Chapter 71: Chapter 71

◇ KEL ◇

"Mykaela?"

"Yes." I tried not to scowl as I looked at him.  It seemed he wasn't done interrogating me.

"Any idea who this is?"  Leandro gave me a grin that lifted the corner of his dark beard.

"Niccolo's uncle. His godfather, he said."

"Of course he did."  He stared at me for some awfully quiet seconds.  Then he chuckled when I said nothing more and sat still on the bed.

Was he convinced I was telling the truth?  Did he want more details?  I figured he wanted to know more about the reason  Enzo traveled to Belgrade with me, but of course I didn't want to mention the things Niccolo told me.  For his and my own safety.

"What did they tell you?"

"Not much." I glanced away.

Leandro sat next to me on the bedcovers.

"We had lunch and...we talked about their business...and my family."

"Really."

"Sì, Signore."

"Okay. If you say so." He shrugged and chuckled.  Perhaps my timid, submissive reply amused him more.

When he started combing my damp, unkempt hair with his fingers,  I tried not to fidget, especially since his wrists and thighs looked almost twice the size of mine.

He could choke me to death with his bare hands in mere seconds if I tried to outrun him to escape.

Of that, I was sure. So I'd rather not lie to him twice or piss him off in any way.  If I played nice and harmless all night, he might just let me out of here in one piece.  "Can I please go home tomorrow?"

"Sure."

Sure?  I almost gawked at him.  My heart pounded faster at the smile on his face.  It wasn't a mocking grin or a scornful smirk.  It looked like a real smile, emphasizing the crow's feet beside his shadowed eyes.  Was he serious?  Or just messing with my head again?

"But I need you to promise." He placed his hand on my neck, almost caressing the skin under my chin. "No one's gonna know about this."

"Of course."

"I meant what I said. I didn't want to hurt you. I just didn't get the facts straight soon enough."

Soon enough?  What facts?  I almost glared at him.  Did he seriously expect me to believe his bullshit?

Knowing well he was only manipulating me, I nodded twice and opted to say what he wanted to hear.  "Let me go home now. Please."

"Can I trust you to be smart?"  He stroked my hair and face multiple times till I almost pulled away.  "Stay away from Lorenzio."

"I will."  It was all I could say in reply.  As uneasy as he made me feel, I knew being totally submissive would be my only way out of here.

"I'm sure you want to keep your family safe."

"No one's gonna know. Please. I just wanna go home."

"Good little doll."  The guy kissed my head this time, then resumed combing my hair with his fingers.

I tried to act like it didn't bother me.  It made me want to kick him off the bed but I knew better.  When he got up and opened the nightstand drawer again, I eyed the locked door.  Two metal bolts.  One on the left side.  One on top.

"Let's make sure you keep your promise."  He sighed and took out a pair of shiny handcuffs from the drawer.

Shit.  He wasn't done playing.  Shit.  Why wouldn't he just leave me alone?

Despite every inch of my body protesting at the sight of the restraints he chose for me, I could only watch while he cuffed my ankle to the bedpost.  Tears filled my eyes.  It wasn't like I could outwrestle him.  If I tried anything fishy, he might just knock me unconscious.  "Please don't—  I won't tell anyone.  I'm not lying to you. Please—"

"Relax, doll.  It's just insurance."  The psycho laughed at my immediate reaction of sheer panic.  Then he stroked my cheek and glanced down at the dried blood along the scratches on his arms.  "You're gonna help me lie when she asks about these."  He chuckled again as he crouched in front of me.

"Okay."

"She's a nice girl."  He nodded faintly and absentmindedly touched the hem of his girlfriend's nightgown, his tone pensive, as if he was mulling over his current relationship.  "Let's keep this a secret for now."  He leaned closer to me and stared into my eyes.  "Understood?"

"Sì, Signore."

In response, he hugged me to him and kissed me gently on the neck.  "I really don't want to get rid of her yet."

Get rid of her?  Did he mean...he would kill Alodia?  What the heck?  "Please don't."  My hands itched to slap his face away, but I shouldn't.  Calm.  Submissive.  Harmless.  I repeated the words in my head.

"Don't what?"

"Don't hurt her."

"Then do as you're told."

"I will."

He kissed my neck again while he stroked the back of my head and the side of my waist.  Then his hands lifted me off the covers to put me on his lap, practically straddling him.  He kept kissing my neck, then the skin above my chest.

It made me wince and feel utterly disgusted with myself, but, at least he wasn't choking me into submission.  I let him kiss my neck and cheeks while his hands held my head still.  At least he was tamer—almost gentle—and I was fully clothed this time.  "I'll keep quiet," I muttered before he could start kissing me on the lips.

"Of course you will. I want you to go back home alive." He grinned and squeezed the side of my hips.  "But you'll stay away from my brother. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Good."  The guy smiled again.  When I kept quiet, he held my forearms to put them around his neck.

"Ow."  I pulled away.  His hold just hurt my wrists.  They weren't broken, but they felt too sensitive to his touch.  I kept avoiding his eyes even after I heard him apologize for hurting my sore and pinkish wrists.

"I'll get you something to help with the swelling. Okay?"

"Thank you."  I held back tears and faked a smile, thankful he stopped kissing and touching me inappropriately, and even more thankful that he didn't break my hands, or any bones.  I even bowed my head, just to convince him of my gratitude.

"You want anything to eat?"

"No."

"Water?"

"Yes, please," I replied quietly.  My throat actually felt parched.  And if he would step out of the room to get me some water, I might have enough time to put together a good enough escape plan.  Maybe I could slip out through the window.  Break the glass with the curtain rod in the shower.  Plan B.

"Give me a kiss goodnight." He touched my neck again.

Although I had no problem pretending to be calm and subservient,  his warm breaths and his half-naked body being too close just made my heartbeat ratchet up.  My chest felt constricted again.

Anxiety. Nervousness. Fear.  Desperation.  Whichever it was, I just wanted it to go away.

"I'm waiting."

Shit.   He was serious.  Ugh!  Fine.  I would give him a kiss, just so he'd finally leave me alone and in peace.

With every bit of patience and restraint left in me, I kissed him on the cheek, just below his sharp cheekbone and just above his thick and dark beard.

"Good girl."  Leandro pulled away and gave me another smile that bared his nice, white teeth.  His grin almost looked genuine.  He kept watching me while he stood by the bed.  "Sorry about earlier."

"Okay."

"Get some sleep."

"Thank you." I wanted to stare into his eyes but I just couldn't.  I might end up weeping pathetically in front of him.  I didn't want that.

The psycho might think of preying on my weakness further.  Or he'd play another game with me to entertain his sick fantasies.  "Lie down."  He stayed standing right next to the bed as he waited for me to do as he said.  Then he pulled the covers over me and kissed my head.

Before I could react to it, some loud knocks disrupted the awkward tension.

Thank God.

Was it Enzo?  Please be Enzo...  Please be Enzo.

The knocks on the door loudened when Leandro kept quiet, like me.  The next second, a muffled male voice spoke from the other side of the door and said something in Italian.  "Signore?" the guy almost shouted when Leandro and I both stayed silent.

"That's my bedtime alarm."  Leandro stroked my hair one last time, then got up from the bed and headed for the door. "Sweet dreams, doll."

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