Lenette woke up in an unfamiliar room. the interior dark with the walls a deep grey only light colour came from the plain white ceiling, the rest of the room stuck to a monochrome theme, grey, and black being dominant.
Lenette's dream made her feel disoriented when she woke up and by the time her mind returned to her so did the memories of her last 48 hours or what it felt like. The auction house, meeting the Don of the Valerius because he had bought her. Their encounter flashed through her mind with a faint tint pink running through her.
She let out a sigh and could not help but think back to the words of that man at the auction house. "Good luck. You will need it. Heard your new owner has quite the reputation." How she had in fact dismissed said warning thinking that it could not be worse than the auction house. Now she has a different view on the situation. The man who bought her was fucken Caesar Castello Valerius. Lenette cursed her luck.
She had originally intended to stay a few weeks with the person who bought her then make her escape but now those dreams were crushed. That is unless she had 40 million dollars and the man was feeling generous enough to grant her freedom. Lenette knew she had zero possibility for both.
Which you will have to work hard for, that is if you want your freedom. That low sultry voice popped into her head. It still sent tremors down her spine even though it was only from memory.
Somewhere at the back of her brain, somewhere deep and dark rung out, there is that option too. Lenette quickly snuffed it out before it became louder. She was desperate for her freedom but the very idea of giving herself up like than made her think that confinement might not be all that bad.
To dispel those evil thoughts, she got up and looked around the room, obviously avoiding the door. But once she had explored the big bathroom and the walk-in closet there was nothing keeping her from attempting to go beyond the door.
Lenette treaded slowly towards the door and slowly moved her hand to the knob and turning it with just as much pace as she had when she moved to it. When she heard the click and how light the door felt in her hand as she pulled it open, it took her mind a while to register that the door was in fact unlocked.
The woman stood there trying to understand what this meant. But her mind came up blank at the moment. So, Lenette decided to put that at the back burner for the time being and made her way out the room on to the hallway which had a similar colour scheme to the room. It made the place seem clinical and distant, not very homey and welcoming.
The more Lenette walked, the more lost she became. The estate was that big, the woman could barely remember where her room was. Just as she was about to give up and stay where she was hoping someone would somehow find her, she heard the muffled sounds of people. Lenette thought it be best for her to follow the sound. She inched toward a room as the sound grew louder and louder. She stood frozen before it, contemplating whether getting caught outside her room, or cage if you would call it that, she on the other hand definitely would, was worth it. After a while she figured that she would get caught either way, it would be better to go back to the room of her own volition rather than being shoved there.
Lenette opened the door to be greeted by the image of men in matching uniform, all black suits, white shirt and black tie, their ages had variety. Lenette was bewildered, not because of their numbers or variety but rather about how unbothered they were, the men were playing gambling games, mostly cards, money on the table, the room clouded with smoke of cigars and cigarettes mixed with the scent of strong liquor and beers.
At the moment she had opened the door, one in particular was on his feet shouting about how he got played and cheated, the man stood frozen just as she did, soon everyone in the room followed. Then all in almost a split second had their weapons drawn and pointed, hand on the trigger ready to shoot.
Normally this would have Lenette startled and screaming for them not to shoot her. But with the crappy time she had recently gone through, very little fazed her, much less guns nor the idea of death, if Lenette was honest, she would admit that part of her still welcomes the idea of death's sweet release.
"Who are you?" a voice came from the very back of the room. Lenette chose not to answer. She figured that if their boss did not tell them, it certainly was not going to be a job she took upon herself… "Speak woman, or they will shoot. You have three."
"Three what? Days, hours, minutes or few weeks?" she mused to herself. But the silence of the room betrayed her.
"Seconds," the man responded. "You now have two."
Lenette figured it was none of her business, but with her back against a wall, she felt she had no choice. "I am your boss's 40 mil." She spoke with a coy smile.
The men thought over her words, seeming to agree on something they all lowered their guns putting them back in their natural spots at their waists and sat themselves back down.
