VALENTINA’S POV
The blue room is everything its name suggests, icy, freezing cold, with soulless blue walls that look like they were built with ice block. I wrapped my arm around my body to try to stop myself from freezing, Diego’s goons that had brought me here had a lot more layers of clothing on, they had the most unreadable expressions on. I was still fully clothed but I could feel my insides starting to freeze up, I could easily become ice, my teeth clattered, I’m sure my skin has a ghostly white coloration to it.
“Take off all of your clothes.” One of them ordered. He had a bored expression on his face like he has done this a lot of times that it has gotten exhausting.
I hesitated. I’m not sure I heard him right! This place is already as cold as the pacific with my clothes on! I’m going to die go sure!
I still stood there. No?
“I said take off your clothes bitch!” The man yelled, hitting me across the face. My lips felt sore and moist, I touched it and brought it up so I can see. Blood. I really don’t know how much of this I can take, but yet again I can’t seem to escape. I felt my eyes starting to well up with tears. I. Can’t. Do. This. Again. I would rather die but who would be here to protect Ava? The thought of leaving my daughter with that beast is horrible.
“Why are you still standing there idly.” The man said again reading to hit me one more time.
“Don’t you dare!” I heard Diego yell from behind us.
“Did I tell you that you are allowed to lay even one your filthy finger on her.” He said, completely enraged as he held the man who had slapped me in a chokehold. He continued squeezing the man’s neck with one hand as he punch him with the other.
“How dare you! How dare you touch her!” He said with each blow he gave, the man’s face gushed out with blood but Diego did not seem to mind, he just continued punching and choking the man until he completely lost consciousness.
“Did he do that to you?” Diego asked, pointing to my bruised lips.
“Yes.” I nodded. Even though I felt a little bit horrible for the man a part of me still wanted him to pay for bruising me.
Diego gave the already unconscious man five more punches before handing him over to his colleague.
“If he lives, tell him I want to see him.” Diego said to the colleague.
“And please see to it that he lives, I’m not done with him yet. If he dies then you’ll have to suffer in his place.” Diego said before sending all his gangsters away and turning.
“I still have to punish you Valentina. I’m sorry but those are the rules, I can’t bend them because of you.” Diego said. He looked almost… sympathetic, like he does not want to punish me but he has to.
I nodded. I know not to argue with him anymore, not arguing just makes things go quickly.
“There are bags of ice over there, fill that tub with three bags of ice.” He ordered, his eyes stared into mine. I shivered but not from the obvious cold, from the awareness of his presence, from the fact that he is looking at me with those eyes that seem to hold a lot of secrets and pain.
I tried picking up one of the bags filled with ice but it was just to heavy for me.
“Fuck!” I yelled as the bag slipped from my hand, I heard him stand up from the chair he was sitting on behind me.
“Are you hurt?!” He asked as he frantically searched my body for any sign of injury.
“I’m fine.” I said shyly. He seems to care about me, I’m not used to that.
“Go and sit over there, I’ll fill the tub.” He said, draping me in his thick jacket. I felt a lot warmer. I sat down, watching Diego as he started filling up the tub, he was soon done and then he turned on the water before turning it off.
“Take off your clothes and get into the tub, you have to stay there for the next thirty minutes.” He said, his cold emotionless expression was back replacing the concerned sensitive demeanor he had had about a split second ago.
I was starting to wonder if I had imagined the concern.
I first took off his jacket, I was starting to get really cold. I closed my eyes and reluctantly took off the rest of my clothes including my underwear.
I opened my eyes to watch him staring at my naked body, his eyes hooded and unreadable.
“Get into the tub.” He ordered as he dragged his eyes from the lower parts of my naked body to my face. Every place his eyes touched felt hot even though the place was icy cold. I looked away shyly and walked into the tub.
“Stay for five minutes.” He added, still staring at me with those sinful eyes. I swallowed as I found the courage to hold his gaze as I sat in the ice cold tub. We continued to hold each other’s gaze. I was starting to feel like I have been sitting in the tub for at least two minutes.
“You’ve gone thirty seconds .” Diego said when he looked up from his stop watch. What?! The cold was starting to get to me. My teeth was starting to clatter, my was convulsing.
“Valentina?!” Diego said as he carried me out of the tub and wrapped me up in a duvet.
“Valentina!!” I heard his panicky voice say before I slipped into unconsciousness.
DIEGO’S POV
Why do I care so much about her? She is just a whore! Someone replaceable! Someone I should give a fuck about! I hate this! This feeling of vulnerability! I hate the fact that she has so much power over me! Should I end her life and take that power she has away? My enemies will soon use her against me and I can’t risk that… I have to end this… I have to end her life now! My mafia means a lot more to me than Valentina ever will.