Chapter 7 Not afraid anymore

The surge of anger and vexation cut through the waves of my fear, and I inhaled deeply, taking long and steady breaths to even my racing heart. Eric gave me a worried look and I asured him with a warm smile. I could still sense his intense gaze on me.
"I'll be back in a minute." I said nervously pushing the chair back. I couldn't take this anymore. With a deep breath, I stood up and took a step away from him and then another before I walked towards back of restaurant on my almost steady legs.
I sighed as I turned around the corner blocking away his tangerine gaze. I was about to open the door of the restroom when a hand clasped on mine as I looked tensely where the hand was holding mine.
"Running?" His deep voice wrapped around me, his soft accent hiding behind his fluent english. It should sound ugly, because he was a stalker but like everything on him, it felt deceptively captivating, appealing.
I shivered as he pressed his front to my back. His ripped muscles caressed my shirt covered skin. His breath brushed against my cheek as hairs behind my neck rose in anticipation.
"What do you want?" I whispered almost dreadily. He chuckled lightly and that's when I realised whatever he wanted was different. Something more evil than his chuckle.
"Dinner with you." His words took me off guard. He wanted to dine with me? Was he trying to escort me? But again his actions weren't of escorting a woman rather he looked like he was planning something sinister.
My breathing intensified as he caressed my tensed knuckles with his hand as he pressed more to me making me almost climb the door.
"I-I" I had nothing to say. All I wanted was to get myself out of this situation.
He leaned forward almost embedding his face in my hairs.
"It's just a dinner." No! It wasn't!
Eager to get out of his grip I nodded and mumbled an okay. He seemed to be pleased as he pulled back before turning me around gripping my arm. And I looked into his metallic gaze that was ready to demolish me anytime. His lips curled up in a soft smile.
"Come." He motioned me to follow him. I should had ran but his grip on my hand was something between tight and gentle. I knew he would easily caught me if I made a stupid move. Only option I was left with was to play along. His rough hand was engulfing mine wholly I had no idea what should I do.
He led us in opposite direction from where I came and my panic risen. Where was he taking me? I panicked as I tried to pry his hand off mine but my resistant only fueled his irritation. He tightened his hold without looking at me.
"Don't make me drag you." He said in his intimidating voice and worse possibilities played in my mind like ugly reel.
Was he going to kill me?
"I need to go." I said as beads of sweat covered my head. I was sure my body was now shaking. He didn't seemed to care as he pulled me along with him. I should scream but I was scared if anyone would hear me. We were isolated from crowd.
He was ahead of me and stopped as he pulled the door open and left my hand indicating me to walk inside. I glanced around the room, a rather large room but for a second before a server directed me to a table which I didn't noticed earlier.
I felt a gentle push on my lower back as he motioned me to walk. With his hand around my back I walked carefully towards the table. Nervousness and fear was engulfing me slowly.
I went to grab my seat but Silvio was already pulling the chair out for me. I gulped down the nervousness as he sat down opposite to me.
"What would you like to eat?" He asked grabbing a menu. Was he really serious about dinner?
I swallowed before gripping my purse tightly.
"Anything." I said grabbing the ice cold water that waiter just handed to me. My throat was dry with nervousness.
"Anything?" Silvio looked up at me from the menu and grinned. I didn't understand the hidden meaning behind his words but somehow knew it was nothing but nasty.
"I-I'll have salad." And I wondered back to my dinner that was left untouched with Eric. What would he think?
He raised a brow.
"Is this all?" He looked up at me with intrigue.
I nodded and rubbed my sweaty hands on my dress skirt. Something was strange about his gaze, about intensity his steely grey eyes held cause I felt my stomach flush with heat as I swallowed hard. I quickly put the glass of water to my lips for much needed sip.
His face cracked to a warm, charming smile. "Salvatore. Silvio Salvatore." He said and for a moment I was left confused and then I realised he just told me his name. I had heard his name.
I was about to open my mouth to tell him mine out of habit but closed it shut. If he was stalking me, he might knew it already.
I looked up when a waiter placed salad in front of me. Strangely, there was no plate for Silvio. It wasn't like I cared anyways. But eating alone while having a stalker watching you was quiet embarrassing.
I raised a curious brow. "Aren't you going to eat?"
He chuckled. "No, I'll eat later."
He took a sip of his water before he put his glass down and looked at me.
"So," he said looking at me. "You're a doctor?"
He knew who I was! He probably knew my address! This man was dangerous! My heart beat quickened. He was playing with me. He probably knew everything about me and now he was acting like he didn't knew a thing.
"Are you really interested in my profession or are you just playing with me?" I asked terror laying under my words.
