2

"Two souls don't find each other by simple accident."

~~

The man left me in a small windowless room.

The only way in an out was a small metal door which only opened from the outside.

Don't panic Angelica.

Do not panic.

I chanted the silent mantra in my head.

I had to figure out a way to get out of here.

But how?

The door creaked open and I jumped in surprise, my eyes taking in the men who filed in. There were four in total, the one in front was clearly in charge.

The first thing I noticed was that he looked about the same age as me.

The second thing I noticed was how unrealistically beautiful he was. He was almost too perfect.

His skin.

His hair.

His lips.

Everything about him was perfect.

How could someone so beautiful be evil?

I found myself thinking.

But that's the thing about beauty, it can deceive you. I realized that as soon as our eyes met.

I shuddered.

His black eyes were cold.

Lifeless.

Cruel.

"Who is this?" His voice was soft like velvet, almost innocent but his black eyes flashed, giving him away.

"Warren brought her in, said she saw him taking care of some business." One of the men standing behind him replied.

He sighed, his face growing bored. He walked towards me slowly. His eyes studying me with that same bored look.

"She's too plain for my liking." He said blandly. His eyes moved over my body in a way which made me want to throw up, they finally came to settle on my chest. "Too skinny." He clicked his tongue in disapproval. His hand started reaching out to touch me.

It happened fast.

My hand whipped back and I brought it down with full force.

The sound of the slap resonated.

My hand throbbed.

My eyes widened in realization.

What have I done?

He hissed in rage. His hand went to his cheek.

In a flash he was on me. His hand fisted my hair, he yanked my head back painfully. His other hand wrapped around my throat cutting off my air supply.

"You will regret that, bitch." He snarled.

I started clawing at his hands.

He threw me against the wall, the collision knocked the air out of my lungs.

My shoulders heaved as I gasped for air. I raised my head and gave the man the most hate-filled glare I could muster. His pitch black eyes narrowed on me for a second before his attention turned to the men behind him.

"Do as you please with her." He snarled. "Just make sure you clean up your mess afterwards. I don't want her to be my problem." With that being said, he walked out of the room without sparing me a backward glance.

The door banged shut behind him. Leaving me alone with the three other men.

I shakily got back on my feet. The door was sealed shut, it could only be opened from the outside so trying to make a run for it would be pointless.

I studied each man one by one. They outnumbered me and they were strong. There was no way I could fight them.

But there was no way I would go down without a fight either.

I locked my knees into place, my hands curled into fists.

That seemed to amuse them because they started chuckling.

''Sarà divertente, ragazzi" (This is going to be fun, boys). The one in the middle spoke up.

They kept advancing towards me.

Thud

Thud

Thud.

I could feel my heart beating wildly, the adrenaline rushing through my veins.

My foot lashed out as I aimed a kick at the man who had spoken. I hit him square in his stomach, taking him completely off-guard, he staggered back but quickly regained his composure.

His lips twisted into a sadistic smirk. "Oh yes baby, the more you fight the better it will be for us." He loosened the tie from around his neck.

I swallowed.

I could feel my heart sinking.

I aimed my kick at his groin this time but he was prepared. His hand wrapped around my foot and he yanked it forward making me lose my balance. I crashed to the floor once again. Before I could even catch my breath he had me pinned. I bucked my hips trying to throw him off me but he was too heavy, too strong.

"Come on la puttana. That was too easy. I was expecting a little more fight from you." He mocked me. I could hear the other two men snickering.

I could feel the tears of hopelessness starting to burn my eyes. One of his hands pinned my wrists the other started trailing down my neck towards my chest. I could feel the bile rising in my throat.

Suddenly the door slammed open.

"What the fuck is going on over here?" A thick masculine voice demanded.

The man who was pinning me down suddenly froze, his face grew pale.

"Get up." The same voice ordered. The pure authority behind it made me shudder.

In a flash the man was off me.

For some reason I couldn't bring myself to move. My whole body was paralyzed with fear.

"What is the meaning of this Leon?" The new voice growled, there was no missing the raw untamed rage behind the words.

"Warren brought her in." The man who had held me down, Leon, stuttered. "Lucian gave her to us, told us that was could do as we please."

There was a thud followed by a groan. My eyes widened in shock when my I saw Leon sprawled on the floor, his nose bleeding.

