13

I glanced sideways at the person who spoke to me and was met with piercing blue eyes; they belonged to a woman who was around my age, but not my status. The texture of her clothes, the way she spoke and the bodyguard that accompanied her, gave me to understand that she was part of Dante's world.

Yet her smile, wrapped by small lips and white teeth, made me feel different, as if some kind of connection had been created in her presence.

"Who are you?" I asked, without shifting my position.

"I understand your defensive posture, but believe me I'm not an enemy and to prove it to you, I'm going to tell you my name, even if it might be dangerous," she said, without moving from her place, "My name is Nina Rossi, daughter of Francisco Rossi.

"Wow," I said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow, "You are the daughter of..., what was his name?

"Francisco Rossi," she repeated quizzically, "Don't you know my father?

"Should I know him, is he someone as interesting as you are?" I folded my arms and she looked strangely happy.

"He's nobody important. Now, who were you?" she asked, this time standing next to me, as if she had just found her soul mate in the middle of nowhere.

"You don't want to know who I am.

And who I belong to.

"Believe me, if I want to, or at least, give me the right to find out," that blue gaze, like the sky, prevented me from denying me with sincerity, as if it was capable of hypnotizing me, "Do you want to have a coffee? I'm buying.

"Are you always so formal?

She smiled, "Only with mysterious people, and you, little creature, are in the middle of the coast, alone, unprotected, on an island full of psychotic mercenaries," she confessed and I was immediately surprised, unable to believe what I had just heard.

"Did you say island?

"Are you telling me you didn't know you were on an island?" she frowned, "We're on the Emerald Coast, the Sardinia Island of Italy.

"That makes sense," I whispered to myself, realizing why I saw the town so small. It wasn't a city, it was the coast of an island, "An island of what?

Nina seemed curiously puzzled by the fact that I had no idea where her feet were and that seemed to me to be a disadvantage, since I didn't know her.

"It's the season of change, the biggest mercenaries in the country gather on this Island for any ridiculous event; change of boss, new order, new dangers, birthdays?" she lifted her shoulders disinterestedly, but that made me more nervous.

"Only mercenaries? I mean, criminals?" I questioned in surprise.

"Yes, Mercenaries is the more formal term. My father is one of the leaders of the new order... but I don't know why I just said that," she bit her lips, as if I had done something wrong, "Forget I said that," she waved her hands, "However, that doesn't explain to me why you're here. Who are you coming with?

"I think I'm going to faint," I felt my legs falter and Nina grabbed my arm in surprise.

"Wow, take it easy. Elio, aiutami a caricarlo, ora," she ordered and the unknown man carried me in his arms towards the nearest coffee shop on the coast, while I watched from afar as black vans arrived at the hospital through the main entrance.

And there was Dante along with that man. He looked agitated and although I was glad I had accomplished my task, the information I had received had not gone down well.

"Un cannoli e un caffè con zucchero, per favore," Nina ordered, as she sat down next to me, "Something sweet will give you color, you're white as a sheet. Are you okay?" she questioned, but her blue gaze went down to my hands, where the needle could be noticed, "Are you channeled?" she asked in surprise and grabbed my wrist to get a better look. I pulled away, but she looked sideways at the hospital that was clearly right behind her, "You got out of the hospital, why?" she asked.

"It's a long story.

"I imagine it must be very interesting, but at least I understand now why your skin looks like that of a porcelain doll," she twisted her lips, "I still don't know your name, but I'm going to escort you to the hospital again. I'm not a doctor, but I don't think that's the normal tone of a person," she added and got up from her chair, ordering the takeout, "Come on.

I shook my head, "Do you know how much I've had to go through for 72 hours before you think you can order me around?" she opened her eyes in surprise at my aggressive response.

"I'm being nice, and the least I can do, is keep anything from happening to you for the next 72 hours. You think I'm ordering you around? I'm not my father!" she shouted, as if that last one wasn't for me, but for herself. She took a deep breath, pushing her hair back.

The silence became heavy and he could feel how uncomfortable the atmosphere had become, as he didn't understand what had happened in his life as to yell at a stranger.

"I'm sorry, I lost control," she sighed, "I don't know who you are, but I don't care where you came from or why you are channeled. However, I found you and you're not well, you can't be out here in danger, do you understand that?

It was my turn to sigh, "Fine," I gave up and walked with her to the hospital, through the emergency room entrance.

"Well, this is where we split up. I...," she stopped and pulled a card out of her purse, "Call me, if you need anything.

"Thanks," she nodded and walked away along with her bodyguard, but something inside me told me I could trust her, "Nina?

"Yes?" she gave me a sidelong glance.

"Evie. My name is Evie Lawrens," I said and she smiled.

"A pleasure, Evie," she finished saying and walked off in some direction, I already lost her trail several cars ahead, being alone again.

I took a deep breath, watching the black vans and entered the hospital for emergencies. And as if I were a ghost, no one even noticed me and I managed to climb up to the floor I had come down from.

However, I had a huge problem. I didn't know which room I had come out of, eager to take the chance I had to escape to the sea.

"I'm afraid Mr. Di Marco is so angry that he would be capable of threatening this entire hospital just to find you," I heard a familiar voice behind me, "And I must say that I've never seen anyone give as much trouble as you have, Signorina Lawrens. However, that's not what worries me most," he stopped beside me, so that I could see him and I swallowed my saliva nervously, "Dante's slightest weakness will be exploited if he keeps on making trouble," he pointed with his arm towards one of the rooms and I entered it with my nerves on edge, "And now, don't leave without warning. Mr. Di Marco has assigned you a bodyguard who will take care of you, understood?

"Yes," I nodded, as I sat down on the gurney, "Where is he?

"Relax, he's on his way up. Ci vediamo dopo, signorina Lawrens," he gave me one last nonchalant look, before closing the door behind him, leaving me alone again.

Nevertheless, his words made me nervous. Dante was angry and I was about to meet that part of him I had never seen before.

Despite the situation, I couldn't help but panic. Even if it wasn't my fault everything I had to go through in a kidnapping planned by the one who was my boyfriend or the fact that Dante had found out I was being sold at auction, but had no idea it was his younger brother who sold me as a virgin.

I took off the coat that covered my body and the serum bag that surely was no longer useful, but which I still put back in its place. My hand was hurt, but that didn't worry me.

A knock sounded on the door, before Dante's silhouette appeared through the frame.