I press my hands to my mouth to muffle my sobs as tears stream down my face. Rocking back and forth, I cry and bring my legs closer, curling into myself.

The fear and the helplessness were all too familiar. Losing power again and falling back into the hole I hardly crept out of were the last things I wanted to experience again.

I cry harder as my mind brings back the memories I've been desperately trying to bury inside of me.

For years, I've been trying to understand and forgive Dad for screwing me over, for snatching away the innocence of my childhood and replacing it with terror and hatred.

I thought I'll grow out of it. I'll stop fearing small rooms and dark places. That I won't be scared to walk down unlit hallways and not be reminded how I tiptoed around the hallways of our house for the bigger part of my life in hopes of staying out of his way.

I press my forehead to my knees.

I had forgiven Dad. He was going through a rough time. I was a motherless needy kid. He took out his frustration on me. For all my life, I've been trying to make him see me, to be proud of me, to love me or even care for me in the slightest. Now I'm a prosecutor and he has achieved what he wanted the most.

Then why am I mad at him for ruining me, and making me so weak? I can't stand someone raising their voice on me when I'm alone and unprotected.

I don't want to waste my energy on my past. I deserve to live in a fear-free state. 

I became a lawyer not only to make him proud and be what he wanted me to be, but also to protect myself, to know the law, and to have the power to defend myself. Even the choice of becoming a prosecutor was to prevent other people from hurting the weak ones. To try to save even one life from experiencing the horrors I did during my childhood.

I fled from our house, assuming if I didn't have to live in the house I was tormented, everything will be fixed. I need to forgive him, I have no one except my father. If he won't love me, or give a damn about me, how can I expect others to give a flying shit about me?

I hug my knees, biting my lip to quiet down my sobs.

I hate Elio. That fucking bastard ruined all my progress. He threw me back to square one. I hate him.

My fingernails dig into the skin of my legs, tears streaming down my face.

Eventually, my silent tears come to a halt and dry on my cheeks.

For a long while, I stay rooted on the ground, my back pressed against the door as I gaze out of the open window.

After what seems like forever I force my stiff limbs to move and carry me to the bathroom. I freshen up, splashing cold water on my face to pull myself together.

No, I won't allow a criminal like Elio to mess me up. I'm stronger than this.

I clutch the cool marble basin, groaning as I drop my head. Strands of my orange hair, escaped from my tie, fall over my shoulder and some strands stick to my wet face.

I can't shake off the afterthought of almost blacking out after he shouted at me... so very pathetic.

Aside from a quick road trip to the dark side of my mind, my pride is bruised too.

The woman who stands tall, wearing her black robe, fighting for justice against all sorts of people can't stand loud voices. If this isn't pathetic then I don't know what is.

With a huff, I plod out of the bathroom and go straight to bed and plop down on it, across from the open window.

It's too narrow for my taste and comfort, but I can't open the door, so it's better than nothing.

My head tilts sideways. Lack of sleep and a mini-breakdown is not the best combo.

I wish I could just wake up from this nightmare. I close my eyes and inhale deeply.

A knock startles me and my gaze snaps to the door.

I stay rooted to the bed and another knock comes.

"I want to talk to you, open the door," Elio's voice comes from the other side.

I roll my eyes and return to gazing at the night sky. From my angle, the moon isn't visible, and it makes the view all the more depressing.

"Cerise." He sharply rams on the door.

"Go away," I shout, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Either you open this door or I'll break it in ten seconds."

I freeze and hesitantly glance at the door. He sounds serious... but would he really?

I don't want to lose the last barrier between me and these people... I groan and grudgingly move to the door.

When I open it, Elio has his gun pointing at the doorknob, the angle is perfect for the bullet to cut straight through it.

I roll my eyes. "Seriously?"

"I told you I'll break in." He puts his gun behind himself, tucking its barrel into his trousers, his belt holding it in place. How typical.

I step aside and he walks in, his gaze quickly surveying the area. "Shut the door."

