Ensnared
Emily's POV
The frantic urgency in Lucas’s voice pierced the air like a sharp blade, shattering the peaceful ambience of the room. “Anna, get the doctor! Jason is injured!” His words sent shockwaves through my senses, and without a second thought, I instinctively pulled Aurora away. Shielding her from the sight of her father in distress became my immediate priority; the last thing I wanted was for her innocent eyes to witness such a gruesome scene.
Despite my efforts to steer clear of the chaos unfolding in the living room, a baffling force tugged at me, drawing me back. With hesitant steps, I found myself hovering in a corner, silently watching as Lucas carefully laid Jason on the couch, his face etched with concern.
"You're overreacting, Lucas. It's just a scratch," Jason reassured, his voice attempting to mask the severity of his injury, but the crimson stains spreading across his shirt told a different tale.
"You're bleeding profusely. The doctor needs to come and stitch you back up," Lucas countered urgently, his voice echoing through the room as he called for Anna once again.
“No need for that,” Jason intervened, his gaze suddenly locking onto mine, sending an unsettling chill down my spine. “I want her. She’s a nanny, after all. I want her to take care of me,” he declared with a sinister smile, his words dripping with an unsettling mix of demand and allure.
A surge of protest rose within me, but before I could utter a word, Jason’s commanding tone crushed any semblance of resistance. “I’m not asking, it’s an order. Didn’t my father tell you that you work for me now?” His words hung in the air like an unbreakable chain, binding me to his will as effectively as any physical restraint.
Helplessly, I watched as Lucas assisted Jason to his feet, their departure leaving me feeling stranded in a sea of uncertainty. With resignation weighing heavy on my shoulders, I knew I had no choice but to comply. Slowly, I made my way to his room, my mind racing with apprehension about what awaited me.
As the door clicked shut behind me, enveloping me in suffocating silence, I found myself standing at the precipice of an unfamiliar realm. The weight of Jason’s expectant gaze bore down on me, stirring a tempest of conflicting emotions within.
“Are you just going to stand there and watch me bleed out?” His words shattered the stillness. “You saved me once before, so I’m sure this wouldn’t be hard,” he taunted, his voice dripping with a mixture of mockery and anticipation.
Nervous as hell, I moved towards him, my hands trembling as I picked up the cotton swab and dampened it with alcohol.
In a swift, almost fluid motion, Jason peeled off his shirt. The sight of his bare torso sent a jolt of unexpected awareness coursing through me, his sculpted physique captivating my gaze despite my attempts to look away.
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” his smirk deepened, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes as he drew me closer.
Quickly, I pulled myself away from him, hating how my body reacted to his touch.
"This might hurt a bit," my voice quivered as I applied the cotton swab to his injury. Jason flinched slightly, his intense gaze locking onto mine once again.
"Careful," he said softly, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. Nervously, I nodded in response, my hands trembling as I continued to tend to him, the tension between us palpable in the air.
His gaze bore into me with an intensity that felt almost tangible, a force I couldn't evade no matter how hard I tried. It was as if his eyes held power over me, a mesmerizing allure I resented.
"Can you stop looking at me," I pleaded softly, my head bowed in an attempt to shield myself from his penetrating stare.
Suddenly, his hand gently lifted my chin, compelling me to meet his unwavering gaze. And then, in a swift and unexpected movement, he forcefully pulled me closer to him, his breath warm against my skin as he whispered, "Are you going to ask me what happened?"
His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, and I found myself unable to respond, lost in the intensity of his gaze and the turmoil of emotions swirling within me.
“It’s none of my business,” I replied softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
His smirk widened, a knowing glint in his eyes that sent a shiver down my spine. It was as if he could see right through me, unravelling the layers of my thoughts with unnerving precision. I felt exposed, vulnerable in his presence, like a mouse trapped in the gaze of a cunning predator.
"Okay, but do you know who I am?" He asked again, his eyes searching mine for a reaction.
"You are Don Jason Russo, Head of the Russo family, the Mafia king of this city," I answered, unable to tear my gaze away from his penetrating stare.
"Good.... So, are you scared of me?" He inquired, his intense gaze now fixed on my lips.
I didn't know how to answer his question. Who wouldn't be scared of someone this dangerous?
He chuckled softly, and I seized the opportunity to quickly pull away from him. With shaky hands, I focused on applying bandages to his wounds, desperate to free myself from the torturous situation I found myself in. Each movement felt like an eternity, the tension between us palpable, hanging in the air like a heavy shroud.
"Done, I should go," I muttered, attempting to pull away, but before I could rise, Jason's grip tightened, holding me back.
"I know you didn't ask, but I want to tell you how I got this injury," he said softly, a smirk playing on his lips.
"I got it from my attack on the Marino family," he confessed, his tone tinged with pride. His eyes bore into mine as if daring me to react, and I struggled to mask the surge of unease that swept through me.