I woke up with a ray of sunshine seeping through the window curtains. I stared at the light. Lying on my stomach, I recall the horror of last night. Thankfully, I felt nauseated but not enough for me to vomit.

I looked around my surroundings, and everything felt quiet and calm. I managed to get up from bed. I turned my eyes to the door without wasting any more time. I ran towards the door, fearing it might be locked, but let out a quick sigh when I noticed it was open. I gently opened the door, trying not to make any sound, and looked at the empty hallway before getting out of the room and cautiously descending the stairs.

The view of the house is magnificent and very luxurious, which made me wonder who the owner is.

My eyes went straight to the main door, and I gave a quick thank you to the man up there. Then I walked towards the entrance, but before I could get to the door, I heard a voice behind me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I slowly turned back around like a deer caught in the light and was met with dark brown eyes and curly dark hair. He was attractive.

"Sin won't like the fact that you tried to escape," he said again, empathising more with Sin, who I'm guessing is the guy who kidnapped me.

"I'm Luca, and as much as I would love to know you more, you need to step away from the door."

"Where is he ?" I wanted to meet my so-called kidnapper so that I could ask why I was here.

"He went out to handle some things. I suggest you go back to your room. I won't want you to face the wrath of Sin," he said, as various emotions flashed through his face. I don't know if it was fear, worry, or pity, but the fact that he was scared of this Sin guy makes me wonder how terrifying he was.

I moved away from the door, climbing the stairs back to my room with Luca behind me.

"I will bring something for you to eat," he said as I stepped into the room.

Luca came back with a tray filled with a plate of bread and scrambled eggs, along with a glass of orange juice, which I ate and drank with no struggle. I needed the energy to escape later. After I was done eating, he took the tray, but the sound of a click caught my attention. I stood up from the bed and went to the door, trying to get it open, but it was locked.

Great! I'm trapped inside the room.

There goes my plan to escape, but I wasn't planning on giving up now. My mind drifted off to Steph. She must really be worried out of her mind now. What if I don't succeed in escaping? What would become of me? I paced around the room for a long time, crying in fear and anger, before my eyes turned heavy and my body felt tired as I fell into a dreamless sleep.

I was awoken due to the cold tingling sensation on my face. I kept my eyes closed, trying to wash away the feeling, but it only intensified. I opened my eyes only to let out a shriek.

A shiver runs down my spine when I look into his black orb. I recognised him quickly as the same man I saw a month ago at the club. His face was just an inch away from mine, and when I tried to move, his hands held my side, making it impossible. He was smiling in a dark and evil way, making me very uncomfortable.

Was this the kind of smile he gave his victims before he slaughtered them?

A few seconds passed before he finally sat up, giving me a little bit of space. I was too scared to move. His huge form was so intimidating that it made it hard for me to look into his eyes. But he had no problem staring at me as his eyes roamed over my body, watching my every move.

"Normani Parker, hm. Normani, Mani, Ani," he chanted with amusement laced in his voice. I was surprised he knew my name but said nothing as he looked at the wall behind him.

"Do you know why you're here, Mani?" he asked, his voice calm but dangerous.

"No, just let me go," I said in a soft yet hopeful voice.

"You were so fucking sexy that night; did you know that?" He said roughly, and I felt the colour drain from my face.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his eyes were dilated. I immediately moved back till my head hit the bed board, and he moved with me.

His face came close to my right ear, and I tried not to tremble, but it was hard. His warm breath fanned my skin.

"What...what do you want from me? Why did you kidnap me?" I whispered, shakenly, trying to hold back a sob.

"Because I want you, little temptress," he replied casually, as if he were talking about the weather.

"Why me? You can have anybody you want. "Just let me go," I begged.

"I don't want anyone else. You are mine," he said calmly but coldly.

I shut my eyes, and my body started shaking uncontrollably. One strong arm held my waist, drawing me closer to him, and his other hand rested beside my head on the bed board, making my eyes snap open. I tried wiggling to get out of his strong hold. His face dipped into my neck region without any warning.

His cologne hit my nostrils as his nose started brushing against my skin. I placed my hand on his chest, which made him stiffen and tighten his hold on my waist. I felt his abs flexing, his skin hot under my hand as I pushed him with all my strength, trying to create space between us, but he didn't budge.

He started drawing patterns with his nose on my bare skin, which sent tingling down my body, and I felt mad at myself for feeling such excitement.

I was saved by the sound of a phone ringing, and I am grateful to whoever called him inwardly.

"Che cosa!" he barked, angry at the person on the other side of the phone.

"Sto arrivando, non puoi nemmeno fare niente di giusto, idiota." He ended the call. "I have to go now, little temptress, but I will be back." He placed a kiss on my cheek and stood up to walk out of the room. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as uncontrollable tears fell down my eyes.

