CHAPTER FIVE

A CHUCKLE THREATENED to break out of Chase's mouth immediately he saw the confusion contorted all over Sophia's pretty and innocent face but he masked it off quickly by straightening up. He wasn't someone to show such emotions.

Sophia locked eyes with Chase and he could swear his breath hitched in his throat. "W-What do you mean? What do-what do you mean I'm going to be yours?"

"Così dannatamente innocente", He muttered under his breath and then ruffled her hair that was already scattered around and flying all over her face. “You’re meant to wait for tomorrow night to understand what I mean. For now, I'll love to keep you on your toes." He then turned and walked out of the room, leaving her alone with her jumbled thoughts.

{"So fucking innocent"}

Sophia sighed and closed her eyes, trying to endure the throbbing pain in her body. Her whole body ached from her head, down to her wrist and ankle. “Oh lord, please help me out of this place" " she whispered into the air. “Please take care of my Nana and don't let her worry about me,"

~~~

Twenty-four hours.

Twenty-four fucking hours had barely passed with a few minutes and Chase was finally ready to make Sophia his’. He sat on his large chair in his office, watching the footage of the room she was tied up, watching every single detail of her. Within the last twenty-four hours, he hadn't batted an eyelash because he had been staring at her.

His property.

He didn't miss any slight movement she had made while she was tied to the chair, and anytime a smile threatened to break on his lips, he'd straighten up and scold himself.

He wasn't meant to smile. And that too, because of a woman. A woman was a man's weakness and it wasn't any different in their world. Growing up to be in his position, he'd seen and heard a lot of men in their world whom women were used as leverage to destroy them and he wasn't ready to be one of those people.

Chase stared at the wristwatch wrapped around his wrist, telling him it was finally almost time for his game. Just less than a minute remaining. After whatever was to happen that night, he'd make sure Sophia got all the treatment she deserved for all the bruises those fucking ropes imprinted on her flawless skin. He'd make sure she ate enough food and returned to the way she'd always been. For him. For himself.

A knock came on his door, and he groaned out a reply. “Venire,"

{"Come in"}

One of his men walked in with a slight bow. "è il momento, Don,"

{"It's time, Don."}

"spero che sia tutto pronto? "He asked. “on voglio nessun cazzo di errore,"

{"I hope everything is ready?} {"I don't want any fucking mistake"}

"Certo, don. È tutto perfetto, proprio come hai ordinato”, The man replied with his head still bowed.

{"Sure, Don. Everything is perfect just as you ordered."}

Chase hummed and dropped the cigar he was holding in the ashtray on his table and stood up before slowly pulling off his suit coat, followed by his waistcoat and loosened his tie, then walked around the table. "Seguimi, "He strode out of the office with the man trailing behind him.

{"Follow me"}

~~~

Sophia's head snapped up the second she heard the creaking sound of the door opening, and her heartbeat increased wildly against its ribcage, threatening to burst out.

She watched as Chase walked in, looking more handsome than ever-if it was any possible - with his slightly disheveled hair and face kept stoic as usual down to his black button-down shirt with two top buttons undone and sleeves pulled to his elbow, giving her a free display of his veiny forearms. Her hands instantly itched to touch it.

"Gattina," Chase's deep voice pulled her out of her thought, and she blinked before staring back at him; anywhere but his eyes.

{"Kitten"}

Sophia gulped. “You-", Her voice came out hoarse, and she cleared her throat. Her voice would sound like that when she'd not taken water. “You came,"

Chase hummed and knelt in front of her. “I’ll come for you, gattina. Now and always,"

{"Kitten"}

"What does it mean? What does that name mean? “She asked, feeling heat creep up her whole body, resulting from his intense stare at her.

Chase asked and stood up. “Too bad, you can't know,"

"Why? “She asked.

"Because it's not in your place to know", He said. "Anyways, it's time for our game,"

"It's too late to play a game" " she whispered.

"So it wasn't too late for you to run away?. “He raised a brow.

"I'm sorry." She dropped her eyes to the ground and let out a tired sigh. She was too tired and wasn't ready to play any game, especially when she didn't know its nature."I'm tired" " she croaked out.

Chase clenched his jaw and bent down a little to her level, then placed both his fore and middle finger under her chin and nudged it a little too harshly, making her whimper. He held her chin between the two fingers and jerked her head up so she'd look at him in the eye."When I decide something, it happens according to how I want it, so, getting, you'll play the game, and that's final. Am I clear?",

{"Kitten"}

Sophia felt a lone tear roll down her cheeks and slid on Chase's fingers before she gave a meek nod.

"Words, gattina." He gripped her chin tighter."I want fucking words",

{"Kitten"}

"Y-", She sobbed and he tightened his grip on her chin."Yes",

"Brava ragazza", He muttered and let go of her chin.

{"Good girl"}

"I-Can I get water?."Another tear rolled down Sophia's cheeks, and she bit down on her lower lip to quiet the sob about to break out of her mouth.

Chase waved his fingers at someone by the door, and in a few seconds, a man putting on all black walked into the room with a cup of water. He passed it to Chase who collected it and bowed his head.

