Chapter 5 Blissful Haze

KAIZA POV

I stood there, watching as one of my many enemies, Eric disappeared into the night. He had slipped through my fingers again, but this would be the last time. No matter how far he ran, I would find him. The weight of revenge settled deep in my chest as I climbed into the sleek black car and slammed the door shut.

"Where to, sir?" the driver asked.

"Home," I snapped, my fists clenching.

From the front seat, Mario, my right hand man kept sneaking glances at me in the rearview mirror. I sighed, already knowing he had something to say.

"Go ahead, Mario," I muttered.He hesitated before speaking. "Now that you've got the girl-Coraline-what are you going to do?"

I knew exactly what I would do. Keep her. She wasn't leaving my sight again. I had made the mistake of not taking her when she turned eighteen. I had been there at her lavish birthday party, watching from the shadows. Victor had insisted she remain unaware of our world, our business. But things had changed.

"Kai," Mario called, breaking me from my thoughts. He was one of the few people I allowed to use my first name. He was family.

"Just make sure she gets everything she needs," I finally said.

As the car pulled into the long driveway of my estate, Mario scrolled through his phone. "I told Eros to feed her earlier."

I gave a nod, leaning my head back for a brief moment. The vehicle rolled to a stop, and before I could move, Mario was already pulling the door open.

"Eros said they got one of Eric's men," Mario informed me. "They're in the garden."

I stepped out, adjusting the cuffs of my jacket. "They should've taken the bastard to the dungeon."

My hands balled into a fist as I strode toward the garden. My jaw tightened when I saw the captive. Ferdinand. A trusted friend of my father's. The man had been an ally-or so I had thought. My stomach twisted with anger. I should have known. Ferdinand and Eric had been close. Of course, he had played a role in the mutiny.

"You brought this upon yourself, traitor," I said coldly.

Ferdinand struggled against the men holding him. "Tell your men to let me go, this is madness!"

I shook my head. "Why? You were always loyal to my father. Why turn against me?"

"Because I will never serve you," he spat.

I let out a dark chuckle. "That's too bad."

"All you care about is yourself, money, and women! Is that why you kidnapped that bitch? To let her warm your bed?" Ferdinand sneered.

The insult barely left his mouth before my fist collided with his jaw. My patience had run thin. How did my enemies already know about Coraline?

"You will die where you kneel," I said, voice like ice. "And your family will join you. But first, I'll make sure your wife knows what a lying, cheating bastard you are before one of my men puts a knife to her throat."

Ferdinand's eyes widened in fear as I drew my gun and pressed the barrel to his temple."Where is Eric?" I demanded.

"Never," he hissed.

I remained impassive. "You picked the wrong man to be loyal to."

I pulled the trigger.

The gunshot echoed through the garden, but then-A small gasp.

I turned sharply, eyes locking onto the figure at the entrance of the garden. Coraline."Fuck," I muttered under my breath.

She stood frozen, pale as a ghost, her wide eyes fixed on the lifeless body before her. Before I could reach her, her body swayed, and she collapsed.

"Why the hell was she out of her room?!" I barked at Mario and then turn to the man i chose to watch over her. " Eros!"

Eros shook his head. "I don't know, sir. The door has been locked since yesterday. It's still locked. "

Mario's voice cut in. "Uh... Kaiza."

I followed his gaze to the side of the house-where a rope dangled from a window.

I exhaled sharply. "Damn woman."

*****

CORALINE POV

I stirred, my mind foggy. Warmth wrapped around me, lulling me back into drowsiness, but something-someone-was in the room. The presence sent a jolt through my body, and I bolted upright.

There he was. The man from the hotel.

And he was shirtless.

My eyes trailed over the ink covering his chest, the tattoos blending seamlessly into one another. A bleeding rose stood out, vivid against his skin. The image of a bloodied man flashed in my mind, and I shuddered, yanking the covers higher.

"You shouldn't have seen that, darling," he murmured, his deep Italian accent curling around the words.

"Who are you, and why did you bring me here?" My voice was sharp, demanding. There were a million questions swirling in my head, but that was the one that mattered most.

"You should rest first."

"You don't get to tell me what to do!" I snapped, throwing off the covers and marching toward the door. I twisted the knob. Locked. "Let me out!"

"Come sit down," he ordered, voice calm but firm.

"No!"

He stood, moving toward me with quiet authority. Instinct made me take a step back-only to hit the door. Before I could react, his hand wrapped around my wrist, pulling me back toward the bed. His grip wasn't rough, but it was unyielding.

His hands settled on my shoulders, pushing me down. "I'm not used to disobedience. Learn to act accordingly," he said, voice low, dangerous.

I glared up at him, my pulse hammering in my chest. Where had all my fight gone? My fingers curled into the sheets in frustration as he returned to his chair, legs crossed like he had all the time in the world.

"Why are you keeping me here?" My voice was steady, but the fear was creeping in. "Do you want to kill me, too?"

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead," he said simply. "As for that man, he deserved death."

"No one deserves death."

He smirked. "We all die someday."

"Yes, but no man should play god." I narrowed my eyes. "What's that saying... live by the sword, die by the sword?"

A low chuckle rumbled from him, amused. "You have a sharp tongue."

I jerked my head away when he reached out, his fingers brushing my lip. "Tell me why the fuck I'm here!"

"Because I want you here."

A humorless laugh escaped me. "You're more of a psycho than I thought. I have a life, a job-"

"Yes, and a cheating fiancé," he cut in smoothly.

My stomach twisted. My breath hitched. How did he know about that? Was he the one who sent the photos? How much did this man know about me? And how far was he willing to go?

"You don't know what you're talking about. Dylan made a mistake-"

"A mistake he keeps making. It's not the first time, is it"

"Shut up!" I snapped, but doubt clawed at me. "You're lying."

He didn't argue. He just lifted his glass and took a slow sip of wine, watching me like he had already won.

"Get used to this, Coraline," he said smoothly. "You're mine now."

My blood ran cold. "I belong to no one."

His lips curled into a dark smile. "That's where you're wrong."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then I'll do it the hard way."

A shiver ran through me. "What hard way?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

He stepped toward the door, unlocking it. Just before leaving, he glanced over his shoulder. "And don't try escaping again. It's futile."

My fists clenched. "What is your name?!" I demanded.

He smirked. "Kaiza."

The door clicked shut behind him.

I flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Kaiza. That name... why did it sound so familiar?Kaiza.Kaiza.Kaiza.I kept mumbling it over and over in my head.