"You do not hurt a woman, ever. Do you understand?" I shiver ran down my spine when I heard the pure menace in the man's voice. I still couldn't bring myself to look at him. "Now get out before I kill you all." His voice was low making it seem even more dangerous.

Just like that the three men left, without a single word of argument.

I heard a sigh.

I realized I was still lying on the ground.

The first thing my eyes connected with were his shoes. The reason his shoes caught my attention was because they weren't the expensive looking shiny black ones every other man I'd come across here had been wearing. They were plain white sneakers. My eyes traveled up his legs, he was wearing jeans.

He's tall.

Maybe a foot taller than me.

He wore a plain black T-shirt which stretched over his broad chest. My eyes followed up his tan throat and finally settled on his face.

I almost gasped.

His features were harsh, almost brutal.

He was terrifying.

He wasn't beautiful like the man I'd seen earlier.

No, this man could never be described as beautiful. Everything about him screamed primal masculinity.

His grey eyes darkened with anger when he looked at me, a whole storm brewing behind them, ready to consume me.

His hair was black, cut really short so his face was completely exposed. He had a sharp jaw and prominently high cheekbones. I noticed the scar on the right side of his face, it ran from his eyebrow to his cheekbone. His lips were lush and soft but there were hard lines around them making them look punishing.

He wasn't handsome in the conventional way but I realized that he probably would have been considered attractive if he wasn't so frightening.

"Are you alright?" His voice was softer when he spoke to me.

His hand reached out for me but I scooted away from him. "Don't touch me." I spat out.

I slowly got up on my feet, my legs shook.

He raised his hands in surrender. "I will not hurt you." He said in the same soft voice, as if he were talking to a little child. "Will you tell me your name?"

He nodded thoughtfully when I didn't respond. "I'm Sebastian."

Everything about this man was formidable. I knew all too well from experience that showing fear only made things worse so even though I was scared out of my mind I jutted my chin out and looked him right in the eye.

He smirked, the creases in his cheeks becoming more pronounced. He knew exactly the kind of effect he had on me. I wasn't fooling him.

Cocky bastard.

"You can call me that if you want, I won't mind. I am a cocky bastard."

My hand slapped over my mouth.

I'd said that out loud?

My eyes scanned over his face desperately but to my surprise I found no traces of rage just amusement.

"I will not hurt you." He repeated calmly. His eyes scanned over my body but it wasn't in the vile way like those men had looked at me earlier, it was more like he was scanning my body for injuries.

"What is your name, bellissima?" He asked gently.

I swallowed.

"Angelica Hale." I answered, my voice was hoarse.

Hale was my mother's maiden name. I'd always felt comfortable using it instead of my step-fathers.

He nodded. "Angel. It suits you." He spoke to himself.

"You don't have an accent like the others." I suddenly blurted.

His eyebrows went up his forehead in surprise. His eyes danced with amusement.

"Neither do you." He paused for a moment. "But you're not from here are you?"

I didn't respond but I didn't have to, he already knew the answer.

"I went to boarding school in America that is why I don't have an accent as you said." He told me casually. His stormy eyes studied me. "You are American, I can tell. What are you doing here in Verona Italy, bella?

"Looking for my father." It was out of my mouth before I even realized it.

I sighed.

"And why are you looking for your father?" His curiosity seeped through his words.

"My mother is dead and my father is the only living relative I have left. I came here to find him but I've had no luck so far, I don't even know if he's alive." I told him blandly.

I had no idea what made me give him this information. Maybe I had knocked my head too hard when I fell down. Maybe everything that was happening was making me delusional. Maybe I'd been lonely for too long.

He gave me a look. I could see it in his eyes, pity.

I scowled at him.

"Don't look at me like that." I snapped.

In a flash his face morphed back into the cold mask from before.

"They told me that Warren brought you here?" His voice was the same soft drawl he'd used with me earlier.

"If the blonde giant with the prissy attitude is Warren then yes, he's the one who brought me here." I scowled again.

Sebastian's face stayed blank but I could see it again, the amusement dancing in his eyes.

"I see." He responded before he turned to walk away.

I could feel my heart drop.

He was leaving!

What if those men came back?

"Hey!" I cried out suddenly stopping him.

I could still feel Leon's filthy hands on me. The thought alone made me nauseous.

