What did I do? Something bad obviously, but what?

Who is the man so desperate to find me?

"The daughter of the Accardi crime boss is worth a pretty penny."  Lorenzo's words echoed in my head—but it was like a blur.

If I was that important I would know. There is no way I would have lived 21 years and not have know that. No way.

If Lucas really was just keeping me hostage, holding me in secret—I would have know that.
I am smart, I...I am crafty.

Gripping my hair in my hands I squeezed it—
My message on read, their reply short and sweet sent two hours ago.

'pleasure doing business with you.'  The number typed. But this wasn't pleasurable at all. Trust me, I know pleasure. Every moan, cry and beg of pleasure trust me I know them—but this wasn't it.

But my life, what's left of my life, is not worth the lives of so many others. If I can save them, by doing this—then maybe I can save what's left of my soul.

I know this is stupid, reckless—I have never done something so idiotic. But I can't stay here, I can't spend my life imprisoned by the man who doesn't love me. I knew everything was a game, a trick, I knew that I would get burned by his fire.

But due to my lust for him the tips of my fingers are red and blistered by his flame.

The clock ticked on. Seconds drew past, minutes.

I was about to do something reckless—yet all I could think about was that he got the last laugh. No. I was being petty but I didn't care.

I didn't care that I had gotten up, opened the door and marched towards his office. I didn't care when I heard his voice screaming at John as to why the strange men had returned and why they claimed Marco had asked them to flock back.

I didn't care as I opened the door and their eyes fell on me.

"Here is your phone." I said emotionlessly. I tried to fake my blankness, but I don't have to try. Throwing it at him he caught it against his chest.

"What the fuck did you do." Marco said as he took a step towards me, looking at the sent messages. "I knew you didn't just want a hug, Serina doesn't give hugs." He growled.

"I did what was right, those men don't deserve to die because of me. And it's not my fault you misjudged the moment." I said calmly as I kept my eyes on Marco. But I felt Lorenzo's grey eyes on me.

He was fire, a flame. But I was fucking Ice.

"You might be okay with throwing away the lives of good men for a few rounds of sex, but I am not." I said as I took a step towards him. "Three men—will be exchanged for me. You will not try to find me and you will not contact me ever again." I said "they will leave you alone in peace, and your agreed amount will be paid forward. That is the deal."

Lorenzo just laughed as he walked around his desk and sat, grabbing a small glass and pouring vodka inside. He never drinks vodka.

He pressed the crystal glass against his lips and took a large sip.

"It's funny that you think you have the power to make this decision." He said with so little light in his eyes. Marco walked behind Lorenzo's desk and peered through the closed curtain window Before standing straight again with an sort of anxious look on his face.

They were always so clam, but why now do they care so much when it's me I'm the line?

"What's funny is that you think you can stop me." I whispered. "Lorenzo you refused to give me the truth, so I seek it elsewhere." My words were like knives. Good.

"So this is what this is about?" He laugh as he sat forward. "You wanting to know about your bastard father and doornail dead mother?" He smirked, as he folded his murderous hands In front of him.

Despite what he told me in the hallway, and besides the mask he wears—I saw the wheels in his head turning...his foot tapping under the desk.

"It's about honour." I said. As I walked to the end of his desk so I could look at both men.

"You are throwing your life away for men you don't even know?" Marco scoffed.

Throwing my life away? What life.

"You said it yourself Lorenzo..."I said with a small smile "until I wished I was dead." I whispered as I turned slightly to walk away but the sound of him sliding out the desk caught me off guard.

"Don't you fucking do this." He growled, "If you think that I will just let you walk out there and—"he yelled

"Good thing I'm not asking for permission."

Marco and Lorenzo looked at me like I was insane. And I am, I definitely am.

"you are too blind to see that I'm doing this for you. Every choice I've made is because I—I care about you. And you might not want me—and I guess that makes me a fool. But if you get to live and love your stupid mafia for another day then-" I spoke.

"This isn't about the fucking mafia." He grunted in intrusion.

"No it is. That's always what it's about. It's the only thing you will truly ever love Lorenzo. And I have accepted that." I smiled.

"Serina..."Marco said as he shook his hand and rubbed his hand over his face.

Lorenzo's voice became more urgent and frantic. "He will kill you, he-"

"Then at least I died with honour. Dying from doing what is right...Then so be it." I said. I would rather die with honour now then locked In a house 60 years later.

They both stood there like they were frozen still.

I was ice.

"There are things that you don't understand Serina, you going with them doesn't save anyone. You are being selfish." Lorenzo said as he walked up to me. I am being selfish?

"Maybe." I whispered to him. Maybe I am. He looked...scared. He looked clueless like he had no clue what to do—he always knew how to fix things, come up with a plan. But by the hesitation on his lips I knew he was clueless.

His eyes pleaded me with words I doubt he'll ever say. My name on his lips too quite to whisper. "Lorenzo I need to leave." My own heart seemed to shatter further at my uttered words.

"No." He said as he grabbed my arms.

"You know Goodbye used to be so easy." I said as I shrugged his hands off. "But—"

"I can say goodbye to everyone, but not you. Don't you fucking get that?" He growled, Like it was just me and him in the room.

"Goodbye Lorenzo." I said as I stared into his eyes. I watched them stare at me in a way that scarred my soul, his gaze carved his name onto my heart.

He says that, but he doesn't love me—'I will never fucking love you' he had dared to say.

I watched as he stood taller and stepped away from me, his body going rigid and stiff. Just as three men dressed in leather entered the room with a nasty pair of shackles.

He looked at me then to the men. "We had a deal." He said as coldly as ever.

One of the man smirked as he nodded to a man behind him. "I knew you were cold Lorenzo, but throwing away a beauty like this for a couple pennies and dick? Ruthless." The man said as the three battered men were pushed into the room. They looked—let me put this nicely—like shit

The man's eyes meeting with mine, and he smirked as he whistled. "Here girl." Like I was a dog.

He looked like he was the type of man that takes fat shits In public washrooms and then doesn't flush.

Clenching my teeth I walked up to him, his arm outstretching as he grabbed my hair tightly and forced me to the ground. "Sit." He smirked as he looked at Lorenzo. As I pulled against him as he ripped my hair.

My hands were bound quickly. Oh god what have I done?

"You know Lorenzo,Marco, I've missed this, and I'm sure Thomas has too." The man smirked, oh he seems like a real prick.

Thomas? I know that name.

"Get the fuck out of here." Lorenzo growled as he kept his eyes dead set on the men above me. But it was like his words were directed at me, only me. "I will escorts you out." Marco sneered.

The man simply laughed lowly before wiping his upper lip with his thumb. "Congratulations Lorenzo you are a couple billion richer." The man said as he tossed a briefcase onto the floor before ripping me from my knees and standing me up.

My eyes went to Lorenzo, though he looked at me with pure anger—hate. Or well as much hate as he could mask.

He was good at that.