12

Distant voices drew my mind like a mouse to cheese, after having been submerged, as if the sea had dragged me to the bottom.

"Comme è possibile che si siano dimenticati di darle da mangiare? (How is it possible that they forgot to feed her?)," an enraged voice shouted and I could not recognize it. It was not Dante, "Sanno quanto è debole? (Do you know how weak she is?)," he growled and I felt my face being moved from side to side, as if I were a motionless doll, "For this oversight, Dante will not be merciful. Were they jealous? A couple of useless employees.

"Ci dispiace, signore, per favore...(We are sorry, sir, please...)," I opened my eyes as wide as I could, to see the same old man who accompanied Dante in the living room, along with the two maids who treated me worse than a dirty rag.

"Prego...they're going to die and their bodies will be part of the fucking ocean!" he growled, combing his stressed hair, "Did they call the fucking ambulance yet? Ora, muovetevi!!!

"Sì, signore!" both women got out, but their footsteps stopped and I slowly watched them retreat back inside again, "Signor Di Marco.

"Were they going somewhere?" he asked in his deep voice, but I couldn't see them anymore, as my body shivered with cold.

"Ci dispiace, signore.

"Shh," I heard Dante make, "Patience does not exist in my vocabulary and I'm afraid that what happened today, just gave me the perfect opportunity to prove the seriousness of my reputation," the image of the black-haired man appeared in my dying eyes, grabbing the two women by the neck, "Two employees, capable of starving to death the only person who has the power in this property, and even, in this world, to save their lives," he sentenced and I was surprised, "If she asked me to cut their necks right here, what do you think would happen?, rispondetemi.

"Dante," I named, trying to get up from the chair, drawing the attention of those present. The two women looked as pale as paper, while the gentleman came over to help me.

"Signorina Lawrens, stia tranquilla, non si alzi," he forced me to stay in my place, even though I did not understand anything he said.

"Evie.

"I'm fine, but...

"I'm taking you to the hospital, the ambulance arrived at the same time I did," he interrupted me and his arms wrapped around my body, before he lifted me up.

"No,...

"Yes, they'll take care of you quickly," he walked out of the room, leaving the others behind.

"Wait," I said and he paused, to watch me, "Will you hurt those women?"

He licked his lips, annoyed, "You don't have to worry about that.

"Yes, of course I do. I don't want you to, you're not like that," he was silent for a few seconds, looking around as if I was going to give him the answer and I hoped I was, "Don't do it, please.

It was the first time I knew the real Dante and my skin burned, as if it were poison.

I never imagined the person I trusted the most, talking that way for no reason. However, what terrified me the most was the determination with which he said it, as if he was in a dangerous position.

Was that what he was trying to tell me?

I was very confused and a stabbing pain appeared in my head.

He sighed in annoyance, "Fine, you will leave the village, alive.

"Thank you," I whispered, before closing my eyes and melting into deep sleep, as I was carried by him.

-----

In my dreams, there was Mauro and all around him, there was the mansion. So imposing and empty, just like that time when his parents arrived by surprise.

He didn't like the idea of me meeting his parents formally and at that moment I realized why. I didn't interest him in the least, as he sold my soul as if it was worth the same as garbage to him. Unlike his brother Dante, who I had always seen as the big brother my parents didn't give me.

He was protective and intelligent, he helped me with my studies, even if it wasn't his responsibility. I learned more from him than I would have in college. And yet, now I was in Italy with him, after being sold by his younger brother to him.

The funny thing was that I had no idea and a very bad and dangerous part of me told me that there was no worse revenge for Mauro than turning the most important person in his life against him.

I still didn't know what was going on with Dante and this new way of treating me, but I was sure that if I could use it to my advantage, I would become his nightmare.

But first I had to figure out how to stop being Di Marco's prisoner.

I slowly opened my eyes as I felt a prick in my arm, as if from a needle. The surrounding light blinded me, so I stood still for a few minutes, until the space was empty and silent.

I sat up on the gurney, realizing that I was in a hospital and they had me hooked up to a machine. My clothes were on the chair next to me, as was a coat and I knew whose it was.

I went to the window and found the sea in its greatest splendor, with a morning sun. That told me that I had been asleep all night and I didn't plan to stay there, if I had the chance to go down to the shore to appreciate the water.

For some reason on the way to the elevator, carrying the serum being injected into my hand, I didn't find Dante or anyone I knew, so I easily made my way down to the beach. I had changed my clothes and hid inside my coat what I was carrying.

I was not running away, although deep inside me that was what I wanted most, however, I had no strength and was being fed a bag of saline water.

I just hoped to drive Dante crazy, as if I had lost my way, while my bare feet buried themselves in the cold sand and the waves died on the shore.

Never in my college journey had I ever known a sea as beautiful and crystalline as Italy's was, yet despite my best efforts, I could not locate myself. It seemed to me that it was too small to be a city in Italy.

"You're not from around here, are you?" asked an unfamiliar voice beside me, "Or else you would know how dangerous it is to go out on the coast without a bodyguard.

My heart stopped, as if I had just stepped on an explosive mine.