Chapter 18 Choose me
Madison's POV
He could try to kill me but I couldn't unsee what I had seen.
I didn't see him as a monster.
Okay, maybe that version and some other versions of him.
Though a part of me understood what he was doing. He was trying to prove a point.
He wanted me to see him as a bad person. He may be a bad person but there was a limit to it and deep down, I knew he wouldn't have killed me.
If he wasn't put in a tough spot though. But he was, then I know he'd definitely choose to kill me. Nobody ever chose to save me.
"Smack you lips" The lady said, holding the lip gloss away from my lips.
"Huh?" I raised my eyebrow at her, confused.
She pinched her nose, closing her eyes for few seconds. "Like this" She jammed her lips together. "Do it."
Carefully, I copied the action. Oh, that was what she meant.
"I'm done. Wait for Don's approval. He'll be here shortly." The lady coupled her suitcase. She called it a make-up kit when I asked. "Goodluck out there" She patted my shoulder, leaving me to myself.
I was scared of looking at my reflection in the mirror. With all the things I saw her apply to my face, I didn't know what I'd resemble.
"Just look then." A voice in my head scolded.
With trembling fingers, I stood up, walking to the mirror slowly.
Time and everything seem to come to a stop when I stood in front of the mirror. My hands raised up, lightly touching my face.
I looked... Different. More beautiful.
I looked like a whole new person.
"Oh my God." The words fell out of my lips, expressing what I felt inside of me. I was shocked.
How was this possible. She just used powders. Different types.
"Ready?" A hoarse male voice asked. "Maddie?" The voice called out to me. Only Alessandro called me that.
I couldn't turn to face him. I didn't know if he'd recognize me. Would he like this face better? What if ....
Too many what ifs.
"Madison!" He yelled, spinning me around abruptly.
I squealed, missing my footing but before I could land on my butt, he caught me by my waist, my fingertip held onto a button on his shirt. Like that was going to freaking save me.
Our eyes met, making my heart beat accelerate. I couldn't decipher the emotion that swum in his eyes but if I was to hallucinate, i'd say it's admiration.
"Don, he just got there." Another voice boomed from the door.
Alessandro didn't pull me up harshly or anything when the extra voice came in. He took his time lifting me up, gently. Then he moved back, his eyes looked like they were memorizing my curves as they roamed up and down my body.
I began to pinch my nails nervously. "Do.. do I look good?"
"Different." He spoke, his voice raspy.
Was that a good thing to him?
"I.. I could wipe it off" I turned but he caught my hand immediately.
"No time for that, Maddie. It's called Disguise." He tugged at my hand, making my knee buckle. "Why are you clumsy today?"
"Can't you see she's struggling to walk in those heels?" Stefan smirked. This amused him? My suffering amused him?
I shot him a glare, trying to find my balance and a rhythm.
"Well, fuck. What can you do, Raven?" Alessandro scoffed.
I halted, pulling my hands away from his. He gave me a 'what?" look.
"I got this." I told him, walking past him. The first few steps were wobbly until I mastered the rhythm.
That'd shut them up.
The ride to wherever my mission was, was silent as fuck - only the roaring sounds of engines and horns were heard from outside the car. Though I noticed Alessandro clench and unclench his fist. He'd also turn to look at me.
My face was straight all through the ride, trying to mask my real feelings. I hid my fingers under my thigh. I was wearing a jumpsuit that hugged my shape and had a deep V line neck that exposed a little of my cleavages.
It was that morning I had officially found out that serpent wasn't a reptile but a person. I don't know if I felt more relieved or more scared.
I had a hunch though but you can never know with these Mafia people.
"Huh?" I panted softly when I felt Alessandro's palm on mine, though something cold was in-between.
"Use it when necessary." He said, looking outside the window. "It's a knife."
A knife?
I nodded, putting it in my small purse.
"We're here." Alessandro growled, looking towards the building. We were parked miles away from it. "You read all my text messages right?"
Yeah, he felt like that was the suitable place to discuss after the incident where he almost choked me to death.
Funny how he didn't apologize about his behavior. I wasn't expecting him to anyway.
"Yeah." I nodded, my eyes focused on the type of men I saw entering into the place.
They all looked like Alessandro. All tattoo-ey and big. Some were way bigger.
I gulped down my saliva, looking at Alessandro who had a concerned look on his face. It disappeared as soon as it came though.
"Don't forget Rule 1"
Don't let them get you
"Right." I nodded, clenching my fist.
I was really doing this.
"You can go." He nodded at me.
I blinked my eyes at him. "You... You're not coming with me? How then am I supposed to know the serpent."
Alessandro raised his eyebrow at me. "I described him, Maddie. A tattoo of serpents, white, a bit muscular and his eyebrows are pierced."
I glanced at the place I was supposed to enter. There were a lot of persons and then the anxiety began to creep in.
"I must've forgotten to add that he has a serpent draped around his neck."
My head snapped to Alessandro. "Excuse you?" I shook my head frantically. "No. No. No, I'm not - I'm going to die. Those things have venoms!"
Alessandro ruffled his hair with his finger. "You think I don't know that?" He yelled out of the blue, making me flinch. "I know and I don't even feel ..."
He clenched his jaw, looking at me, his eyes cold.
"This is messed up" I muttered under my breath.
"You have to earn your place in this world. You have to be strong, Maddie. You need to be strong to live in this world. Take risk." He advised.
There was no time I wanted to be part of his world.
But then, I had a strategic plan to gain his trust right?
I braced myself up. "I'll get going."
I had already stepped out of the car, about to close the door when he called out to me.
"Maddie" His voice broke. Unusual.
I looked up at him, waiting for him to say anything. Waiting for him to tell me to get back inside the car.
Waiting for him to choose my safety.
"What's the worse that can happen?" He shrugged, a smirk on his lips.
Right.