take revenge from Gabriel because he is related to my father's murderer and you just happened to be his weakness," he hissed.

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Published: 16-Feb-2017

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