4. He protects

"you are not expected to leave your room at will. You must be indoors at all times. Everything you need will be provided. Is that understood? "

"Of course."

Gray was standing in my room, giving me instructions on how to live as a prisoner in his house. Of course, this was much better than having my head paraded on a pike.

"On no account, should you leave this room when you've not been summoned by me, and me alone."

"Yes sir."

"You said something about your dad?"

"Yes sir."

"He doesn't love you?"

"No sir."

"Well, love is a privilege not everyone gets. So we that don't get to be loved, control the world with fear and power. And sometimes, lust."

"Yes sir."

I wanted to say so much more! I wanted to talk to him. His words made me see that somewhere in his heart, there was a wall. A wall he built to defend himself from the hate of people, when in fact, love is what he should have been receiving. I thought about his parents and how his childhood was. How did he become like this??

Later that day, I was extremely bored being all by myself. I didn't even have a cellphone. My mind drifted to my family and how they weren't missing me, and hoped in fact that I was dead. Then I thought about him. Leo. The guy I loved with all of my heart, yet my heart was giving room for admiration about this tyrant of a man. Leo wasn't so good to me either but, I know there was a time when my life seemed like I was gilding on a rainbow.

I wasn't sure whether Leo would have been trying to reach me. At least, the last time we spoke, he apologized for sleeping with Nancy. I was going to take him back before I got snatched away from my home. Was Leo searching for me...? Was he?

There was a knock on my door. It was the pretty servant.

"Hi. Good to see you...."

She said nothing.

"What's your name?"

"Gertrude."

That was my mum's name. I was flabbergasted And I was flustered beyond words could describe. My emotions were smeared all over me and I wanted to fall to the ground in tears. But I couldn't do that. I couldn't show that I felt an emotional connection to her, nor any emotional connections at all. To my family, I'm as good as dead. Even though Gray hadn't killed me, I didn't see myself being alive. I wasn't living! Being locked up in a room for 24 hours!

"My ..my mum's name was Gertrude."

I managed to say while fighting tears back.

"It's time to go shopping," she stated blankly.

"Sh.. shopping? On Gray's - I mean, The Boss'orders?"

"Let's go."

"Wait, Gertrude, answer my question. Did he order me to leave my room today??"

"You have to get new clothes that are appealing to him. I was supposed to get these clothes earlier on but..... it's..just... let's go."

She sounded quite rude and I was hurt. Why did everyone have to be mean to me?

"I ...I am hoping that you and I can be friends at least. Please, you don't have to be rude to me too. Everyone treats me like trash, even my father."

"The Boss never shows mercy to anyone. All of us are wondering why he's left you alive. You're supposed to be dead. So we- I, think that this is a ruse."

Her words weren't exactly making sense. Okay, understood, Gray doesn't leave anyone alive. But who's concluded that he wouldn't kill me later?

"It's not like that. You should know why I'm here."

"That's exactly why we're surprised that you're still alive. Maybe in the end, you're just an accomplice."

She opened the door and gave way for me to walk through. I still wanted to question the approval of our movement, but her attitude just shut me up.

This was my first time clearly seeing the interior of the house. It was a big and beautiful place with remarkable paintings and portraits, gentle colors, and a marble floor. It was massive! If Gray was such a horrible person, how come he exposed this gentle side of his soul with the kind of decorations he had in his house?

A part of me feared that he would come out from somewhere and pounce on Gertrude and me. But nothing happened. We walked and walked till we were finally out of the house and into the gardens. I was distracted by the beautiful scenery of the gardens. It was just the perfect place for a happy home, yet it looked like a magnificent prison yard and slaughterhouse. Thoughts of the bloodstains on the walls in the warehouse made me shudder.

We were approaching the car that was positioned right ahead when Gertrude pushed me suddenly, and then I heard a gunshot.

---

"Come in."

Sasha walked into Gray's office. It was a massive place as well.

"Hi, my CEO-but-undercover-mafia boyfriend."

"Careful with your words now, Sasha."

She went to his side and sat on the table.

"You're crazy. Do you know what kind of a table this is?"

"Don't care. It's expensive, I'm expensive. I'm your girlfriend after all. Soon-to-be wife, in fact."

She leaned in and kissed him.

"I wasn't expecting you. Told you to always inform me of your visits."

Sasha rolled her eyes because she'd always had that argument with Gray.

"I don't need to send a memo, whenever I want to visit my boyfriend. Besides, how's that manhunt coming?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I kidnapped his daughter. Well, not exactly a kidnap since he willingly gave her away. For some reason, that bothers me." Gray placed his hand beneath his chin in a way that showed he was thinking about the situation.

"The only thing that bothers you is when you try to kill someone, and they don't stay dead. Don't make things up, Gray. So, when are you killing her?"

"Not going to."

Sasha paused, with her eyes heavily marveling at Gray.

"You're not serious, are you?" She hoped he was just teasing since he did that a lot.

"I'm not."

"You're talking trash, Gray."

"Watch your tongue. You're not immune to my wrath because you warm my bed."

Sasha comported herself. She came down from the table and took a seat, opposite him.

"You can't be serious about this, you leave no one alive, especially traitors."

"That's exactly why George should be paying for his crimes, not his daughter."

"But that doesn't matter. As long as she's the sacrifice he's making."

"Did you hear anything I said? He willingly gave her away. Means he doesn't give a damn about her. If she dies, it won't hurt. I want to hurt him."

Sasha kept quiet. She was reading Gray's countenance and she could feel it in her guts that, this wasn't the only reason he wanted to keep me alive.

"You better do something about this."

She sounded threatening.

"Or, what?"

Gray's voice assumed its hoarse tone. He threw a lethal stare at Sasha and this made her tremble a little.

"Don't run your mouth without caution. Now, get out of my office."

When Gray made orders, it was best to just obey. As Sasha was getting up from the chair, Gray's phone rang. She lingered her ears around his conversation.

"The hell do you mean there's trouble??"

The other voice spoke and then he responded.

"I'm on my way."

As he got up to leave, his imagination halted and reality set in. Sasha was still in his office.

"What happened??"

She asked with feigned concern.

"A fool dared to attack my den. We're going raiding tonight."