"You're not handicapped you know," I snap.

A look of blankness crosses his features as he leans to me, way closer than needed, as his fingers furl around the edge of the door.

His eyes bore into me as I keep my gaze fixed on the nightstand across from me. He has the audacity to lean even closer.

I glare at him with all my might.

At last, the blankness gives way to a corner of his lips lifting up in a ghost of a smile.

"What?" I demand.

A single shove from him, slams the door slams.

"Just making sure you're back to your annoying self." He smirks, thrusting his hands into his pockets as he backs away from me.

My mouth falls open and as I raise my index finger, jabbing the air between us and beginning to move, I trip over my foot, tumbling down headfirst.

Elio is quick to react, catching me almost instantly, one hand on my shoulder, and his arm wraps around my waist, pulling me to his chest and saving me from the fall.

"Am I allowed to catch you? Or is it still considered touching without permission?" he whispers next to my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin. A shiver runs down my spine as goosebumps break free.

I look up and our eyes lock, the stupid smirk still playing on his lips. I glower at him.

A moment too late I realize I'm holding on to him like I'm trying to save my nose from breaking in three places, which it would have if he hadn't moved quickly enough.

Irked even more I push him away and straighten myself as I take a few steps backward, huffing and flinging my hair over my shoulder.

Unfortunately, the force is too much and it hits one of the red glass bottles on the nearby wooden drawer and throws it off.

I move as quickly to save it from crashing but just as I have my fingers wrapped around it slips from my grasp, hits the floor, and shatters.

Shit.

Heat races up my neck to my cheeks. "I-I'm so so sorry." I dare glance at him.

Elio is standing casually, his hands shoved in his pockets, a corner of his mouth lifted upward as his dark eyes bore into me.

"I-I'll get a new one... or I-" I stutter and fumble with words, as I squirm growing warmer and probably redder with embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it. I never liked it," he says after he's done enjoying seeing me struggle. "I'll send someone to clean it up," he adds.

"I'm sorry," I mumble weakly, gazing down at my feet as I fidget with the edge of my jeans' pocket.

He inhales sharply and I glance at him. His gaze is fixed on the broken red shards of glass.

"I didn't realize how rough I was being with you," he speaks quietly after a long silence. His voice is deep and low sending another shiver down my frame.

"I didn't want to frighten you that much... I-I deeply regret it... I usually work with men and the situation is... very messed up and out of my control at the moment... I got all my frustration out on you... which was wrong and not what I was intending to do."

My mouth hangs open. Is Elio, the boss of bosses of the Sicilian mafia, apologizing to me?

Do these types of people even know how to apologize?

My goodness.

As I stare at him dumbstruck, he turns to me and our eyes lock.

"I'm sorry," he firmly says, drawing himself to his full height. His features harden as he continues, "I'm not trying to justify my uncharacterized behavior, but you need to know our families have been enemies for generations. Your grandfather imprisoned my grandfather and the same happened between your father and mine... I find it really hard to trust you and believe your words."

He looks away, running his hand through his hair. "When my men sent the picture, saying they couldn't find either USBs, I jumped to the worst conclusion... and my family has suffered a lot at your father's hands. It's easy to assume you'd do exactly what he would do in this situation, after all, you're his daughter. It made me lash out and lose my grip on... myself. I apologize."

His gaze darts around the room as I watch him in silent wonder.

I know Dad was always after them... but I never thought his attempts of bringing them down would make them suffer the way he's claiming.

A small voice from the back of my head throws a question to the forefront of my brain.

Could it be Dad has done things to them beyond throwing Elio's father in prison?

I shake my head and push aside the thought. He probably only means the losses his business suffered.

Nibbling my bottom lip, I mumble, "Loud voices make me uncomfortable... especially when I'm not in my office or in the courtroom... away from any sense of protection."

His eyes jump to me and I look away, yet I feel them bore into the side of my head.

"I'll keep that in mind," he softly says. His voice is gentle enough it gives me the dare to meet his gaze.