"And what is the Don's 40 mil doing here?" the man pressed, his face now visible just the aged on his face. Lenette could tell he was the oldest out of everyone present in that room. His demeanour proved so too.
"Ah, see, it is quite the funny story." She spoke with a slight chuckle, "I actually got lost looking for your boss. This place is big and well, I suppose unfamiliar to me."
The older man hummed then tapped the shoulder of one of the younger man next to him, "Give her directions to the Don's office study."
The young one gave a nod and walked over to Lenette and pulled her outside the room. As soon as they did, everything inside the room went back to how it was before she interrupted, they were back to shouting and gambling like they had not just pointed guns, with threats to shoot at her just not mere moments ago.
The cold detachment they had to such an action had Lenette remember that she was in a mafia den, the mouth of the lion, where they shoot and go back to playing cards like your life was nothing more than a worthless piece of room. The thought sent shivers down her spine, involuntarily.
"You got it?" the young man said his gaze intent on the woman before him.
Lenette had not heard a word; she was busy stewing in her head when he explained the directions. But still Lenette gave a nod, thinking she could not get out of there fast enough. The estate might be big but not so that she would not be found if people noticed her missing. So, she stopped worrying about direction and decided to explore the place.
Once she pulled away from that room and its people, Lenette was hit by a familiar fragrance, the scent put her mind in a blank. Lenette followed it mindlessly and soon found herself in front of a greenhouse. Her earlier hesitation to enter the room gone as she pulled the door open and made her way in.
The scent of fresh flowers and plants washed over her sending her back to one of her lost memories.
"Black roses? Why would you want such a thing?" her father asked mindlessly, his attention on his work
"Daddy it is not about the colour of the roses per say, that was just an example. I want to have a place all of my own, you know for my peace. So…" she dragged the word eyeing her father with that look she knew he could never say no to, his weakness. "…I just want a little room to grow my lovely plants."
Lenette heard older man sigh and knew she was getting her wish granted.
It was not long after that her younger self walked into an inhouse garden, her father giving her instruction to take care of it because it was her responsibility to. The place became her tranquillity, her safe haven when the world became too much.
She could almost see it; the vision of her young self, seated at the cushion bench she had placed by the window, the smell of fresh flowers, the sounds of bird. The only things present to occupy her included her black tea, the echoes of turning pages and the whiff of ink on paper.
There was something about the peace that came with such a place that made her think that if she was held captive in this room, she would not fight that hard to leave. Lenette pulled herself back from that moment just enough to notice the opaque coloured roses, they seemed to draw her in. Soon she had picked on and brought it to her nose and took a deep breath letting the smell fill her airway. it shot her back to that memory, to that garden. Lenette closed her eyes for a second taking it all in letting herself dream of the beautiful quiet old days.
All of a sudden, her airways filled with smoke, then the image of her childhood home aflame snaked its way into her mind. Her Eden, haven, the birds, the plants and the roses, her black roses all gone. She watched it all burn as she was being dragged away.
The sound of her own screaming, her own cries filled her ears making her head ring. Lenette's lungs burned with the scent of smoke and loss, her mind disoriented by the sound of her own cries, her body ached with sorrow and hurt. Grief washed over her anew and Lenette, in the garden that resembled her own, holding a rose much like the ones she once cared for, found it hard to breath.
Letting the rose fall from her hands, her body following soon after as her legs gave out. Lenette knelt on the tiled ground clasping her chest gasping for air. Her mind trying, very much it's best to figure out what was going on but failing every time. She left like she was drowning and could not for the life of her find the will to swim back to shore.
Tears welled up in her eyes as the choking feeling got more intense. Her vision blurred as she felt not just her life but her will drain away.
Then just as she was about to let go and give into the call of death that promised not more pain, an image of her father, healthy, happy and laughing. The sound fuelling her and mending her torn will. Lenette calmed. She took a deep breath and cooled her mind.
