— chapter one —

selcouth

(adj.) unfamiliar, rare, strange and yet marvelous

ANASTASIA MILLER

My heart continued to race as I ran throughout the warehouse. I was running because I was trying to clear my mind. I had held so many thoughts and emotions inside for almost a year. My mother passed of cancer last summer and my dad had never really been apart of my life. My boyfriend at the time cheated on me with my best friend so essentially, I had nobody. More like have nobody.

I was dressed in a pair of black leggings with a white windbreaker and to top it off a pair of plain white Nikes. When I woke up this morning I hadn't even planned on going for a run but that quickly changed once I began to feel everything flooding my emotions.

I hadn't meant to wander throughout this forbidden part of the city but nevertheless, here we are. This place was talked about everywhere. It was known as the "forbidden city". There were plenty of horror stories to keep me from it my entire life so why I decided this was a good place for a jog is beyond me.

I had read stories about this place online. Ten years ago our city was overthrown by the mafia and eventually taken over. The man behind all of this? Matteo Collins. Matteo had a son, Maxwell. When Matteo passed two years ago his son took possession of everything.

The city, the civilians and of course this warehouse.

Our city ran, for the most part, smoothly. As long as the ruler stayed outside of our walls in the middle of nowhere everyone was happy and satisfied. But of course, here I am.

I didn't dare to look behind me out of pure fear that I would see the two guards closer behind me than expected. I looked back anyways and simultaneously tripped over an inconvenient object in my path. Fuck.

Before I had the chance to stand up and dart for the exit close by, I could feel two hands firmly wrap around my right arm and lift me from the ground with ease. A shiver shot down my spine and I immediately froze. Flight or fight my ass, I literally just froze.

I dragged my feet along the floor and tried to break free from the larger mans grasp. He gave me no time to balance myself so by now my plain white Nikes that I had finally just scrounged enough up to buy now looked dirty and gross.

I tried to yank myself away, just trying to gain a little bit of power over this man but just as I was about to taste my freedom I felt another mans hand wrap around my other arm to secure me in place. The two men dragged me out of the warehouse and eventually into another building.

This was a large building that stood over twenty floors high. The two men dragged me up along the flight of stairs with ease before arriving to the top. I mean honestly, they could have taken the elevator but this felt like a punishment.

The bigger man between the two was the one to knock on the door as the other gripped my arm even tighter, not giving me any chance to escape. I could hear a sound come from the other side of the door, it sounded a lot like 'come in'.

As the door swung open I was shoved inside and thrown onto the floor. I quickly scanned my surroundings for any kind of escape but it was no use, we were only God knows how high, my best escape were the windows and I certainly wouldn't make it to the ground. The two men did not let up as they held me in place on my knees before a mysterious man hiding behind his desk.

It was hard to swallow as I felt his gaze burning on my face. I made it my mission to look anywhere but at him. The small glimpse I did get of him was enough to send my heart through my asshole. He has ocean blue eyes, fair skin and black hair that parts ever so perfectly down the middle, his bangs falling on either sides of his face— only long enough to cover some of his forehead. He was tall, probably like six-foot-five. Maybe even taller.

I managed to muster up a little bit of courage just to plead with the devilishly handsome man who I assume is the leader. "Let me go!" I scream out in fear that they might end my life right here.

"Miss, you seem to be under the impression that you're still the one with rights and whatnot." The man in dark leasurely sitting behind his desk states as I'm pressed down by the guards that captured and dragged me into the room.

As he speaks I begin to recognize his voice. He is the son of Matteo Collins. The man before me is Maxwell Collins and if everything I've heard about him is correct then he will kill me without any further hesitation.

Maxwell, the ruler of the city, and my current interrogator begins speaking again. "You see, this is quite a cruel world. And you, my dear, shouldn't have been so brazen as to put your hands on my merchandise without paying!"

He then turns his attention to the two men that brought me to my death sentence. "Leave us, this one is of no trouble to me." As the guards begin to vacate the room, Maxwell moves to the window behind his desk and calmly looks out of it onto what is his city in the middle of nowhere.

As the guards are instructed to leave us alone fear rushes throughout my entire body. I am absolutely powerless with nowhere to run or hide. Too scared to make any sudden movements and cause the scenario to worsen, I remain on the floor in a the rather uncomfortable position I was left in.

"Tell me, young lady, you're aware you've forfeit your life, yes?" His middle finger swipes across the windowsill before he inspects the dust particles between his fingers. "How would this city run if people could just ignore the rules?"

"Please, believe me.. I didn't do anything." I managed to whisper out in a pleading manner for him to hear. I brushed a few loose strands of my brown, straight hair behind my ear. It was clear to anyone that looked at me that the guards hadn't handled me with much care, leaving me fragile in this moment. I prayed the emotionless man before me could show me a hint of remorse.

