♥ Chapter 19 ♥

Axel Norvelli. 

10:40 ''Axel's room. ''Valdoria.

Finally, I turn off the shower and get out, grabbing a towel and slowly drying myself off. I look in the mirror once again, seeing the hickeys, bites, and scratches—visible reminders of the night before.

I go back to the room and dress calmly, each piece of clothing is an effort against the pain. Furthermore, I sit on the bed, trying to decide what to do next. Running away is not an option, and staying here means accepting her presence in my life—an intense and inescapable presence.

I decide to put these thoughts aside for a bit and leave the room, checking my house and looking for where she managed to get in, but I don't find anything. Suddenly, my stomach growls. I thought I wouldn't be able to feel hungry after everything that happened, but it seems I was fooled.

Before I approach the kitchen, someone knocks on the door, startling me. I hope it's not her. With slow steps, I go to the door, and, with great fear, I open it, shocked to find the guy who had thrown me at that woman's feet. He looks seriously at me.

'' Come with me. ''Your voice is cold, which scared me.

I just agree, because I know that if I refuse, it could get worse.

'' I-I'll get the keys. '' I whisper very softly.

I run to the couch, grab my keys, and walk back to the man. I close the door to my apartment and notice a hole in my lock. Before questioning, the man growls, irritated by my delay. 

'' Hurry up, damn it. ''Your brutality scares me. 

Scared, I leave the apartment locked without locking it because there's no way to lock it, and I follow the man, going down the steps and mentally begging that he's not being taken away to be killed. The man opens the car door for me, and I get in silently. He closes the door tightly, startling me, and gets into the car, starting it. I don't know where we're going, so I just stay quiet, hoping I don't get murdered.

****

Minutes later, the man stops the car and gets out, opening the door for me.

'' Go down. ''Order, harshly. 

I quickly get down, and he turns around. I understand where I am. It's a casino. I get really nervous, wondering why I'm here. I just followed the man inside, noticing the casino and seeing a lot of people gambling. The fear of being in strange territory makes me tense.

We entered an area with the “Authorized Persons Only” sign. I realize it's a basement. My heart starts to race, thinking I'm going to die. But, suddenly, I start to hear noises, shouting. It was then that I realized that we had just entered into an underground fight.

What surprised me even more was seeing that woman inside the ring, beating a guy. Her sadistic smile gave me goosebumps. She was in complete control, her strength and skill evident in every movement. The crowd around her screamed, cheering her on, while the man she was fighting tried desperately to defend himself.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I watched the scene. I didn't know what to think. On the one hand, he was terrified by her brutality. On the other, there was something mesmerizing about his presence, something that drew me in despite my fear.

I stood there, not knowing what to do, as the fight continued. Each blow from her seemed stronger than the last, and the man was soon lying on the ground, unable to get up. She stood triumphantly, looking around with a smile of pure satisfaction. The audience went crazy with her victory.

The man who brought me here stepped forward and caught my eye with a wave. I started to follow him, but I couldn't look away from her. That mysterious and dangerous woman who had invaded my life in such an overwhelming way.

Finally, she looked at me, and our eyes met. For a moment, everything around me seemed to disappear, and I was unable to move a muscle. Her gaze was intense, full of promises and threats. My entire body shook, torn between fear and a strange excitement.

She broke into a smile, stepping down from the ring and heading towards me, leaving me terrified of what she might do. As soon as he got close, he brushed my hair out of my eyes, and his hand slid to the back of my neck and waist, pressing our bodies together. Before I could react, she pulled me into a rough, fierce kiss. Her lips were demanding, dominating, and her touch left me weak in the knees. I felt like she was claiming me in front of everyone.

My mind went into a whirlwind. The pain of his violent touch mixed with an electricity that coursed through my body. I was paralyzed, unable to resist or reciprocate, completely in his grip. The kiss seemed to last an eternity, each second intensifying the confusion of feelings that fought inside me.

When she finally pulled away, I was out of breath, my body shaking. She looked at me with that same sadistic, satisfied smile, her eyes shining with a mixture of desire and threat.

'' It's good to see you, my little one. I hope your body is well defined, exactly how I wanted it. '' She said, with a mischievous smile that made my heart beat even faster.

His smile grew even wider when he saw the choker around my neck. I had forgotten to take it off, I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't even remember.

'' This necklace is a gift. I ordered it myself, and don't you dare take it off, my little one. '' She continued, laughing when she noticed my gaze. ''That choker is the mark of my possession over you. You belong to me, you are mine and no one else's. If anyone tries to steal what is mine, they will know hell.

I was shocked by what she said. His intensity and possessiveness left me paralyzed. And it became even more surreal when we realized that the crowd around us was looking at us, shocked by her attitude. But she didn't seem to mind at all.

She turned to the crowd.

'' I will be withdrawing. It was fun to demonstrate my strength and skill here. Have fun! '' Spoke very loudly. 

Then, she turned to me again, pulling me closer.

'' Come. '' She ordered firmly.

I try to keep up with her quick steps, I felt completely overwhelmed by her dominance. The crowd continued to watch us, but my focus was all on her. Everything about her enveloped me in a mixture of fear and fascination. She guided me out of the basement. 

We left and crossed the casino, where curious looks and whispered speculations followed us. My heart was beating out of control, while my mind tried to process everything that had happened.

Finally, we reached the car. The man who followed us in silence hurried and opened the car. She entered without saying a word, I also entered without saying a word. Closing the door firmly, the man turned around and got into the car. The silence between us was thick.

'' Where should we go, my lady? The man asked. 

'' To the main restaurant. '' She ordered, crossing her legs, which made her look sexy.

What the fuck am I thinking?