His grey eyes flickered before he quickly looked down. Silvio cleared his throat as he leaned back slightly in his chair before widening his legs partially. "If I were playing with you...you'd know."
I looked at him a bit confused by what he meant before he continued.
"Chose your next words carefully, Ms. Quinn." He said. Something about his aura was intimidating.
"Who are you?" I knew I had heard his name before the club but I couldn't remember. Maybe in news or somewhere else. He looked amusedly at me as delightness shone in his eyes.
"I'm a lot of things. A business mogul, and investor, fundraiser, an entrepreneur...a supplier." Silvio smiled and leaned back in his seat. I took a moment to catch my thoughts and eat the salad that was decorated on my plate. The sooner I would eat this, the sooner I would be out of this. I was eating the food when I noticed how intently he was watching me.
With his abnormally handsome face, his steel eyes were following my every movement. I felt my cheeks warm over as mys shoulder fell. His gaze was almost unsettling if it wasn't for the smile on his face.
By the time I had finished eating, he has paid the check and he was leading me out of the room.
"How did you get here?" He asked with a glint of darkness in it
"I...I came with a...friend." Like he said I chose my words carefully.
Silvio looked down at me with a raised brow. "I'll drop you off." He said as he led me out from back side. I didn't knew if Eric was still here or was he waiting for me?
"No!" I blurred abruptly before I think a way to decline him which wouldn't anger him. "I'll walk. It's a good cardio."
He looked at me like I was crazy. "I wasn't asking." What was with this man? What did he wanted? Why the hell he wanted to had dinner with me? Me? And dinner where only I ate and he stared at me like some creep?
Politely, I stepped inside his sleek black car. He circled around the car and entered before starting the ignition. I knew it was a bad idea making a stranger take me home but I had no option.
He didn't said anything for minutes instead his knuckles were softly wrapped around steering wheel. And I felt the satisfaction seeping through his huge body.
Breaking the silence I asked
"You have been watching me." My heart jumped in my throat as I said evenly.
"Yes, obviously. You figured that out few hours ago." I flinched. I wondered if he had set cameras inside my house. If he had been watching me for a while, then he had seen me in all sorts of moments.
I was quiet but thoughts inside me were chaotic.
I sighed in relief when familiar red building starting to peek around the corner. He knew where I lived. And dit terrified me more.
"Thankyou." I said when he pulled in the front of building. I was about to open the door when his voice stopped me.
"Not so fast." I was about to ask him what did he meant when he wrapped his hand around my upper arm jerking me to him. Tingling sensations rippled through me in waves. I was never touched by a man like this.
"W-what do you want from me?" I was trying and failing miserably to keep my voice steady. I wanted to scream but I knew his rough hands could snap my neck faster then I could open my mouth.
I was shaking in his hold. Bending his head, he buried his nose in my hairs and stiffened. I felt him inhaling deeply as he murmured in my ear. "Meet me at the cafe near your hospital tomorrow and we'll talk there."
He pulled back and I stared at him, my eyes widened. No! I couldn't meet him again. He looked like the man who likes to torture people.
Maybe I could call the police-
He must had sensed what I was thinking as he leaned in again.
"If you contact police, I will know. And if you tried to run, the consequences might not be as sweet as this evening." His lips brushed against the rim of ears and my breath hitched. "And one more thing." I shuddered as tone of his voice changed.
"Stay away from that Figlio di puttana. Go against me and our next meeting won't be over coffee." I panicked and he dragged in a deep breath I inhaling my scent before releasing me.
He leaned back, letting me go as I immediately opened the door before rushing to building like someone had put fire on my behind. I didn't dared to look back if he was still there or not. My feet automatically climbed flight of stairs as I panted heavily. Despite of burning sensations in my lungs I moved up.
Fumbling through keys, I opened the door to my apartment as I practically fell onto my knees after closing the door.
Why? What did I do? Why me?
~
Silvio watched as Sadie fearfully rushed inside the building. He kept watching as he inhaled deeply taking in her scent that was still lingering inside his car. He groaned as he felt tightness in his slacks.
"Fuck." He grunted as he readjusted his pants before driving towards his mansion. His thoughts and body was thinking about lady sitting next to me few minutes ago. He resisted the urge to take her against the table they were dinning at as he watched her eating the food in hurry. Silvio was many things ga but he wasn't a rapist. Taking a woman against their will was something he hated.
His mind retracted back to reality when his phone rang. Without looking at id, he swiped it up.
"What?" He said gruffly.
"We've got a problem." Dante's overly calm voice greeted him. The low hum in his voice was telling him something was wrong.
"I'll be there." Silvio said cutting the call as he make a u-turn an drove towards his warehouse. His knuckles tightened on steering wheel as he thought about Sadie.
"Fucking hell..." He groaned in frustration before speeding up.