Chapter 5 Dreams.

Blair stood before a man she still wasn't familiar with. Her head was slightly bowed as she feared to look in his eyes. She could catch his fever.

His vicious gaze stared boringly at her, the smirk on his lips only expanding as seconds passed by. He for a fact was inclined toward how submissive she seemed.

From her last encounter with him, Blair had realized he was the cruel man who had captured her. It came to her mind to find out what right he owned to do such.

Raising her head with sudden confidence, she sniffed, directing her gaze at the towering figure in front of her.

"Why am I here?"

Her voice could pass to be unstable, but she did well to coat it. The other men couldn't catch the substance of fear in her tone but Elio Riccardo did.

He was acquainted enough to catch any kind of glitch. It was why he hated mistakes.

"You wouldn't pass an assignment of mine." Seeing how she couldn't hide her emotions properly, his head grounded to her level. "You gave yourself out so easily."

Blair was shaken, It was going to be the hardest days of her life. Even with her daring attitude, she feared the cruelty she would face from this man.

Again, she resisted the tears that were about to spill from her eyes as she connected her gaze with his. Aiming for a fearless demeanor, she resonated "Why did you take me!"

"My right." Elio only gave short responses. He felt just anyone could understand him. "You stand in as a concluded business transaction."

Blair didn't think she heard what she thought she heard. Her eyes searched all over the place, skimming for something that proved it was all a dream.

"What relationship did you have with your father?" A smirk played across the corner of his lips at his newfound notion. "He seemed to have no problem selling his daughter off."

Blair moved her eyes to him. The new information made her weak but she was determined not to show so much of its effect on her. To her, Elio was constantly having fun teasing her, but she chose to ignore him.

"Answer me!" The shattering sound of glass glazed her ears, prompting her to look up at the imposing figure in complete shock. The thick glass he held a while ago now lay shattered between them.

His scary tone, along with the loud shattering was sure to nearly impair her drums as she rubbed the side of both ears, shakily pumping her breath. She still ignored him.

Elio's eyes shone in savagery. He hated it when he was ignored. He figured Blair was yet to know the kind of person he was.

He took a single stride closer to Blair, grabbing her chin in his hands and stiffening his grip on the poor body part. "Talk now!"

His eyes held still. He was sure his actions imparted more on Blair than it seemed to him. He made further to squeeze her poor skin within his hands, causing her to jolt.

To Blair, It felt like a branding iron scorching a particular part of her skin. Every increase his grip attempted seemed to make her near doom, relentlessly trapping any pride she had left.

"Please." She begged defenselessly, when she couldn't even bring herself to put up a struggle. "What do you want?"

Elio released her chin from his tight grip. He doubted Blair was ready to make amends but figured he'd scrutinize and see for himself.

The glare his eyes held caused Blair to look up at him immediately. She wasn't taking any more chances. She only needed to be obedient while navigating plans to get herself out.

"Put up an act and you would be sold to a ruthless individual." Elio Riccardo's jaw clenched while he passed his warning. "I'm the kindest you'd find."

Blair couldn't distrust his words. For the few days with him, she knew better than to doubt whatever came off his mouth. If he could refer to his vicious self as kind, then the others must be unexplainably cruel.

With her eyes still connected to his, she softened her gaze in a bid to make him believe she had her mindset changed.

Elio Riccardo was no easy man to please. He barely believed in change and only claimed people never changed.

Scrutinizing Blair, he opted for her to leave his presence. It was enough drilling for the day. He needed her to be nicely fed as an idea about how to sufficiently utilize her to his money's worth sprung to his mind almost immediately.

Of all the slaves he had, he couldn't place one worthy enough to brace his elegance. He didn't get intimate with just anyone, but looking at Blair, he was sure she could finally be useful to him.

His features beamed as he gestured that she left his presence, still catching sight of her alluring presence before him.

Blair wondered what was on the mind of such an evil man. She figured she couldn't dare underestimate him. She had heard enough stories of him which only prompted her to get her facts straight.

With her head bowed, she retreated, making her way to the room she shared with the few other women.

*******

Brianna's eyes met with Blair's just as she walked through the threshold.

With the worrisome expression on the woman's face, Blair could tell that she felt pity for her.

"Tell me he did nothing to you." Brianna inquired from Blair, holding her by the shoulders whilst helping her sit on her leveled mattress.

Blair observed Brianna's fervor to get a positive response from her. She adjusted subtly in her bed space as she made to give the woman a little hint of what she experienced.

"He didn't get a chance." Blair had suddenly changed her mind. She figured she still had to act as though the floor was hers. Letting others know she was weak was not her thing.

Brianna heaved out so heavily. Blair could swear she'd never seen someone so caring. Her family couldn't care less about how she was fairing in such a place.

"I'm fine, Anna." She tried to assure the woman. It was the only way she could wipe off the worry that displayed through her beautiful look.

"It's hard to believe, but you look it," Brianna said, wordlessly assuring Blair she was there for her.

Blair gave the woman a smile. Her head was fully occupied and she could hardly think straight. She thought about planning an escape with Brianna but didn't think she knew the woman too well to risk it.

"Meanwhile, where is everyone?" Blair had suddenly asked, noticing just how sparsely the place seemed. Her eyes searched around the small room. She knew for a fact that there was more than the number she currently observed.

"Most of them left to eat." Brianna answered, letting out a small yawn on cue." Now, I have to do the same."

Blair couldn't remember the last time she had something in her mouth. The whole conversation about food caused her to realize she needed food to at least survive a few more days.

"Where is it?" Blair cleared her throat, directing her gaze to Brianna for the umpteenth time in such a short period. "I mean, where the food is."

She had tried to rephrase her statement, seeing as Brianna only stared back in confusion.

"Oh, sorry. I was a little confused." Brianna let out a short laugh. "It's in an open space, close to the entrance."

"Wow," Blair mumbled just as she heard her stomach rumble. "I guess I should do the same."

She smiled at Brianna and the woman returned her smile, helping her off the bed.

They both headed towards the large table where everyone was seated. But Blair halted, observing how unpleasant the meal looked.

She hadn't eaten for days just to come face to face with the disaster which others referred to as food. She figured they probably had no other choice.

Getting a portion for herself, Blair tried to eat the meal in front of her for its benefits and not for its taste. Sparsely, it occurred to her that the meal might not have the least benefit as it appeared as though it could serve as a poisoning instead.

Blocking her breath with the tip of her fingers, she opted to consume a spoonful of the meal and only ended up throwing it off her mouth.

A woman laughed. It seemed at first to be a snicker but Brianna took it personally, rising from her seat to confront the woman.

"You should be helping, instead of laughing." Brianna now stood before the lady, shoving her by the shoulder.

The act prompted the lady to spring to her feet as she turned to face Brianna in annoyance. "Don't touch me!" she screamed at Brianna, her palm balling into a fist.

Blair was irked, she feared for Brianna. The imposing woman looked like she could beat her up mercilessly. She figured she had to make them stop in her own way, even if it meant apologizing to the woman who laughed at her.

She pushed her seat backwards, rising from it and swiftly heading towards both women.

Blair quickened her pace as she observed both ladies were now on each other's shirts, dragging their clothes by the collar.

"Stop please." Her soft voice rang through the air but it only heightened the pressure as the women ignored her, continuously printing scratches on each other's faces.

Blair stood in between and just as she was about working with her hands. A deep voice filled the air, causing not only her but the two other women to halt in their spots.

There was sudden silence and everyone paused whatever it was they indulged in at the moment, as Elio Riccardo came into view.

Blair gulped. This was definitely what she avoided.