62

62
Brinda

“You are a fucking coward, Francesco. A man who ever raises his hands at a woman is not worthy to be called… A man.” I pointed the truth out, though my voice cracked.

“Do you think you are in a position to tell me what to do?” His breathing grazed my skin. “Come off it, Damsel. This is my world. I call the shots.” He said rather nonchalantly as he stared into my eyes.

There was not even a little bit of remorse in him. 

I struggled against the chains around my wrists but it was useless. I couldn’t break free. As the case may be, I am back to square one. I am exactly in the position where I was the night the Russo brothers attacked.

And I really guess that this is the end, I am not with any pin so I can’t escape. I could have depended on my earrings but Francesco had removed them as he is now more cautious because of what happened the other night.

Fate. What does it have in stall for me?

He pulled my chin upward, letting his cold eyes penetrate into my soul. “I warned you not to step on my toes. Never! But… It seems like you enjoy what I do to you, right?” He released his hold on my chin. 

He let out a sigh then he licked his lips while he walked backward. “The next few days of your life will be nothing but hell.” He smirked. “And it starts right this moment.”

He walked into the toilet and a few minutes later, he appeared with a bowl in his hands. He stopped when he almost kicked me — That is to show how really close he was. “This is something you would love.”

He dropped the bowl in front of me. He whistled as he made his way behind me. I fixed my eyes on the bowl of water before me. A thought crossed my mind and it made my heart skip a bit as I realised what Francesco would do. 

I tried turning to my left but I guess it was too late as Francesco’s right hand grabbed my neck. Fear gripped me while my eyes shone brightly. 

With a full force, Francesco lowered my head into the bowl before me. I closed my eyes because I do not know what the content of the bowl was. The moment my face came in contact with the cold water in the bowl, I felt an electric current of cold radiate through my whole being. 

I managed to seize my breathing while he pressed my head further into the water. I struggled to break free but I couldn’t. One, the chains were an obstruction. Two, I am weak already. Three, my power can’t match his.

After a few minutes, he stopped while I managed to fall on my right side breathing profusely. I could have died just now but thankfully, my years of training as a spy did not go to waste.

“This is just the beginning of your misery.” His voice dripped with cruelty.

He picked up the sweater he dropped on the floor earlier and left the room. His laughter echoed through the hallway.

I would surely kill Francesco. If no one else kills him, I would. And that, I swear with my mother’s dead body. 

I felt my body weaken but I tried to keep my eyes open but I couldn’t.

\~~~~~

I let out some cough as smoke filled my nostrils. 

Despite my weak state, I flipped my eyes open and sat upright, scared that the house or room was on fire. My eyes fell on Francesco who was lying on his back on the sofa adjacent to where I was. The house wasn’t on fire but it was Francesco who was smoking heavily. 

“Welcome back, Damsel,” came his cold inhuman voice. I pretended like I did not hear him. He chuckled lightly and turned to look at me. “What is with the attitude?” He questioned.

I rolled my eyes away from his direction trying to hide the pain I felt because of the chains.

The door opened and one of his men entered the room. They dropped a tray of food in front of me. I lowered my head then I hissed. The sight of what they had brought only irritated me. I am not…

“A Dog, right? You must be thinking that, right? That is some of my leftovers from this morning. You can eat that.” Francesco’s voice was only filled with mockery.

I stared at the food for some moments. I pulled myself towards it but I couldn’t reach the food because my hands were chained too high to come down to that level. I mean… Too tight that it cannot reach the food and go back to my mouth.

To fool the fool who thinks he is fooling you, you have to play the role of a fool to fool him.

To consume the food, I stretched my neck out and ate directly with my mouth. Francesco’s laughter echoed through the room. Shortly, I had his approaching footsteps but that didn’t stop me from eating until…

A cry of pain left my mouth as I felt a burning sensation on my skin. My eyes turned red while I screamed to reach my neck region but I couldn’t. Francesco bent beside me and in his hand was a cigarette. He had used it to burn my skin.

Tears rolled out of my eyes then it flowed till it soaked my cloth while Francesco, being the devil that he is, stared at me smiling as if he had won a jackpot. 

That was how five days of my life went. Miserable as that of a drainage’s rat. It didn’t stop at that. Francesco whipped me on my back and pulled out some of my fingernails.

As I laid on the bed naked, Francesco hovered over me, his eyes glinting under the dim light. “I want to take you.” He placed kisses on my neck all the way down to my breast. He sucked on it gently but I just laid there like a corpse.

I couldn’t feel anything. My body was too weak. 

“Can’t you moan?” He yelled as he rose to his feet. He pulled my legs and used it to drag me to my feet. “How dare you? Are you saying I am not good enough?” His voice, fearful and strong.

“You… You’re… You are not up to the task.” I whispered, intentionally pissing him off. All I want is to be free.

He released his hold on me then got off the bed. He pulled up his shorts and rushed to where I was. He clothed me up then he carried me out of the room. When we reached the ground floor, he dropped me on the cold tiled floor.

“Throw her out! Death will find her soon.” Francesco’s harsh voice rang out like the sharp edge of a sword.

His men carried me to the gate and dumped me outside of the house.

Lightning struck suddenly as it signalled the impending rain. The sound of thunder brewed from above. Feeling used, weak, rejected and at the verge of death, I crawled away from the front of the Dante’s mansion. 

A smile appeared on my lips as I knew that I have crawled away from the life I never wanted, left the life that has given me pain, and the life I despise so much.

Heavy rain pattered on the tarred road but that did not stop me from dragging myself away despite the fact that my body has been turned to a temple of pain. 

“Do you mind if I help you?” 

That is a voice I can never forget in my life. That is Peter’s… I mean, Marshall's voice.  

Isn’t this from furnace to hell?