Chapter 15 -
His voice rang out in the dining room, calling on Matteo in the loudest she had heard him speak. Like the humble guard he was, Matteo appeared in the room, reaching their side in hurried steps.
“Yes boss,” the guard reported, awaiting orders.
“Escort Miss Wallace back to her room,” he said, his grey eyes never leaving hers. “She needs to be reminded of her place.”
Nia felt hot smoke leaving her ears, her fists tightening by her side, the words stung, like fuel fanning the flames of her anger.
Leo took a step back, while Matteo did the opposite, stepping forward with an unrelenting desire to please his boss. The guard extended his hand towards the exit of the dining room, ushering her to obey the commandment. Nia didn’t need to be told, she knew resisting would only end up with her being bundled out of the room one way or another. And she wouldn’t give the DeSantos the pleasure of seeing her screaming or throwing a fit. So with her head held high, she turned around, not before shooting a sideway glance at Leo one last time and walking out of the dining room with Matteo hot on her tail.
She didn’t spare the guard a glance, only trotted the familiar path of the way to her gilded cage—disguised as a luxurious bedroom.
After they had covered distance and almost near their location, she heard Matteo say behind her, his tone incredulous. “For someone who’s kept prisoner, you have guts.”
She inclined her head back to get a glimpse of him, but he was only staring at the walls. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged, turning his face to her line of sight, making her look forward, away from his gaze. “Most people in your position won’t dare speak to the boss like that. I’ll say you’re either foolish or brave.”
“Maybe I’m both,” Nia snapped, walking faster. She didn’t know why the man was talking to her, or what he planned to gain from it, but the little she knew was where his loyalty lies. When they reached the doorway of the bedroom, Matteo sidestepped her to open it in that gentlemanly fashion he’s been doing. She hesitated, stopping to face him with her defiant glare.
“You shouldn’t do that when you’re going to treat me otherwise.”
He just shrugged, still holding the door out for her. Nia narrowed her eyes at him, resisting the urge to kick him and make a break for it.
Still standing at the doorway to the room, she took a step inside, turning to see Matteo still standing there.
“Don’t tell me you’re playing guard at this door,” she said in disbelief. “If I was going to escape, it wouldn’t be now.”
His expression remained the same—blank, “My orders from the boss are to stay whether you like it or not.”
“Damn you!” She scoffed out loud, gripping the handle of the door, and slamming the object shut in his face.
Alone in the room, she paced the length of the space, going to and fro numerous times, enough to make anyone dizzy. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, her mind disturbed. It was still in the morning and she had already gone through enough traumatic experiences enough to last her the whole month. When things couldn’t get any more worse, her mind decided to remember Leo’s words to her, you belong to me. The vivid image of him saying it, and his voice with the mischief in his eyes, all of which made her despise him the more. Her blood pressure rose, her pulse beating faster than it should, Nia took a deep breath to ground herself, refusing to let the anger overtake her. She didn’t know how or when, but she would get out of this mansion, one way or another. And while she was at it, she would make sure to slit the throat of Leo DeSanto before leaving.
The only respite in the room was the large windows that oversaw the grounds. She walked up to it, her fingers drumming against the windowsill as she watched the guards patrol. As if to torture her, the large gates of the mansion was in the view of the room. She could see her way out to freedom but had no means of reaching it, giving her a sense of problems. It felt like a cruel irony, Leo mocking her even in his absence, but she wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. No!
Her anger simmered beneath the surface, the momentary beat of her fingers on the object served as a way to think through the haze. For the first time since she had arrived at the mansion after being abducted, Nia was devising her plan to escape. She was going to turn this anger into determination, and it was this feeling that enabled her evade two foster homes right under their noses. Her hands came around the window handle, opening it to let the fresh air ventilate the room. Right there, she began to piece the plan, and the first step happened to be; figure the layout of the mansion. And to do that, she needed a proper tour.
Just in passing, Nia had managed to see a portion of the hallways that seemed like a maze, more staircases during her walk with Gaby, and a glimpse of the mansion grounds during the nighttime. There was nothing substantial to aid her escape, besides, there was Matteo’s constant presence behind the door, all but limiting her movement. Which led to her second step, an ally. And not any type of ally, a powerful ally that can hold his own against the guards and against Leo DeSanto.
It was none other than Micheal.
He was her lucky ticket out of this house, although he made her feel uncomfortable. He was unpredictable in nature, a friend today, a fiend tomorrow. She didn’t know what it was about Micheal, couldn’t determine what his deal was. Even his backstory remained shrouded, cause unlike his brothers, she had had a glimpse of their past life and nothing of his. Maybe getting close to him will solve the problem—her curiosity and the need to do away with this family. But she had to thread carefully, the fact that she didn’t know much about Micheal only made him more dangerous, after all, he was a DeSanto.
Over dinner, she just needed to get in his good graces, if it was through flirting, fine. Whatever it took to return to her apartment and her best friend turned sister. Speaking of Isa, she was certain her best friend was worried as hell, and Nia could only hope that Isa didn't lose her sanity while trying to find her. She sighed, straightening herself from the window and walking to the large bed, before falling into it on her back. She stared at the dazzling chandelier hanging up ahead, bored out of her mind as she waited for something to happen in her favor. Though it felt like reaching too far because nothing good had happened in a long while, ever since she had lost both parents to a tragic accident.
Turning on her side, and refusing to remember the most painful moment of her life, her thoughts shifted to little Gaby, then to his mother Lucia. With each day spent in the presence of this family, Nia had deduced that the only person she had similarities with was the red haired woman. And it wasn’t physical per se, it was the fact that they were practically in the same position, while Nia was kept prisoner in a mansion, Lucia was kept in a marriage she didn’t want, by men dictating her life. The two of them could be the best of allies if Nia decides to put more effort into it. After all, Lucia had defended her once against her father and brother in law, and Nia hadn’t expressed gratitude yet. This was the perfect medium for a conversation starter.
Another person and probably the last had been added to her list. She was going to use her allies to garner information and learn the layouts of the mansion, all the while planning her big escape. As Nia lay in bed, her eyes drifting shut to sleep, she felt a sense of calm in her system, because captive or not, she would make sure she was the one calling the shots for herself.