++*+*

Translations

Che cosa (what)

Sto arrivando, non puoi nemmeno fare niente di giusto, idiota-- (I'm coming, you can't even do anything right, idiot.)

SIN POV.

"PL...please, have mercy."

What an arsehole.

If he thought his pitiful plea was going to make me spare his pitiful life, he was so fucking wrong. He had already messed up when he tried stealing money from me and passing information to my enemies. I am the fucking boss of the Italian Mafia. Even when people hear my name, it sends a shiver down their spine. They would piss their fucking pants just by the sound of my name.

Nikolai Violante.

But I prefer being called Sin.

People were scared of me, and they were right to feel that way. Only an idiot would dare to challenge and mess with me.

"Please, ha...have mercy," the man in front of me begged again, as if that was going to change my mind.

"Then you should never have betrayed the boss in the first place." Jason, one of my men, shouted out at him before kicking him hard in the stomach. He groaned in pain, coughing out blood.

Such a fucked-up attitude.

As one of us, he should have known that there was no way for him to escape these. My man is as brutal and cruel as me. The monster

I squatted in front of him. He was still lying on the floor holding his aching stomach. I must say, my man got him good, but he whined like a girl. What a sissy. I grabbed his hair, forcing him to look at me. He was practically in a mess. His face was covered in his own blood, and his eyes were black. very disgusting.

"Santiago!" His body flinched, trembling at my voice. If he was so scared of me, he should have thought twice before betraying me. "You understand the consequences of stealing and betraying me, don't you?" I asked, my voice calm but terrifying, scaring the shit out of him.

"Answer me," I growled, making him wince.

"Y-yes, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I swear. " He replied, trembling.

I sighed. Just how many times have I heard these statements from him in just one night? This guy really knew how to get on my nerves.

I grabbed his hair tighter, bringing his face towards mine. "I don't show mercy, and you knew that when you swore an oath to join this agreement," I said, and he mildly shook his head. I smirked and turned my head towards Luca, my second in command, as if he understood what I wanted. He nodded and brought out something from his trouser pocket, then placed it on my palm.

A gun.

Santiago immediately tried to get out of my grip but failed miserably. I moved the gun and directed it at his forehead. I could feel his face turning white and his eyes widening as he cried profusely.

I gave you so many chances to come clean, I suppose, and you fucking blew it. You had the guts to challenge me. You thought you could escape from me, trying to mess around with me, knowing full well the kind of beast I am." I spat angrily at him.

"Please, p-please, Sin. I beg you. Please don't. " I stood up with the gun still directed at him.

I was tired of this game.

I want to end his life.

The monster inside me was asking to be released. I gave in to the urge to spill his blood, to blow his brain out and dance in his blood. I clicked off the safety of the gun and shot him three times, in his chest, stomach and forehead. I handed the gun back to Luca.

"Sbarazzati del corpo!" I ordered my men.

"You seem to be a little tense. Why don't we go to one of your clubs and blow off some steam?" Luca said. He was the only one who got to talk to me that way, and he knows when not to cross the line. We've been best friends since we were little, and I trust him with my life .

We both walked out of the warehouse to the car. Luca took the driver's seat, and I sat beside him as we drove to one of my hotels. I didn't really feel like going, but I could really use some distraction right now.

Luca went to get us some drinks as I walked towards the VIP section and sat at one of the seats when one of the whores I fucked, Tasha or Sandra – I couldn't care less – clutched onto my arm, trying to get me to fuck her.

Luca said, handing me a drink in a glass. "Whisky for you, Sin; I know how badly you need it.

"Ho cos tanta voglia di piantare un proiettile in testa a questa troia."

Luca let out a laugh. "Calmati Sin, ci sono molti testimoni." I rose from my seat and looked down at the people dancing and having a good time. I took a sip of my drink. My eyes scanned every face on the dance floor until they landed on one particular blond hair in a tight black dress, dancing teasingly, catching the eyes of every male in the club. I wanted so desperately to see what she looked like, and I got my wish when she turned towards my direction, shaking that sexy body of hers.

My breath seized as I took in her beauty, and I must say, she looked fucking divine.

She turned around like she was looking for something until her eyes met mine, and we stared at each other in a trance, but it was broken when a girl, whom I'm guessing is her friend, tapped her on the shoulder. They both went back to the bar.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. It's like I felt some kind of pull I could not explain. She turned around to look at me, saying something to her friend as they both stood up and walked towards the exit of the club.

I still couldn't take my eyes off her as I wished for her to look at me one last time, and she did. A smirk grazed my face, and I raised my glass in a cheer. Mine.

My little temptress.

++*+*

Translation

Sbarazzati del corpo (Get rid of the body)

Ho cos tanta voglia di piantare un proiettile in testa a questa troia. (I so badly want to put a bullet in this slut's head.)

