94

MILLIE
Exhaustion weighed heavily on me, my body aching and my mind longing for Gio’s presence. The day’s events had taken their toll, and after a hasty shower, I sought solace in the embrace of my bed. The soreness that clung to my body seemed insignificant compared to the yearning I felt for things to revert back to the way they were with Gio before all of this unfolded.
The clock hadn’t even struck seven when I found myself nestled in bed. The weariness was undeniable, a consequence of the draining day that had unfolded. The minutes ticked by slowly as I grappled with a mix of fatigue and unease, a cocktail of emotions that seemed to dominate my senses. The room was steeped in quiet solitude, a refuge from the tumultuous world beyond.
Then, the bedroom door creaked open, its motion cautious and deliberate. It was a sound too subtle, too delicate to be Gio’s doing. I sat up, a sense of alertness flooding my veins as I watched the doorway. Sebastian, not Gio, slipped into the room, his presence unexpected and unsettling.
My muscles tensed as his figure emerged, my mind racing to make sense of his unexpected appearance. “What are you doing here?” I blurted out, a mixture of confusion and concern tinging my words. “And where’s Dario?” I instinctively moved around the bed, creating a cautious distance between us.
A dangerous smile curved on Sebastian’s lips, an expression that sent a shiver down my spine. “He’s outside, taking Gio’s call,” he answered, his voice a calculated blend of nonchalance and something more sinister.
For a suspended moment, the room held its breath, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Uncertainty gripped me; I was trapped in a web of unfamiliarity. Calling out for Dario’s assistance was an option, but one I hesitated to exercise just yet. To involve him would be to unravel a thread that could strain the already tenuous dynamics between Gio and Sebastian. A conflict I desperately wished to avoid, especially when I bore the weight of my own mistakes.
Sebastian’s steps were deliberate as he closed the distance between us, and I involuntarily staggered back, my heart racing. “Why are you here?” I managed to muster a facade of calmness, though a quiver in my voice betrayed my true emotions.
In Sebastian’s gaze, I glimpsed an icy coldness that sent a surge of fear through me. It was an unfamiliar territory, a confrontation I hadn’t anticipated. His words hung in the air, a chilling reminder of his purpose. “Getting the information Gio is incapable of obtaining,” he stated with a chilling resolve. The realization dawned upon me, the pieces falling into place my involvement, my collusion with Harper. A shiver raced down my spine as the gravity of the situation settled in.
In that tense moment, I retreated, my instincts guiding me toward the safety of the bedside table. My fingers brushed against the cool surface of the drawer, my hand reaching for the firearm it concealed. Yet, doubt clouded my mind; the idea of using the weapon against Sebastian felt unfathomable. My hesitation was brief, my resolve weakening as his grip closed around my hips.
The world seemed to tilt as I found myself lifted and then gently set back on the mattress, a rush of air leaving my lungs as if in a silent gasp. Sebastian loomed over me, a presence that was both overwhelming and deeply unsettling. Panic surged within me, unfamiliarity feeding my fear.
Sebastian’s calculating gaze locked onto mine, his lips curving into a dangerous smile. “Perhaps it’s not pain that you fear the most,” his voice, low and measured, slithered through the air. He studied me, an assessment that felt invasive, as if I were nothing more than a means to an end. Gio’s darkness was mirrored in Sebastian, but the intentions were unfiltered, the menace uncontained by any affection.
In the midst of my terror, I grappled with conflicting fears the looming danger that Sebastian posed, and the implications this had for Gio. A chain reaction that could unravel the delicate balance between them. I couldn’t bring myself to call for Dario’s aid just yet; I couldn’t be the catalyst for a confrontation that would undoubtedly shatter fragile alliances.
Sebastian’s advance ceased, a wavering hesitation flickering in his eyes. This was my chance, a sliver of an opening that I needed to seize. He might not hold the same level of sentiment for me as Gio did, but there was a connection, however fragile. A truth I needed to exploit.
“I’ve only ever been with Gio,” my voice wavered, barely above a whisper, as I tried to appeal to whatever thread of restraint Sebastian still clung to. “This is the first time I’m in bed with someone else, Sebastian.”
A tense silence hung in the air, the weight of his decision palpable. Slowly, he released his grip on my wrists, granting me a fleeting reprieve. “You belong to Gio,” his words were a quiet acknowledgment, a concession to a boundary he dared not cross. “I wouldn’t dishonor you like that. Even if it would grant me the answers I seek.”
Standing over me, his posture commanding, Sebastian withdrew a knife from behind his back. The glint of steel captured the dim light, a chilling reminder of the danger he represented. My heart pounded, the realization settling in that this wasn’t Gio. This was Sebastian, a man devoid of the love and protection that Gio offered me.
Fear coursed through my veins, a mix of survival instinct and dread for what was to come. The stories of Sebastian’s ruthlessness echoed in my mind, painting a vivid picture of the horrors he could inflict. The room seemed to close in around me, the weight of his presence suffocating.
This wasn’t a battle for affection or loyalty; it was a struggle for survival against a force as relentless as it was unforgiving. Gio’s world was unforgiving, but with Sebastian, there was no love to serve as a shield.
“I won’t disclose her whereabouts,” I lied, fully aware that deception was my only option. My inner strength was far from formidable.
“You will,” he declared. The blade he held caught the sparse light seeping through the windows’ shadows. “No one retains their secrets once I intervene.”
“If I raise my voice, Dario will appear in moments. He won’t let any harm come to me.”
“He’ll try. But who’s to say I’ll grant you the chance to utter a single scream?”
With deliberate intent, he lifted the edge of my camisole. An unfamiliar proximity made me squirm uncomfortably. I froze as the blade’s tip grazed the skin beneath my belly button. “This area is exceptionally sensitive, brimming with nerve endings. A minor cut would inflict excruciating pain.”
“Sebastian, I implore you,” I whispered. Scream, a persistent inner voice urged, yet I needed to attempt another approach-for Gio’s sake.
His gaze shifted from the blade to my face.
“I understand your frustration over Harper’s flight. My assistance to her fuels your anger. I recognize the lengths you’d go to retrieve her. But Gio won’t easily forgive you for this.”
“He might just end my life, rightfully so,” Sebastian mumbled.
Sebastian and I locked eyes, acknowledging the undeniable truth. Gradually, he raised the blade, though he didn’t sheathe it. It lingered between us, its proximity to my flesh unsettling.
“He trusts you,” I said.
Sebastian’s gaze briefly met mine, his positioning above me gradually altering. Relief washed over me as I realized my words had made an impact. I could have wept with the release of tension.
Sebastian’s lips tightened. “This is betrayal. You belong to him. I shouldn’t be here.”
He disentangled himself, and I hastily sat up, inching towards the bed’s headboard. Sebastian observed me, regret flickering across his features before vanishing.
“We are both monsters, Millie. Gio and I. Always have been, always will be. Don’t forget that. People anticipated your demise after marriage, believed you’d succumb within weeks. Yet, here you stand. Gio’s treatment of you is a precious gift. Cherish it instead of trampling upon it.”
He turned to depart.