Maxwell turned around to face me on the floor and with a trained motion swiped forth a knife from within his coat as he applied further threats. "Oh? So you mean to tell me you weren't caught stealing provision? You just happened to get lost in my warehouse after taking a wrong turn?" When I didn't respond quick enough he continued. "People disappear everyday young one, lying to me is not advisable. I'd hate to have to mutilate you in order to send a message to the mass."

Contrary to the speech, Max's face was pale as he placed his hand on my shoulder and kneeled behind me. He freezes as the knife makes its way forward past my head and becomes visible to my eyes.

"I.." My words were cut short when I felt a warm, rough hand on my shoulder. A shiver went down my spine once again causing goosebumps to form along my arms and legs, only visible through the rips on my clothing. I have no doubt that his threats were not just threats, but indeed promises. I swallowed the saliva that had built up in my mouth as I watched the knife come into my view.

I couldn't help but to flinch just thinking about what would come next. I thought back to this morning and everything that lead up to this very moment. I didn't steal anything, I didn't mean to trespass. Maybe if I just tell him the truth he won't harm me.

A whisper left my lips loud enough for only him to hear. "I didn't mean to disobey your rules."

Maxwell finally breaks free from whatever he was thinking about as he hears my words. "Since you've confessed to being guilty of trespassing and attempted theft, this means I won't have to deal with you myself." He then retracted his knife and made his way to sit back down behind his desk.

Hiding his face behind cupped fists, he continues with the verdict. "Since this case is clear, you'll be handled as a thief and have your hands cut off." He remained motionless after speaking and I couldn't help but drop my jaw. He then parted his lips and began to call for the two guards but I quickly cut him off.

"Please, please don't hurt me! I won't make another mistake." I had lost pretty much all hope of being saved at this point but it didn't hurt to try once more. I couldn't go down without fighting. And if nobody planned on helping me, I would try my best to get out of this situation on my own.

A knife is stabbed into the top of the desk with force as the man stands up to deliver the facts. "Listen here, you!" Taking a pause to calm himself Max follows up. "Everyone saw you being dragged in here, it is known what you've gotten yourself arrested for. I'm only doing my part, I am only following the rules. If I don't punish you from trespassing, then I'll just end up with defiance from citizens or my immediate subordinates sooner or later." Halfway through his speech, I'm presented with the naked truth, I am just another example.

I listened very carefully to each word. For a moment I could've sworn there was something more than pure evil behind his eyes but that vanished just as quick as it appeared. I flinched as the man before me forced a knife into the tabletop of his desk.

"We all have our roles to play, I can't let random ones go unpunished. I-I.." Max's words stall as he looks at me. "Your life is just not worth saving."

Once again I flinched, but this time it was at his words. I was just another random civilian to him and my life and well-being had little to no importance to him.

My life is just not worth saving. Either I will die or leave with no hands.

"But.." Before I could plead some more I gave up. The look on his face told me everything I needed to know. He simply didn't care and there was nothing I could save to save my ass— well, my hands.

I thought for a few moments about what to say next. I noticed how Maxwell looked at me with curiosity behind his eyes.

At this point it felt like there was no escape. I would leave here today without my hands and this devilish man would go on with his life with no regret. "Then just kill me." I muttered out but immediately regretted those words. All hope had been thrown out the window so there was no point. I would rather die than fall as another victim to this man. Which, I guess technically I would still fall victim to him if he killed me— I just wouldn't have to witness his satisfaction.

"You would rather lose your head than your hands? If so, all you have to do is start fleeing or assault the guards as they come in to take you away. I see no reason why I should be the one to end you." Maxwell says softly.

If I was an idiot I would believe for half a second that Maxwell didn't want to hurt me, but I'm no idiot.

How could someone be so heartless when it comes to another persons life, or limbs for this instance? I could feel my heart racing again through the fabric of my shirt. I'm almost 99% positive he could hear it thumping as well. This was a dead end for me. The only thing I could do now is try to find even the slightest bit of humanity in him.

"Tell me what you could do with no hands! Would you want to live a life like that? That is a punishment worse than death." I quickly turned my back to him as I felt my eyes swell up with tears. I could not afford to let him witness my breakdown. I had to be strong if I wanted to make it out of this. My next words even surprised me. "Just kill me if you wish to punish me, please."

I gulped down just praying to the Gods above that he wouldn't slit my throat right now.

After rubbing his forehead, almost as if he was actually nervous, he began to speak again. "I don't make the rules young lady. Unless you're affiliated, you're to be processed."

There was a moment of silence as his eyes locked on mine. We held each other's gaze, only because he looked like a lightbulb had turned on in his head.

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly before bringing his other finger to his lips, but he moved it away just as quickly meanwhile taking a step closer to me. His gaze flickered to his desk and then back to me. "I could say you work for me.."