Calmati Sin, ci sono molti testimoni qui – (calm down Sin, there are plenty of witnesses).

"Miss! " A distressed voice echoed through the room.

"Please wake up, Miss."

I felt a hand on my shoulder shaking me, dragging me out of my slumber. My heavy lashes peeled open, and the first thing I saw was a worried expression on a woman in her twenties like me. She was wearing what I assumed was a maid's outfit. She was leaning over me on the same bed where I passed out yesterday.

"Thank God," she sighed when I finally opened my eyes. "I came yesterday to wake you up, but Sin said I should let you rest. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I croaked. My vocal cords dried like sandpaper due to all the crying. I could see the pity and remorse on her face, so I decided to try my luck and see if she could help me escape.

"Please help me; I have been kidnapped," I begged.

"You need to be careful and mind what you say. I can't help you," the maid replied back anxiously.

"Were you kidnapped as well?" I asked. That was the only logical explanation I could come up with since she was too scared to help me.

The question seemed to throw the poor maid off guard. "What do you mean, Miss?"

"Were you forced here against your will? Is that why you can't help me?"

"No, Miss, I've worked for the Violenta since I was nineteen, and I've been treated well, just like everyone else who is loyal," the maid explained cautiously.

I snorted out in disbelief at the words she said, "I don't care; I was taken against my will."

"Quiet, you need to be careful," she whispered, looking around the room, "you don't want to get on Sin's bad side. As long as you do not disobey him, he won't hurt you."

I spat out angrily, "Easy for you to say; you were not kidnapped and taken from everyone and everything you love."

I could see that my words affected her, making her look away from my direction for a minute before looking back at me. "I really wish I could help you, but I can't. This is the first time Sin has ever shown much interest in a lady except for pleasuring him. I can't help you. I'm too scared to face the wrath of his anger."

I let out a frustrated sigh as tears fell down my eyes. Deep down I knew she couldn't do anything to help since she was just as helpless as me, but I just couldn't help but take out my anger on her, which I now regret.

"I—I'm sorry," I let out, giving out a tight smile as I managed to control my tears.

"It's okay; I understand. I'm Zoey. I have been assigned to you by Sin in case you need anything." She said, trying to ease the tension.

"Normani, but my friends call me Mani ," I said.

"It's nice to meet you, Mani," despite the situation."

"And you too, Zoey. I'm sorry again for taking my anger out on you."

"Okay, Mani," the dark-haired woman said, giving me a smile. "I will draw you a bath."

I wanted to protest, but the box in her hand caught my eye. As if she read my thoughts, the woman explained. "It's a dress. Sin wants you to wear it when you eat dinner tonight."

"Dinner with him…?"

"Yes, he requested your presence." She handed the box to me before walking towards the bathroom. I could hear the sound of running water drumming against my ears. My stomach coils at the thought of seeing that man again.

Peering into the box, I found a beautiful red dress and a set of matching coloured lingerie. My fingers trembled, and the lump in my throat made it hard for me to breathe.

"You were asleep for hours, from yesterday till this evening. I thought you weren't feeling too well." Zoey said as she came out of the bathroom. "Your bath will be ready soon. I will leave you to it." Before she could leave, I called her back.

"Zoey."

"Yes, do you need anything else?"

"Could you come keep me company before the dinner?" I asked anxiously, not wanting to be alone and needing every possible piece of information about Sin.

A soft smile grazed her face. "I just need to finish up the choice I was assigned to, and I will be back."

"Thank you."

After she left, an eerie silence engulfed the room, and I drew in a deep breath.

I need to be brave and smart.

The warm water hardly soothed the wreck that became my nerves. I wished more than ever that an hour would turn into two hours. Anything to keep me away from coming face-to-face with that monster.

I sat inside the bathtub until the water had become cold and my fingers were wrinkled. I came out of the bathtub with a bathrobe wrapped around my naked body, and I walked back into the room.

Zoey was already there waiting for me. She directed me to a seat in the room as she helped me with my hair and makeup.

"Why do people call him Sin?" I asked curiously.

"I don't know, but I heard he preferred being called Sin, and no one was allowed to call him by his real name, not even family," Zoey said.

"Do you know his name?"

"We aren't allowed to say his name, Mani," she replied warily.

"Please, I think I deserve to know who my kidnapper is. Don't you think?" I asked desperately.

"Nikolai Violenta," she whispered, "Please always address him as Sin," she pleaded. I nodded, knowing fully well that I wasn't going to listen to her. If his name pricks him, then I would gladly use it against him.

An hour later, I was dressed and ready. My breath was shallow, and my fingers clung to the soft material of my dress as Zoey led me down the waving hallway to the dining room.