Chase bent down in front of her and took the cup to her lips. “Drink,"

Sophia nodded, opened her mouth, and gulped down the whole glass of water. When the whole glass of water was emptied down her throat and he pulled the cup away, she gave him a small smile. “Thanks,"

Chase resisted the urge to scoff at her. What was there to smile at for given water? He ignored her and passed the cup to the man behind him who bowed again and left them alone. “Are you ready for our game?"

Sophia hesitated before nodding her head. When she remembered how he'd reacted towards her when she only nodded, she opened her mouth to speak. "Y-yes,"

"Good," He began to untie the ropes on her wrist, then moved to the ones on her legs before standing up. “Stand up,"

Sophia obeyed him without any word. “Thank you,"

Chase passed his hand towards the man standing by the door side, who dropped a small wristwatch and a listening device on his palm. He turned to Sophia and grabbed one of her hands, ignoring the whimper that escaped her lips, before strapping the wristwatch around her bruised wrist and helping her put the listening device on one of her ears. “I want you to run away from here. You have only five minutes to do that,"

Sophia frowned. “Is that even a game? “She almost laughed but bit her lip when she saw that he didn't look amused.

"Maybe after the game, you'll question your capabilities in sport rather than the game." He switched on a timer on both their wrist watches and the loud-sounding sound of a clock ticking resounded through the room. “Go,"

"Y-your-those huge men. They'll catch me", She said. “I’m scared,"

Chase shoved her towards the door. “There’s no fun without risks, Gattina. No worries, no one will try to stop or catch you because they know of our little game." He looked at his wristwatch. “One minute is gone, and you only have four more minutes left for you. I'll wait here till those four minutes are over before coming after you. Save yourself, or you'll be mine here. You'll be trapped with me forever if you waste any time. Go,"

{"Kitten"}

Sophia clutched the locket around her neck that had the photograph of her parents and herself when she was a baby. "T-thanks. I'll go, "She turned and ran away towards the front door, and true to his words, no one was there to even try and stop her.

~~~

Sophia looked around the whole big, dark, and silent estate. The only sounds she could hear were the ones of the cold breeze blowing away and the ticking sound of the wristwatch strapped around her wrist, then that of her wildly beating heart.

She sneaked a glance at the light, illuminating from the wristwatch to see the time when Chase's voice boomed through her ears from the hearing device. “Two minutes thirty-two seconds, gattina. You have less than two minutes, and you're nowhere close to leaving my estate,"

{"Kitten"}

Sophia's panicked eyes searched for any sign of anybody watching her to maybe report to Chase but found no one.

She placed her hand on her chest and said a silent prayer in her heart. That was her only chance of escape, and if she didn't do it, she didn't even know what Chase would use her to do as his’. As she thought of that, her eyes stopped at an old building not far away from where she stood, and a small smile graced her lips.

She surely wouldn't be able to leave the estate in less than two minutes. She knew that, so the best thing to do was to hide in the old house till morning while Chase would hopelessly search for her. Then, once she was sure he gave up, she'd find her way out of the estate in the morning.

With her perfect plan in mind, she ran towards there, hissing in pain and ignoring the pain in her ankle. She froze again in her tracks when she heard Chase's voice again. “Here I come, gattina. Your time is up. I hope you're safely hidden away from me?"

{"Kitten"}

Sophia nodded her head and then spoke up when she realized he wouldn't be able to see her. “Yes. I-I'm gone,"

"Good. My turn now," Chase's voice came again until she heard the loud and slow sounds of his footsteps as if he had all the time in the world to reach her.

Sophia ran towards the door and tried to open it but it wasn't opening it. She looked around frantically for another hiding place until she spotted the tree in front of the house and hid behind it.

"Gattina, where are you? “Chase’s voice reached her ears as she heard his footsteps. It wasn't only from the hearing device. She could hear his footsteps coming closer to the tree and she pressed herself tightly against the tree as if to disappear into it. "You aren't making the game any interesting now", Chase said, standing behind the tree from the other side.

{"Kitten"}

Sophia fisted her hands into a ball and bit down on her lower lip to hold her breath. She couldn't afford to have him find her. If Chase found her, she'd be a goner. She wouldn't see her Nana ever again and she didn't even want to imagine the type of things he'd do with her.

Chase resisted the urge to just stretch his hands out behind the tree and drag her to his side to finally claim her as his property. He knew damned well she was behind the tree. He could feel her presence very well but he wanted to keep on leaving her belt-and-braces.

He was psychotic. Chase knew that very well and that was why he wanted to keep on continuing his mind games with her because, in the end, he would emerge as the winner. “Gattina, I can't find you. Can you come out?",

{"Kitten"}

Sophia breathed out in relief as she watched him walk away from the tree and she tiptoed on her bare legs to hide behind the pillar standing on the porch of the house. She peeked and her breath hitched again when she saw him walking towards the pillar where she was already hiding and she quickly ducked herself away.

"Lord please help me" " she whispered only to her hearing and clutched unto her locket with closed eyes. “Lord, please help me. Mama, papa, don't let him catch-",

Sophia didn't finish her prayer when she heard Chase's voice close to her. “Found ya!",