Solace, p.3
Solace, page 3
I quirked my brow, puzzled by her little story.
“So, let to get this right, you saw a car parked up and just jumped in?”
“Yes.”
I glared over at Carlo, and he shrugged his shoulders looking as puzzled as I was.
“Are you a fucking idiot? Anyone could have got in… and in this house and damn well… Me and you are having words later,” I told him in Italian so our little trespasser couldn’t understand.
My temper raged; I was sick to the stomach. The truth was I couldn’t tell if she was being truthful and that this wasn’t some stupid story she’d just made up, either way, I had more than enough questions for her.
Carlo glanced across the room to me, lifting his brows as I made my way over to him.
“She doesn’t exist, boss, there’s nothing on her. Not a blip,” he whispered in my ear.
I spun to face the woman, aware I had to get the truth out of her.
“So, Layla,” I said as stood before her.
She locked eyes with me, as I crouched down to her level.
“Now… princess, Carlo here just did a background check on you and it would appear you don’t exist, now, I’m giving you the chance to explain before I think about… well, harming you. We don’t want that do we?” I said sweetly but cutting and she gulped.
Her tongue swept out her mouth licking her lips, and all I could imagine was that it was wrapped around my throbbing dick.
“That’s the name I grew up with. My mother abandoned me, and this old couple found me and took me in. They died a few years later and since then I have been in and out of foster care, I was the naughty kid. So, what my real birth name was, I have no idea,” she said, tilting her head to the side and keeping her eyes locked on mine.
Okay, I had no idea if what she just told me was true or not.
“So where are you now?” I asked.
“In this house,” she replied in a sarcastic tone.
Smart arse.
“I mean in life, a job…”
“Oh, homeless, no job, no money and all I own are the clothes on my body.”
I took a deep breath, whilst I stared intensively into her eyes.
“Who are you working for?”
“What do you mean?” she replied timidly as she stared at me wide-eyed.
“Exactly that. Who are you working for? Because trust me I will find out.”
“I don’t work for anyone. I’m just me, myself, and I. I have nothing, everything I owned was left behind. I escaped terrible living conditions and ran…I have nothing and belong to no one.”
She never blinked as she was talking; her face unfathomable. I couldn’t tell whether she was lying or not. I decided to leave it there and give her time to think about her situation, maybe some time with my men or even Monica might be what she needed to break her.
I moved to Carlo.
“Keep her down here, don’t allow her to sleep. If she’s telling the truth, then we have nothing to worry about, but keep asking her questions and keep me posted.”
“Sure boss. Do you want us to harm her?” Carlo asked as he glanced over my shoulder at her.
“No, but threaten her, allow her to see what could be used if she doesn’t talk,” I told him as I faced her.
What she didn’t know was that she was in for a long night.
Chapter
Three
LAYLA aka Daniella
Holy cavolo, I was in serious trouble. As soon as I saw him, I knew exactly who this man was, Antonio Conti, my papa nemesis. I was in deep and if I hadn’t lied… I would already be dead. My heart thumped in my chest as I remembered him from my mother’s funeral. My papa made it crystal clear for me to stay away from him, even if the man was dashingly handsome and had a certain sexy look that attracted me to him. His dark suit, dark hair and before and after the service wore sunglasses, but between, I stared at him, as my mother was lowered into the ground. I noticed he gawped at me, only thankfully the netting over my face shielded me. How my heart broke that day, how a part of me died with mamma and Paul, the driver. It was strange as now I am Antonio Conti’s captive. Of all the cars in the world I had to hide in one of his, I mean come on what were the chances of that?
I lied and all for the sake of saving myself. I wasn’t ready to die and at least now I had a chance to try and sort this situation out, thing was I saw only one fate for me, death, and leaving this house in a box. I was screwed and now… I had to remember my story and hope to God no one ever found out the truth that I was a Dellucci. I did however try not to laugh when he talked in Italian to the one, he called Carlo behind me.
“Are you a fucking idiot? Anyone could have got in…and in this house and damn well. Me and you are having words later.”
It was hilarious, here was Antonio thinking he was safe when Italian was my native language.
“So… the boss has left you to us. I was thinking of getting Monica, she’s so good at getting women to talk, but I think we will see how we get on, don’t you pretty thing,” Carlo told me.
The man was as tall as a skyscraper, he was so much larger than me, he had black hair that was gelled back, a nose that looked like it had been broken a few times and a scar on his right cheek, he also wore a black suit like Antonio.
“I have nothing to tell you. What I said to that man… was the truth,” I said as I held firm eye contact with him.
“Look, sweetheart, we can either do this the easy way or the hard one. Who are you working for?” he asked as he glared at me like I was something he trod in.
“I am telling you the truth. I’m on my own, I have no one. I’ve lived in fear all my life, running away and being homeless.”
I had to embellish the story to make sure that they believed what I was telling them.
“You said something about running from a guy… who was he?” he asked.
“He was a no one, just someone who had threatened me.”
“Oh, come on, we aren’t that stupid. Who was he?” he asked again as he gritted his teeth but then winked at someone behind me.
