Chapter 24

"Yes, mamá."

"You're very strong, mija."

"Thank you, mamá."

"Meha, you need to wake up, the fight is not over."

My eyes snapped open with the last words from my mother and I immediately became aware of Giovanni. I stepped back and wanted to speak, but my mouth was too dry and there was pain and an unfamiliar feeling around my neck. Giovanni never moved, he just stood with his eyes boring into mine. I lifted my hands to feel my throat, trying to soothe the uncomfortable feeling when I felt the collar. I immediately felt the panic seeping in. His dark gaze remained fixed on me, but he didn't so much as blink to my reaction. I expected him to laugh or speak, but he just remained quiet. He was watching to see what I would do next and what I wanted to do, I'd need my gun or knife.

I felt around for my gun and that's when I became aware that I was completely naked. The only thing that graced my skin was the collar around my neck. I didn't bother covering my nakedness because it would be a waste of energy. Giovanni just stood watching me and his gaze never left mine. Even when I looked away, I could feel him looking, staring, making me uncomfortable.

"Take a picture, it will last longer," I said hoarsely.

Giovanni walked closer, within arms reach and said, "I like looking at what's mine." His voice was deep and absolute. He spoke as if there was no question of who I belong to.

"I'm not yours," I said in a whisper and while his words were of absolution, mine came out as a question.

With fully dilated pupils and eyes as green and deep as the forest, he gave me a look of displeasure. It was as if he was waiting for me to defy him as he began to unbutton his shirt. Even in the dim lighting I could make out his beautifully sculpted body and the tattoos that ran from his hands up to his broad shoulders. I swallowed hard as he removed the shirt completely, exposing his deep v that led to the cock I'd fallen for.

"You don't belong to me?" He said with a raised brow.

"No."

"Do you belong to Antonio?"

"No," I said, hatred dripping from the word.

"You belong to me, Scarlett."

Giovanni hissed my name and I suddenly felt small. He'd always been bigger than me, at least 100 pounds of pure muscle, but I never felt small. His hand moved a strand of hair behind my ear and I shivered as soon as his finger made contact with my skin. His touch was sweet and it sent my senses into overdrive as he let his hand roam from my ear to my collared neck down to my bare breast. Giovanni's large hand sent a chastising slap to my breast and the sound echoed throughout the room. Without hesitation, my training kicked in and I raised my leg to knee him, but he was faster than me.

Giovanni's hand blocked my hit and when I proceeded to throw a punch he stopped me in mid-swing. That infuriated me so I used all of my strength to take my right hand and punch him in the mouth. He instantly looked at me with a look of disdain, as he wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. I felt my chest rising and falling swiftly as the adrenaline began to flood my veins.

Giovanni smirked and in the blink of an eye, his hand went past my face and I heard a clink. I quickly turned and realized he'd just chained me to a fucking wall, like a dog.

"Don't ever try that shit again, Scarlett, or next time I won't be so gentle." I scoffed at his statement and he just looked me over. "You have a lot of fight in you, but the fight with me, you brought this on yourself. You came to me." He growled. "You'll learn your fucking place or you'll die by my hands."

Tears burned my eyes as I felt helpless and hopeless. The mission I'd started has failed, as I've failed everyone that I'd ever loved. While Antonio roams free.

"I get to say what I want. I can do what I want, when the fuck ever I want and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

"Fuck you." I spewed and was immediately greeted by his tattooed hand gripping my face with no remorse.

"I thought you already knew how much I love that dirty mouth of yours?" he said bringing his mouth to mine in a harsh kiss. "You're mine, Gatita. Mine, mine, mine." With each mine, he softened me with his warm tongue, coaxing me to let him in and to stop fighting him. His hand left my face and he placed it in my hair, gripping it hard, making me wince at the pain which caused me to moan into his mouth. Before pulling his lips away, he said one last time, "Mine."

I nearly collapsed when he pulled away as if I was just a puppet on a string and when I opened my eyes, I met his. They were full of hunger and lust and my body became eager for him to give me more, but instead, he walked away, gathered his shirt and left. Not even one word was spoken before the door closed. I took the time to examine where I was and I wasn't quite sure. I closed my eyes to listen as hard as I could to hear any sound around me and nothing. I heard nothing but my heartbeat.

I took in the room which was full of black and neutral tone colors. The lighting was dim from the mood lighting and not too far from me was a plush bed and a door was adjacent to the one he'd left out of. The cream-colored rug and I were the lightest things in the room. Everything was dark, lusty and had Giovanni written all over it. With the last realization, I rolled my eyes because I too had his name written all over me. According to him.

I wrapped my arms around my middle and held myself like I used to back when I first became alone. I felt every sense of the word here. I was alone and there was no one around for me to fight, no one around to take my mind off of the loss. Just me and my thoughts. I looked over at the bed and decided I would just lay down, but was shocked back to the horrible reality when I tried to walk over to the bed freely. I was pulled back by the chain that connected to my collar. I tugged on the chain and to no avail, it didn't budge.

"Bastard," I said as I sank to the floor, naked and tired as all hell.

I curled up and laid down on the plush rug and drifted to sleep. Unsure of the time when I woke up, I looked around for Giovanni. He wasn't there, just an older man. He came over and held his hand out. Part of me wanted to pounce him, but he was not the one who locked me up, so I took his hand and stood. His eyes were very gentle, but I felt he was examining me, so I tried to cover up.

"I'm here to take care of you." He said in his Italian accent. "Gio sent me here."

