Chapter 14: FOURTEEN

RAFFAELE

How many fucking times will this girl drive me to the edge of madness and bring me back?

I took in a controlled breath and shook my head. Amadeo kept glancing between me and Celestia, unable to fathom the sheer audacity of anyone...much less a girl of twenty who stood up to me like she has a spine of steel on her back.

For an odd reason, I tried to be less vicious to her.

“Cesar,” I called out my bodyguard, who has been with me like a shadow ever since I assumed my position, appeared right that instant.

“Sir.”

“Take her to the library and don’t let her out of your sight,” I ordered.

Celestia threw me a nasty look before huffing out of the dining room with Cesar on her heels. Maybe I would have some damn peace now. Grabbing the bowl of food, I scooped some on my plate and ate in silence.

It was a mere two-minute silence before Amadeo made a clanking sound with his spoon. “So we are not talking about it, like at all?”

There goes my peace.

“What is there to talk about, Amadeo?” I asked, irritated.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, smirking all the way. “The fact, that you are getting outplayed by a girl. Or maybe, she is one of those innocent geeks with unicorn charms?”

I cut him in. “Or maybe my brother is an idiot who has nothing to do but make my life a living hell?”

He threw his head back and laughed for a long beat. “She is getting under your skin, you know?”

Like I didn’t know that already. But the knowledge wasn’t anything but troublesome. Letting someone get under your skin meant falling under the spell. I couldn’t afford that in my life.

Scrubbing my hands over my face, I decided to move on to important matters. “We have to find someone who would stay by Celestia’s side twenty-seven. If I try and lock her up in a room again, she would be desperate to get herself out.” And I was afraid she would do something stupid, something grave to hurt herself in the process.

“Hmm...a a maid.” Amadeo rubbed his forehead contemplatively and then came up with this. “What about Lila? She can be with Celestia when we are away.”

I grimaced. “I don’t know...Lila is too meek and…”

“She’s perfect then, Rafe!” Amadeo tried to justify. “Lila is sweet and modest. All the more reasons Celestia would trust her. Besides, Lila is loyal to a fault. We can depend on her with our eyes closed.”

I weighed his words, pondering over the reasons.

Lila came to us when she was barely sixteen. The poor girl has seen the worst of the cruel world through her innocent eyes and had it not been Cesar, she would have been either sold or killed. My mother took pity on her and insisted she stay with us in the house—safe and sheltered. Ever since she was a part of this household.

Now, almost seven years later, Lila was an excellent baker and spends her time with books and paintings.

Maybe, Amadeo was right. Lila would be the unconventional but right choice for Celestia. Although not identical, both of them have lived quite a comparable life of solitude.

“Okay,” I acquiesced. “But make sure Lila knows that Celestia is not to leave this place at any cost. I cannot afford another mistake, Amadeo.”

My brother nodded, smiling. “Lila won’t disappoint us, brother, I know that for sure. Besides, the warning you gave the staff is good enough to make them sleep with one eye open.”

“Good, I want it to be that way.”

When I looked at him, he gave me the most suspicious look ever. The same brown eyes we shared held so many questions, I quickly snapped my gaze away and moved on to different topics.

“Where are we on Kyla Donovan?” I asked.

I could feel his gaze lingering for some time, but thankfully Amadeo didn’t push. He pushed back his plate, wiped the mouth, and began to sip on his coffee. “Almost twenty-four-hour has passed since her daughter is kidnapped, and yet she doesn’t want to come back to Vegas or call the police,” he surmised. “Either she is baiting us or Celestia means nothing to her.”

It wasn’t possible, I thought. Children meant everything to parents, especially to a single parent who went out on a limb to hide her daughter from the world.

“Track her down, wherever the hell she is.”

I was done playing cat and mouse with Kyla Donovan.

CELESTIA

The beefy guard walked in front of me, in long strides I wasn’t being able to follow due to my sprained ankle. Although it was healing fast,the movement caused quite a pain. But he simply didn’t care. As heartless as his master, I grumbled low.

“Did you say anything, miss?” he paused and asked over his shoulder.

Did he just call me 'miss'? So much politeness from a bunch of criminals; I huffed.

I scowled at his back, gripping the wall to relieve the weight off my injured leg. “Would it kill you to walk a little slower?” I gritted through clenched teeth.

All he could do was throw a small shrug and turn around. “You didn’t ask.” He then his gaze dropped down to my leg, swollen and red. “Do you want me to carry you to the library?” he offered.

My mouth gaped and eyes widened in shock. “No, thank you!” I had enough to men and their so-called generous help for one day. “Just…just walk a bit slow, please.”

This man, Cesar, didn’t answer but merely went on to venture a little slower. He sauntered through a long corridor, and then passed a couple of doors through an enormous office setup. Honestly, one would require a tour guide to traverse through the place because it was that big and confusing.

On our way to the library, we passed a few servants and staff who threw me different looks, ranging from surprise to suspicion to disgust. I have no idea what did I ever do to them to warrant such stares, but they were the least of my worries.

“We are here,” the man announced.

The library, as they called, was probably the most beautiful place in this luxury villa. With large wooden shelves filled with innumerable books that covered three of the four walls and centered seating arrangement, it was a dreamy sanctuary for a bibliophile like me.

The place reeked of earthly sandalwood, brightened with moderate yellow lighting from the high ceiling above, setting forth a soothing ambiance and tranquil atmosphere for a literature enthusiast.

“…Miss? Are you listening?”

Cesar’s voice brought out the daydream as I quickly turned to him. “I am sorry, what were you saying?”

“I said that I will put someone outside the door, should you need anything.”

What could someone ever need in a place like this? I wondered. But I knew very well that the guard to be stationed outside the door would be more for Raffaele’s obsession than my needs, so I didn’t involve in the futile argument.

“Okay.”

Cesar left promptly, leaving me with this vastness of solitude. I didn’t mind one bit though. I have been so alone my entire life that I developed a connection with the books and their fictional characters.

The first hour went by skimming through the shelves, going each title to discover the hidden treasures. When my feet started aching really bad, I grabbed a Victorian novel from the nearest shelf and curled into the high-backed chair in the center.

Putting my feet up on the ottoman, I glossed over each page, absorbing every word as if I was transported to another universe. In fact, I was so transfixed that it almost made me forget that I was a captive here.

Until there a small knock on the huge double door.

Pressing the book over my chest, I peeked in anticipation, hoping Raffaele would simply walk in and ruin my mood. But when the door opened, it was a girl.

She has the prettiest ginger hair and creamiest skin I have ever seen, dotted with faint freckles. She wore absolutely no makeup, save for the tinted lip gloss, and yet looked like a vision. Even in those lifeless black and white staff uniforms.

“Hi,” she exclaimed with a warm smile I haven’t seen on anyone in this house. “You must be Celestia.” She walked in with a trolley of food and closed the door behind her.

I placed the book on the table and softly rose.

“Who are you?” I had to ask because ever since I was confined here, no one has ever flashed a smile as endearing as her. No one was even as young as her as well.

“I am Lila.”