“He was a fool and was obsessed with me. He wanted me to be his girl and I… well, wanted to kick him in the dick, there was no way his grubby little hands would ever touch me.”
Another giant of a man came and stood beside him, he had short chestnut brown hair, a well-groomed short beard and piercing aqua-blue eyes, he also wore a black suit. He just glared at me, making me feel like he was more dangerous than the rest. He passed Carlo something and I tried to see what it was, but I struggled.
“I swear… I don’t work for anyone. I’m a loner. I simply saw an opportunity to get into a car and hide. I never thought for a second, that I would end up here. Trust me if I did, I wouldn’t have done it. I was running from that guy, I needed to escape him,” I told them with a shaky voice.
“Did he threaten you?” Carlo asked as the other one walked away towards the door, he didn’t leave the room as I still felt his presence behind me.
“Yes… he told me he liked it better when women resisted, that it was more fun. He also told me that once he captured me that I would never be able to leave him because I would forever be his.”
It was all I could think of to say, which in theory was true, Ricco had threatened me. Carlo then walked away from me, leaving me to sit in the cold room. It all went quiet. A minute started to feel like an hour, days even when my eyes became heavy, and my head started to fall forward, I woke myself back up, only for my eyes to remain heavy and staying awake became a battle. My backside had gone numb, I was shivering, tired and weak, and I’m so hungry. I started drifting off to sleep when suddenly I was pushed hard.
“No sleep for you sweetheart,” Carlo shouted.
I looked at him gormlessly, I couldn’t get my eyes to focus, and I soon drifted off again.
“I don’t think so,” I heard as I was shoved again.
“I’m tired,” I pleaded.
“I’ve been told to keep you awake and that is what I’ll do unless you want Monica to come down here.”
“Is she evil?”
“She can be. Look, for your safety if I was you, I would just tell the truth,” Carlo told me as he crouched down to me.
“I’m telling the truth; I seriously have nothing else to tell you. I’m just so tired, I’ve spent the last few nights awake, worrying about my well-being and now…” I said as my eyes closed again.
Carlo tried to shake me awake again, but I really needed to sleep.
“Please… I feel safe here…” I muttered groggily.
Chapter
Four
ANTONIO
Sat at my desk that night trying to work but all I could think about was the woman in the basement.
“Fuck this!” I shouted.
I headed back downstairs to the basement to find Carlo sitting in a chair beside Layla and Luigi standing there polishing his knife. I walked quietly over to him making him jump and spin around. Layla’s eyes were beginning to close indicating that she longed for sleep, so I gestured for Carlo to follow me to the back of the room.
“Well?”
“Boss, I’ve done what you told me, I interrogated her, and used the knife and a few other instruments to show her our capabilities but still, she tells us the same story, never deviating from it. She even said she felt safe here as she hadn’t slept in days due to worrying about being caught by the man she spoke of. Personally, I believe her,” he whispered.
I spun to look at her with her, she was still clearly fighting trying to stay awake. As I walked over her eyes fell and her head had dropped, she had fallen asleep. I glanced at my men wondering what I should do next, taking into consideration what Carlo just told me. I crouched down and placed my fourth finger under her chin forcing her to lift her head, but she didn’t wake, I let go and her head fell forward.
“Call Monica,” I told Carlo.
He left the basement to make the call and it wasn’t long until Monica arrived, I moved over to her, only she ignored me and went straight over to Layla. “Your trespasser I assume… I guess she is shattered, and you need me to keep the little bitch awake?” she said as I arrived by her side.
“Yes, Carlo said she is giving the same story over and over again and he believes her,” I explained.
“Bucket of cold water please,” Monica said as she tilted her head to the side, and snapped her fingers and off Luigi went.
As we waited, I filled her in on the story that Layla had given so far.
“For someone, who has been on the streets she’s terribly clean, her hair looks pretty clean apart from the twigs that are entangled in it and her nails… well I would hardly say they were a scrubber's fingers,” Monica explained as she picked up Layla’s hand to show me.
“So, you think she is lying?” I asked her.
“Oh yes!” she stated excitedly as Luigi arrived back with a bucket of cold water.
“I will stand over at the back,” I told her, and she just stared at me.
“Do what the hell you wish. How rough can I be?”
“Enough to shit her up, but don’t mark her,” I said sternly.
“Oh, fucking great. I prefer blood.”
“Not this one. Not yet!” I stated as I moved to the other side of the room, it was then I heard the water being thrown over Layla and an ear penetrating scream.
“Holy shit...oh, my fucking God,” she yelled as she looked up at Monica.
“Now I have your attention little bitch, I have some questions and you’re going to answer them truthfully this time whore… Do You Understand?” Monica told her as she gritted her teeth and moved closer to Layla, you could visibly see the shiver roll over Layla’s body.
“Whatever, dog breath…” barked Layla.
Luigi and Carlo burst out laughing at this and I had to admit I sniggered a little.
Monica glared over at us as I held my hands up not needing her anger directed at me, her tongue wasn’t sweet enough at the best of times, it was only good around my cock.
