CHAPTER SEVEN

I immediately walk in front of the door, moving away from his grasp, "if you want to go out of this room, you will have to let me talk to my parents."

He scoffed, "if you think piccolo ragazza that a tiny thing like you could stop me, then you can't be more wrong."

I should've thought about it thoroughly before acting on it. Arcadio was right. I may be a healthy girl, yet in front of him. I was what he said a little girl. The man had muscles in all the right places. Focus Ellie!

He comes closer to the door, making the wooden door pierce my back. He raises his finger, and my eyes go shut. I feel his finger running over my cheek very softly. His breath warms the crook of my neck with his voice horse in my ears, "Also, piccolo ragazza, I could easily pick you up and throw you on my bed."

A moan was about to slip from my lips, so I bite my lip to hold it in. Arcadio's groan comes at my action, making my eyes open. I see the dark glint in his eyes, and his smirk widened. "You make wild, Tesoro! You will run from me if you could see what is going in my mind right now."

I gulp while he continues, "I'll count till three. If you don't go out of this room, I will act on those thoughts."

"One," he begins. My mind was reeling from his words right now. It was contemplating a dangerous thought right now.

"Two," a part of my mind was telling my feet to run, yet the other half was curious to see that what will happen after he says three. It was exciting even. I look back at his face. "Thr..." Before he could complete the word, I bolt out of the room.

Just as soon as I walked out of that door, embarrassment washes over me. How could I have such thoughts about Arcadio? He is the villain of this story. Because of him, I had to leave my job. My best friend became a betrayer, and most importantly, I can't contact my parents. I don't even know how tense they must be not hearing from me.

Tears sprung in my eyes. God, why I feel so helpless right now!

I lean on a wall in the hallway and slip down to the floor. I don't care about the tears falling from my cheek or me sitting in a random hallway crying.

"Oh, God!" Someone wrapped their arms around me. "I'm sorry. All of this is my fault." I look to see Leo hugging. Emotions run wild seeing her, making me cry further.

After a while, my breath calmed. The fast beating heartbeat slowed, and the blurry vision cleared.

"You feeling alright, Ellie?"

I merely nod. Leo helps me stand back up, and my stomach growls. Leo slightly chuckles. "Let's get you something to eat."

After crossing the stairs, we enter another room. I think it was the dining room because of the long dining table kept in the middle.

Familiar faces greet me. The First was Romero Abrams, and the second was Valerio Abrams. Of course, Leo's brother was part of this family. I had met both of them during the graduation ceremony. They were the ones who gifted Leo the apartment.

"Look who do we have here," Valerio exclaims. "The little Ellie!"

Valerio is the comic of the family, I guess. He's the only one who treats me like a kid. He teases me like one as well. Yet his appearance makes him the opposite when you meet him. His broad shoulder, muscular, lean body makes every girl swoon. During the graduation, you could see the green eyes we were getting.

On the other hand, Romero is a whole lot opposite. His face is always stern and emotionless, and he intimidates me the most among both of them. His work suits his personality. The young CEO is taking the business industry by storm. His threatening gaze and vast knowledge about everything make him the perfect bachelor, according to the magazines.

However, he is nothing compared to Arcadio, settled in the center chair of the dining table? He scares me the most in this family.

I take a seat between Leo and Arcadio on one side. On the other side, both the brothers are sitting. "What is she doing here?" The spite in his voice told me correctly that Romero hasn't changed a bit. He was the same brooding man.

"She is our guest," Leo replies in defense.

"I see the commotion never stops in Concentino family," the big guy whom I saw from the previous day who took Arcadio came inside the room. His name was Savino, which Leo had told me about previously. Behind him, Roger from before stood. Both of them enter and take their places on the dining table. Savino sat beside Leo and Roger beside Romero.

The house workers plate the food on the table, and everyone looks at Arcadio. He holds out both his hand and looks at me. I frown at him. Am I supposed to do something?

"Hold his hand," Leo whispers.

"Why?" I whisper back.

"For grace," she says.

"Oh," I put my hand in his. Leo holds my other palm. I never knew the Mafia family prayed. But I see each of them closing their eyes. "You're supposed to close your eyes, Piccola ragazza," Arcadio whispers in my ears. I automatically shut them.

Savino says a small prayer in Italian, and when the word Amen comes, I open my eyes. "Let's begin," Arcadio states, and everyone starts eating. There were all kinds of food placed in front of me.

"Ellie, eat something,"

"Um..." Seeing so many varieties of food, I get confused. "Have some spaghetti with meatballs. It is Xavier's specialty," Valerio says.

I smile and move to take the spaghetti. Arcadio's voice interferes, "she can choose what to eat on her own."

The words hurt me still I reply with a smile, "thank you, V."

Leo's eyes go wide at my words. I'm sure it wasn't just her reaction. Valerio returns a smirk to me.

The rest of the dinner goes silent. True to Valerio's words, the spaghetti was delicious. I even had seconds.

Later after the dinner, everyone went their separate ways. Leo and I go to her room. I asked her to give me her phone, which I forgot before that I could've used to call my parents. Although, it was a dead-end because, after my stunt in Arcadio's office regarding asking my phone back, he took her phone. Knowing she would cave and will try to help me.

I groaned. Laying down, I tried to sleep, but nothing came. I was still restless and was turning around on the bed. I peered at Leo, who was fast asleep, snoring even. God, I want to sleep so peacefully!

Finally giving up, I sit up on the bed. Cold air sends shivers down my spine. It is coming from the open window. Thank God! Leo had kept some of her clothes here. It was why I was wearing maroon satin silk slip lingerie. I pick out a scarf from her closet and wrap it around myself.

Slowly opening the door, I walk out. "Going somewhere?" I scream, but a rough hand stops me.

My eyes go wide but then go back to normal after seeing Savino. "You are not going to shout, right?" I shake my head. "Good," he removes his hand from my mouth.

"Are you crazy?!" I shriek while scowling at him. Though I keep a low voice, not wanting to wake the whole house.

"What are you doing out? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" He questions.

"I couldn't sleep, so I was going to the kitchen. You didn't answer me."

Savino sighs, "Arcadio ordered me to be your night guard." Something in his tone sounds like a touch of sarcasm.

"You are not the night guard?" I ask, controlling my laughter when he frowns at me like a five-year-old.

"I am the second in command! Do you think guarding two women is my job?"

I fold my arms in front of my chest, "what are you doing then?"

He sighs, "because our Boss doesn't trust anyone, and he also doesn't want any of his men coming near you. He said something about his men being a threat to you. Did someone hurt you?"

I flinched when I remembered the pain from the punch. "Forget about it."

"So, are you going to tell me the way to the kitchen? or will you force me to go back inside?" I inquire, pouting at him.

He chuckles, "now I know why Arcadio is so under your spell. Come on, let's go."

Him under my spell? He is not under my charm, or is he?