NALEDI’S POV
“Let me out of here!” I banged against the shut door of my room with unadulterated rage. “Get me out of here!”
I banged against the door until I couldn’t anymore. Dropped to the floor, anger ate at me from the inside out.
Who did he think he was to shut me in here? How dare he? How dare he disgrace and disrespect me in this manner?
Seeing the man who murdered my family drove me out of my mind. For the longest time, I have searched for him, wanted to get a glimpse of him, and trained to kill him.
I remembered the dark times of my life. When I tried to hold a gun and shoot properly. All the pain I had to go through to become Attai. The dreaded assassin of the Yakuza mafia.
The only thing that got me through the dark days of my time at the Yakuza was the sole intent to kill Arturo Morello. The Alpha of the Cosa Nostra. The entire reason for all the evils that had befallen me.
And here he was, right in front of me and I couldn’t even do anything about it without having Caellum breathe down my neck and throw me in my personal prison.
He was going to pay for this! I was going to make sure I got even. My blood boiled and I paced around the room, plotting the many ways I would get at him when he finally decided it was time to let me go.
When he got that bastard father of his out of the fucking house. I’ll be waiting and at that time, he was going to see just how crazy I could be. The other said of Naledi Fucking Rogers.
I didn’t sleep a wink through the night, waiting for the time he inevitably showed up. He always did. Except that night he didn’t. I didn’t see him for three days straight.
I received my three square meals and was left in the comfort of my room. As the days passed, I felt a lot more upset. Did he decide to side with his father? Did I make a mistake thinking he was going to be a different man?
By the fifth day, I was convinced I had read the situation wrong. It had to be. Because why the hell was Caellum not coming for me? Why was I still locked up in my room? And lastly, why did I feel so much pain in my heart at the thought of him betraying me?
I hadn’t eaten for two days. I flushed that shit down the toilet every time it came. I was full enough with the betrayal Caellum dished to me every second I stayed locked in this room.
I couldn’t believe I even thought of giving us a chance. To think I was willing to put away my plan to revenge my family’s death for him seemed like what a stupid and naive Naledi would do.
That version of Naledi was gone. Dead.
The more I remained locked in, the more my mind darkened with hate and vengeance for the Cosa Nostra, Arturo and Caellum. If I ever got out of here alive, they would be on my hit list.
On the seventh night, the door opened in the dead of the night. My body was weak from my lack of food but I managed to get up from the cold floor – you guessed it, despite the king sized bed in my room, I decided to subject myself to the treatment of a prisoner.
Because let’s be honest, that was exactly what I was in the Cosa Nostra. A prisoner with fancy locks, but a prisoner nonetheless.
“Who are you?” My voice came out low, tired and broken. “Did the Alpha send you?”
With a clearer look, I realized the person before me was masked. Just like the time before. I froze unable to speak as I watched him approach me. Unlike the previous time, I was defenceless and helpless.
If this man was after my life, then he might as well do it quickly. I was weak, broken and in pain. There was no way I’d stand a chance against him.
The intruder approached me and soon stood in front of me, with a mask in place. Without a word, he took my hand and I fell into an abyss of darkness.
******
“Naledi.” A voice called me awake. “We don’t have much time.”
My vision cleared and once again, I was in Nikolai’s office. He’d managed to get to me even in the Cosa Nostra headquarters. Just how slick was this man in his ways?
“You don’t look too good.” His words were direct and hard-hitting. “My messenger told me you have been locked up and starved. Is there a reason for that?”
He wasn’t asking because he cared about me. Far from that. He wanted to know if I told. He wanted to know if I told Caellum of our little meeting to warrant my being treated like an animal.
I shook my head, an inferno raging within me. “I didn’t tell him.” I spat. “Is that all?”
A lax smile, “Antsy are we? Don’t worry, we have a lot of time.”
Liar. My thoughts were transparent.
“Okay, maybe we don’t have that much time, but I wanted to find out something.” His tone was serious. “Have you given thought to my proposal?”
I gave him a blank look.
“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen reason why we should work together. We’d make the perfect team.” He cajoled, “I heard that Arturo visited the Cosa Nostra and his son has been letting him stay ever since, bending backwards to fulfil his desires while you are on house arrest.”
I knew he was tempting me, feeling me out, trying to get into my head, and I let him. I let him because that was what I wanted. I wanted to hear just how royal of a fuck up I had become, letting my guard down.
How stupid I was to think I could let Arturo Morello get away with everything he’s cost me, and how foolish it was to trust Caellum, to think I could build a life with him despite everything his father’s done.
To think I could start afresh.
“I’ll ask you this question one last time, Naledi. Are you willing to join me? To wreck the Cosa Nostra of all their worth and get your revenge?”
I didn’t need to think. I knew what I wanted. And there was no stopping me now.