“So little bitch… how the fuck did you get in here?”
“I’m freezing.”
“Good, not the answer I wanted, let’s try again, answer my goddamn question or I’ll ask Luigi for more water but with ice this time…”
“Wow, who rattled your cage, do you always act like a wild animal?” Layla taunted.
“I’m going to tell you this once or it will get a lot worse than water being thrown over you,” Monica screamed as she got in Layla’s face.
“I climbed in a parked car and was driven here… I tried to escape, but got caught… The end,” Layla sneered back.
“So, you're telling me, you climbed into one of our vehicles and ended up here?”
“Yeah, do you need me to write it down for you?” came Layla’s reply.
“Oh, you have an attitude, don’t you? Who were you running from?”
“A dickhead who threatened to rape me, kidnap me…”
Taking in a deep breath, just hearing those words turned my stomach. I had no time for men who were cowards and used their strength to hold a woman down and take something that wasn’t theirs and would mark that woman for life.
“Why did he do that?” Monica asked as I stepped closer, intrigued as to what Layla’s reply would be.
“Because I kept refusing his advances. He told me if I didn’t allow him to fuck me, he would do so without my permission, so I ran… I ran for my sanity and my dignity. Why should a man be allowed to touch us without our consent?” Layla asked.
“Bella, I agree with you there,” Monica told her, and I did as well.
“So, where are you from, what about your family, who do you work for?” Monica asked.
“Jobless broke… I’ve already been through all this, I’m just so tired, I’ve not got the energy to do this anymore and just want a bed to sleep in,” Layla begged.
Monica walked around Layla, grabbed a handful of her hair pulled violently so her head snapped back.
“So, fucking tell me then, why your fucking hands are manicured, you’re not dressed in clothes that are full of holes and dirty, and your hair looks like it's been recently done?”
“Because I went to a friend’s house yesterday where she allowed me to bathe, that’s why, homeless people can still have friends you know,” Layla snapped back.
Monica turned to me as if looking for permission to get a little more violent, but I said nothing and rolled my tongue over my teeth.
“Who are you working for? Trust me, I can be your worst enemy,” Monica yelled again whilst gripping her hair tighter.
“Ouch… no one. I swear, it’s just little me, I’m all alone,” Layla pleaded.
“Stop,” I called out.
Monica spun and stared daggers at me, I knew she wanted to take this further only…I sensed Layla was telling the truth.
Monica finally but stubbornly released Layla’s hair making her head flop forward.
“I am telling you this now for your own good. If I find out… look at me,” I said as I knelt in front of Layla, she was looking everywhere but at me.
She then slowly lifted her head to make eye contact as thick clumps of hair coated her face.
“If I find out you’ve been lying to me… you will be back down here in an instant, and I swear what has just happened now, will only be the beginning. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?”
“I don’t belong to anyone, I promise,” Layla quietly said, and I noticed that she had a sorrowful look on her face.
“Call Denise,” I said as I stood and looked at my men.
I had no idea if what I was about to do was out of character, totally insane, or dangerous but either way, Layla was staying here for now.
Chapter
Five
DANIELLA aka Layla
With no idea what was happening, another woman had been called down to the basement, was she good or bad like the rest of them? Either way, I guess that I would soon find out. My stomach felt like it was on a spin wash, and I just hoped to God that Antonio carried on believing my little white lies, or I was in serious trouble.
During my little musings, Carlo had come over to me and started untying the restraints, I didn’t look at him but watched Antonio instead and was mesmerised by how good-looking he was. I knew he was a man that I should’ve been afraid of and if the chance ever came, I should make a run for it, only I felt this insane attraction to him. He set my heart on fire, but I couldn’t allow this to happen, I knew I was stronger than this, and I couldn’t have feelings for the enemy.
Footsteps were heard approaching the room and Antonio moved to greet whoever it was at the door behind me, next came a whispered conversation so I turned my head and noticed him talking to an older woman dressed in an old-fashioned uniform, who I guessed to be Denise.
“Of course,” she replied to whatever Antonio had asked her.
He left the room, and I was faced with this woman, looking at her I guessed that she was possibly in her late fifties.
“Hello dear, if you could follow me,” she told me in a stern voice that left no room for an argument.
I rose slowly from the chair, shaking in coldness and my legs were like spaghetti, I wobbled all over the place like Bambi and everyone waited for me to get my balance. Once my legs were semi-back to normal, without hesitation I followed Denise with the men close behind me, I was betting they were making sure that I didn’t try to escape. Only I was too tired to even think about running. We made our way up the staircase as I struggled to keep my eyes open, but as each second passed they got heavier. We reached the top of the stairs and were making our way down the dark corridor when Denise stopped suddenly, and I ran into the back of her.
“Sorry,” I mumbled quietly.
“It’s fine dear,” she replied as she opened a door and allowed me to step inside. “This is your room; you have a bathroom to the right so you can freshen up and remove the leaves and twigs from your hair. Rest my dear.”
“Thank you,” I said to her as I smiled, and she smiled back.