Slowly and slowly her vision cleared, her lungs felt like fresh air again and she could feel the life return to her in small increments. Lenette stayed curled up on the floor, attempting to gain her bearing, attempts which proved fruitful. She breathed, for the first time it felt like life was giving her a little bit of way, just a drop and she was going to take it and make something out of it. Like finding the man who took everything from her.
Lenette got up, her resolve reinforced even though her limps were not in the know considering how heavy they felt weighing her down, back on the ground. But Lenette forced them to obey, to listen, after all this pain was nothing compared to what she went through.
Once on her feet she let out a laugh, tired and drained at first but then turned loud and slightly venomous. Lenette found it ridiculous that she was willing to give into the idea of death when she still had so such unfinished business. She could rest after, after everything had been done.
She leaned down to pick up the rose, staring at it she murmured, "Now that would not be such a bad ending."
"What would not?" That velvety silk voice sounded from behind her and she froze. Lenette originally refused to turn, she was in no mind to face him right then. But then heard those quiet footsteps and changed her mind. Spinning around to face him but said nothing. "I am curious my little firecracker. What is it that you were mumbling to yourself?"
She glared at him, but still said nothing. Her stubbornness had him tilting his head a bit in amusement. "Okay then." He started with a slight change in his demeanour, a little of his usual aloofness shaved away, "Since you will not answer that one. Care to tell me what my little pet is doing out of her cage?"
Lenette frowned deeply at the address. It pissed her off so much that it overrode her stubbornness. "I am not your pet." She spoke through gritted teeth.
His usual aloofness and amusement at her returned, he dawned a smirk. "I suppose you are right." He took steps to her and hovered right before, close enough that she could smell the high shelf liquor and cigars, there was something else too that she could smell on him, a metallic scent. "You are after all my 40 mil…" he leaned down close to her ears and then it hit her. It was the scent of blood. "…As you have so boldly declared." He ran his teeth along her earlobe sending shock waves down her spine.
The shudder had her mouth agape and her mind muddled, but her body grounded as though it were made of stone. It took Lenette a while to gain her wits again. She pushed him off her and landed her hand on his face with a resounding slap that had him turn his head to the side.
"Do not touch me." she spoke strained.
He turned back to face her, his expression unreadable. Caesar's hand travelled to his cheek where her delicate hand was moments ago. He let out a laugh, first amused, "I would expect nothing from my firecracker."
Then it turned chilled as he continued, "You know." Lenette involuntarily took a step back or two, she was not sure, "You are probably the first to land a hit on me for..." he thought about, "…As long as I can remember. Though most who tried ended up loosing an arm or two…or their lives depending on my mood."
Lenette made to move back again but he caught her jaw, held it so tight that she was grounded in place. "I love your spark, so do not look so worried. I will not take your life as of yet. You still have to entertain me." he titled her head side to side then his hand moved to her neck and gripped it, "Though I do think letting my pet run a little too wild would be bothersome." He eyed her neck her; his hand grasped a little tighter. Lenette's eyes on his next move, she felt if she tried to escape now, he would break her neck without a care in the world and go back to smoking cigars and drinking whiskey, like she never existed. That frightened her.
"Maybe I should get you a leash." He spoke calm and sultry while eyeing the flame in her eyes. Lenette could not see her eyes, but she was sure that whatever he could see was in fact a reflection of how she felt, pissed and unyielding, a little fear. They stood in that moment, frozen, his eyes eating her up and hers analysing him. they studied each other, breaths steady.
It was a long while before Lenette broke the deadlock with her words. "You can. But I cannot promise I will wear it."
He looked taken aback for a moment. Not because she was set on defying him but because she dared him, she challenged him and that set something shifting in him.
He let out a chuckle. "I was not asking for you permission firecracker. I was telling you."
"And I am telling you that I will not wear a leash around my neck."
Caesar stared at her. Then let go of her turning on his heel, his back to her as he threw his head back in laughter striding away.
"Well then my Little Firecracker I guess I will just have to carve it onto your skin." he spoke as he walked way, out of the greenhouse, "Have it crafted on to your skin, so you know you belong to me and whole to me."