Chapter 4 M.S

What she wants?

Maria wasn't naive. She knew very well that Alex wouldn't be able to get out of this mess without her. It seemed he had made the mistake of angering Damien and at least, she was able to help him. Even if it meant giving up her own freedom.

Why she was so nice to the same man who had abandoned her many times when she needed him but now she felt the urge to give herself up to help him... she didn't know. But he was her brother and she felt somewhat responsible for him.

"I... I want my brother safe," she began to speak after a moment's pause. "I want him to leave alive. I want to see him leave alive and for your men to never go after him again."

"And in return, you'll take my offer," he mused. Maria nodded and the smirk on Damien's face widened.

"That's a deal," he responded, his tone final. Maria felt a little bit of relief, even though her heart pounded in her chest.

Then, his hand snaked up her arm and she gasped at how warm his palm was on her cool skin. Up her arm, to her shoulder and then, resting on her delicate neck. Damien's eyes still didn't leave hers and she felt beholden by it.

And just like that, he released her, turning and walking away.

Maria's knees were weak and she stumbled back to the bed and pressed her hand against her neck, right where his hands had been.

His gaze was burning her even when he had left.

...

Alex was leaving, finally.

Maria wasn't allowed to go down to see him from the room she was in, but she was allowed at least to see him leave.

She was led to stand at the balcony, nervously biting her lips.

She was wearing a dress, but it was one picked out for her by the man she had to serve from now on.

Even now it was difficult to imagine having to spend her life away from all that she knew simply to pay off her brother's debt.

But it was the price she had agreed to pay.

As soon as she felt Damien move to stand beside her she couldn't help but stiffen. Despite his easy going demeanor, he definitely wasn't one to mess with. For the past two days she had been in this hotel room, she had realized that Damien Serrano wasn't just a man of shady dealings. He was a Mafia Boss, and every single one of his men had sworn loyalty to him.

Once the last of his men had left the room, he raised his voice.

"Bring him out," Damien ordered. Maria stared down at the black vehicle that stood in the hotel's park. The car was opened from the back and out came her brother.

Relief flooded her being; he was not lying after all. He was going to keep to his words. Maria watched as her brother walked to the other side of the compound, where a yellow taxi sat waiting for its passenger.

But after a second, Maria noticed something was up. Her eyes were fixed on the white bandage that stood out, wrapped on her brother's hand and covering his fingers, or rather, covering the stump where his fingers were.

Maria felt dread then, and an unhealthy burst of anger swelled up.

She turned her gaze to Damien who still wasn't looking at her.

"What did you do to him?" She asked in a low tone.

"Hmm?" Damien turned to her with a smirk. It irked her so much. The damn bastard.

"What did you do to him?" Her voice went up a pitch. She looked like she was about to cry, or vomit, or both. "You did something to him!"

"Oh, come on," Damien shook his head. "I only took off a finger... or two. I don't really remember. Besides, it's his left hand. He really won't use it much, will he?"

Staring at Damien made Maria even more infuriated.

"He's missing a finger!!" She yelled. "You didn't keep to your end of the deal, Damien! You lied to me!"

He chuckled as if it was amusing to see her fuming and pointing at him accusingly.

"Oh, don't call me a fucking liar. I never lie when it comes to my deals. I mean, he's still breathing. I kept my word on that, didn't I darling?" He asked whilst straightening his shirt jacket and tugging his sleeve up to reveal a gold watch and the gold bracelet he wore. He glanced at it briefly. "After all, I never told you he would be leaving here unharmed. I only promised you his life and for him to be set free," He said in a playful tone. "And if I wanted I could have made things much worse. There are ways to keep a man alive even when he's missing all his limbs."

Maria had heard enough and stalked towards him, her heels clicking on the tiled floor as she stormed towards him.

"You bastard," she hissed at him, raising her hand to give him a slap. That was the worst move she could ever make.

Maria found her hand in a tight, vice-like grip that she couldn't shake it out of. Before she knew it she was pinned to the wall and had an annoyed looking man bearing down and towering over her.

"You-" she tried to speak but her back was slammed against the wall twice. It left her gasping for breath and weak against him. Then his hand left her hand and was on her neck cupping it firmly.

"Let me tell you," Damien still kept his voice light and free of any tension even if he was currently pinning her to the wall with only one hand. "I don't like people who can't keep their anger to themselves. I try to be nice," he shook his head and smirked at her red-faced self. "But some people just like to push my buttons, don't they?"

"L-Let me go-" she tried to choke out but he only tightened his grip. "P-please..."

Suddenly the grip was released and she barely managed to keep herself standing on shaky feet as she began to breathe heavily.

Damien watched her with an unreadable gaze. Then she felt fingers on her chin and she found herself being forced to look up at his handsomely dangerous face.

"You need a lesson in obedience, darling. And I'm delighted to be the one to teach it."

She looked away and he released her chin.

"Eventually," he continued to speak, his tone a low burr that stirred something within her. "But for now, I'll take this as a tiny little tantrum if yours."

Maria couldn't help but blink rapidly as the sounds of Damien storming out of the room were enough to make her more fearful.

The door was shut with a slam and she covered her mouth as she gasped.

What the hell had she gotten herself into