"I shouldn't have slapped you in front of your men," I quietly add, fidgeting with the pendant of my necklace. "It was wrong and too extreme. The way you were holding me... triggered some memories, it made me react too drastically."

Gingerly he takes a small step toward me, closing the gap between us. His fingers twirl a lock of my hair around his fingers, his intense gaze trapping me in his chestnut brown eyes. Up this close, I can see how deep they are, how it seems like they have layers, and the golden rays in the brown of his orbs give them a mesmerizing texture one can only find in dark eyes.

"I hope you can forgive me." He leans down to me.

My heart races in my chest as my breath hitches. The strong scent of his woody cologne overwhelms my senses.

"I wish things between us were different..." his voice trails down as his gaze drops to my lips for the shortest of a second before flickering to the orange lock of my hair around his finger. He plays with it for a moment. "You're so different from who I thought you'd be."

I tilt my head with confusion. How did he think I was? What does he think about me now?

I'm tempted to ask, but I don't trust my voice.

He sighs and pulls away, dropping my lock of hair, and takes a step back. Elio straightens himself and thrusts a hand into his pocket. "My men told me you didn't sleep last night. I understand you don't trust us, but with the USBs missing, if you want to stay alive, you have to prolong your stay here and trust us enough to not harm you while you're asleep. You'll get ill if you continue like this."

I clutch my elbow with one hand as I raise an eyebrow at him. "So your men are spying on me?"

"They're ensuring you don't do anything stupid like running away from here and keeping you safe from the people who don't want you here."

"I thought your men don't do anything without your permission."

He shrugs. "They don't, but risking this matter, might end with you not waking up one day and as I've told you before, I can't afford a prosecutor's death under my Cosca's name, especially not now. Even if I punish the man who went against my word, it won't bring you back to life."

The way he so casually words it causes a chill to crawl down my spine. I can't help but wonder, how many deaths has this man seen, ordered, or killed himself that he can talk about killing so easily.

"I was also thinking of telling my men to bring more clothes for you since a few of them are already stationed around your house," he adds, shifting his weight from one leg to another, avoiding looking at me.

I fail to hide my surprise. Not only from the abruptness of the change of topic but how he can be so cruel and reckless for one second and the next beat be so thoughtful.

I fiddle with my necklace again, contemplating my words. "I can't sleep without a few of my pills," hesitantly I confess.

His gaze jumps to me, his brows raising in surprise.

"Can you tell them to bring my medicines for me too?"

He nods. "Definitely, write down their names and I'll tell them, if they couldn't find it, I'll send a few of my men here to fetch some for you."

"Thank you." I smile at him and his face goes blank.

He studies me as though he has never seen a girl before, blinking a few times and nodding at me again. Elio walks around me, going straight to the door but he halts before his hand reaches the doorknob.

He spins back to me. "I'm glad you're different... I'm happy you're not like your father."

I frown before raising my eyebrows, opening and closing my mouth a few times before demanding, "What's that supposed to mean?"

I try not to scowl at him but it's impossibly hard. Sure, my dad is not the best father out there, but parents are humans, and they make mistakes too, like my dad. Though that doesn't mean I'll allow anyone to talk shit behind his back.

I purse my lips as he observes me with an unreasonable amount of interest.

I add, "I am just like my dad. I'm a successful attorney, fighting for justice, for the truth. So really, what's that supposed to mean?" I cross my arms in front of my chest.

He cocks his head ever so slightly. "Believe me tesorino, it was a compliment." Opening the door, he takes another step away from me. "And feel free to join me, my men are trying to find out who broke into your house. It'll save me from repeating everything to you later."

With that he turns and walks out of my room, leaving me wondering what the hell does 'tesorino' mean.

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Sorry for the long chapter, though I hope you enjoyed it [don't forget to vote if you did!] =) Comment your thoughts and tell me what you think about both Cerise and Elio so far =)

Thank you so much for reading.

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading <3 <3 <3