I gulped.

"Just kill me and get it over with." I whispered.

He froze. I could see his whole body go rigid.

He turned around to face me slowly.

"What did you say?" He growled. His voice was dark, furious, it made me shrink back.

My hands shook. My throat felt like it was made of sandpaper.

"Please just do it. Make it quick. I know it's going to happen sooner or later. I'd rather it be sooner. I don't want them touching me again." I was begging at this point.

His face softened a little.

"I find it amusing how people forget all about honor or friendship, even family when faced with death. They plead to live, they'd say or do anything to stay alive. Usually when we bring people into this cell they beg us to let them stay alive. But here you beg for death?"

I closed my eyes allowing a lone tear to escape. "Why would I beg to live when I have nothing to live for anymore? I have no family, no home, no food, and no money. I am probably going to die anyway, I'd prefer it to be merciful."

There it was again, in his eyes, pity.

I hated that look.

"I wasn't leaving you." He said softly.

"What?"

His eyes locked with mine. His gaze was heated, intense.

"Right now when I turned away from you I wasn't leaving." He spoke louder this time. "I was going to ask the men standing outside to open the door so you could leave."

My eyes widened in shock. "You're letting me go?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes cautious. "We do not keep innocent people as prisoners, Angelica. You are and always will be free."

"Warren!" He called out sharply. Slowly the door creaked open.

Sure enough the same man who'd brought me here stood in the door way. He looked a little guilty.

"I think you owe Ms. Hale an apology." Sebastian spoke quietly.

Warren gave me a weak smile. "I am truly sorry ma'am. I panicked. I shouldn't have brought you here."

What the hell is going on ?

I shifted my weight from one foot to another nervously. "I can really leave?"

Sebastian sighed. "Yes of course. If you wish to leave, you may. I am deeply sorry for any trouble me or my friends might have caused you."

My mouth suddenly felt parched. "No one will try to stop me?"

His features hardened, "No one would dare." His voice turned cold in an instant.

I gulped. This side of him terrified me.

"What happens if those men from earlier return. What if they try to hurt me again?'' I managed to ask.

"Then I will kill them." He responded flatly, his intense gaze trained on me. "No one will lay a finger on you. You have my word."

I slowly walked up to him till I stood in front of him. My heart was beating wildly but it wasn't from fear this time. "Thank you. For being kind to me." I whispered earnestly.

My chest felt tight. I could feel the tears welling up. It had been so long since anyone had actually shown me kindness.

My eyes met his once more and I could see his features soften. His eyes were molten grey with flecks of blue. And although his features seemed harsh, I could see the kindness his eyes.

"You are a good man." I said softly before I turned to walk away from him.

I heard his sharp intake of breath.

There was a pause.

"You could stay with me tonight if you want."

I froze.

Stay. With. Me. Tonight.

"What?" I demanded. The gratitude I'd been feeling earlier vanished in an instant.

"You heard me." Was his response.

My nostrils flared, eyes narrowed in rage.

"Fuck you!" I spat out.

He remained unfazed. "Calm down. You misunderstood me." His voice tried to soothe me. "I don't want anything from you Angelica. I swear to God I will not touch you. I would never touch a woman against her will. I am just offering you a sanctuary if you need one, since you told me you have nowhere to go. You are free to leave whenever you want, always. But please at least stay the night it's the least I can do for the inconvenience we've caused you."

I paused.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Am I really considering his offer?

But even if I do get out of here, where will I go?

I have no money. No food.

"Why are you being so kind to me? What do you want from me?'' I asked him, suspicion laced my voice.

His eyes narrowed. "I already told you, I don't want anything from you in return." He sighed, almost in exasperation. "If it makes you feel any better I'm doing it more for myself than you."

He paused and exhaled slowly. "I am trapped in a life in which I have to do things I regret everyday, things which weigh down on my conscience. On good days I get a chance to do things I don't regret, things which can make my heavy conscience a little lighter." His gaze turned fierce. "I know I won't regret helping you."

He stepped closer.

"The choice is yours. I will not stop you if you decide to leave. You will never see me again."

He took another step towards me, we were practically chest to chest now. My breath hitched.

"But if you stay.." His voice was so low, it felt like a caress.

"You can be my salvation. Even if it's only for one night."