"What does he want you to do?" I said shyly.

"Prepare you for him."

He spoke his words and I backed away. That could be taken in so many different ways, but he grabbed my elbow and said. "Bathe you, groom you and make sure you're presentable for him."

"I don't want to see him."

"That may be true, but I'm just doing my job."

"I don't belong to him," I said, sounding defeated.

"Listen, I understand how you're feeling, but think of him as a boyfriend."

"Chaining me up is what a boyfriend does?" I say with disbelief that he even compared Giovanni to a boyfriend.

"You're here and not dead. How's that?" He said with a raised brow. "I've seen him kill men for less. Believe it or not, this is mercy and I advise you to start showing your gratitude."

With his last words, he unchained me and removed the collar. I immediately took my hands to my neck and rubbed it gently. He took his perfectly manicured hand and lifted my chin to check for bruising.

"I'm Fernando." He said as he led me to the bathroom and once inside he locked the door behind us.

I looked around the bathroom for a window of some sort, anything to get me the hell out of here, but to no surprise, there wasn't one. Fernando walked to the clawfoot tub, ran my bath and then held up two bottles.

"Epsom salt with lavender or vanilla and rose water? I personally would take the Epsom salt after all you've been through."

"Yeah, that works."

"Go ahead, I don't judge." He said eyeing the toilet.

I didn't feel ashamed because it was either empty my bladder in the toilet or the plush carpet I was sure would be my bed as long as I was defiant. I relaxed as the room began to smell of lavender and the steam from the bath made me feel at home.

"You can relax, I'll be back in a few minutes."

I tested the temperature with my hand before climbing into the bath and submerging my body into the relaxing water. I laid my head on the back of the tub and let out a breath I felt like I'd been holding forever. I closed my eyes and let the lavender take it all away. The heated water surrounded me like the hug I had needed and tears began to well in my eyes, but I did not let them fall. I wondered about the Russos and if they had caught them or if they were still out there killing in the name of revenge. I lathered the sponge in milk and honey body wash and washed my aching body. I dipped my head underwater and came up to Fernando staring down at me making me nearly flood the bathroom in a panic.

"This was to relax you, not scare you to death," Fernando said as he let out a low chuckle as I regained my composure. Fernando knelt down behind me and began to stroke my hair, pulling it away from my face. Then I felt the soft bristles of a brush and I immediately thought of my mother.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said as he continued to stroke my hair.

Fernando made me feel like I was having a spa day with a friend after he was done pampering me. From washing my hair to the sugar scrub that was used to make my skin silky smooth. The one thing we could have gone without is the waxing and tweezing of my vagina, ass, and eyebrows. He painted my nails a Bordeaux red and place a coat of lipstick to match.

"This hair, I'd like to curl it, but I think a simple braid will suffice for today." He said tousling my hair playfully. "A braid may be best because I'm sure you won't look like this tomorrow."

"How long do you think he'll keep me here?"

"I don't know, but I'll be here with you."

"Thank you."

"I'll call you my little Sangria from now on." He said as we locked eyes with each other in the mirror.

A small smile escaped me as I watched him through the mirror strategically placing strands around my ears and at the nape of my neck. With the last twist, he placed a rubber band to the end of my fishtail braid and as I looked in the mirror, I saw Roxanne from the club. But her eyes were Scarlett's and her smile was Marisol's. I was all of them in one as I had been from the beginning.

"I know you don't like the collar, but I have to place it back on you," Fernando said breaking my thoughts of the women before me.

"I know, but is there some way you can give me something to wear?"

"I may have something. I'll be right back."

I rubbed the collar that was now placed around my neck. It was nothing fancy, just a black leather collar with a silver hook on the back that was now hidden with my hair.

Fernando entered the room with a sly smile plastered on his face and his hands behind his back. I stood as I tried to peek over his shoulders to see what was behind his back.

"What did you find?"

"Turn around."

I turned with my back to Fernando as he lifted both of my arms, placing the sheer fabric underneath them. He slipped the sheer cover-up over me as if it was an expensive gown that he had to be careful not to ruin. The fabric fell about three inches over my butt, exposing the crease of my ass. I turned to him as he then connected the diamond-encrusted buttons that still left me very much exposed. The valley to my breasts was open for easy access and the fabric stayed open and flowy like an upside-down v.

"I can't do this," I said in a whisper.

"All you need to do is do what you're told."

"What if I can't?"

"I don't think you really want to know what will happen if you don't."

"He'll kill me," I say as a matter of a fact.

"If that was all he wanted, he would have done that. He wants you. Your submission, your obedience, and your body." Fernando said looking me over. "Giovanni is going to eat you alive."

Fernando's words made my nipples constrict under the fabric and the room felt like it became slightly warmer. I found my behavior quite irrational. I wanted him, yet I despised him and still wanted to please him. Briefly, I wondered if I was just playing the role so that I could be free, but a piece of me knew the truth.

Fernando took my hand and led me to my spot and as he moved my braid to connect me to my new post, I winced at the sound. Fernando kissed my hands and then said goodbye until tomorrow.

After the door closed behind him, I stood for a few minutes and then I felt my defiance seeping in. So instead of standing, I sat down and waited for the bastard to come in and do whatever he was going to do to break my will. My nerves began to settle and I realized I hadn't eaten and the last thing I had to drink was a little bathwater from my scare with Fernando. Thinking about that actually put a smile on my face, but my smile quickly dissipated as I heard the click of the door and my heart began to squeeze in my chest as his silhouette appeared in the doorway.