Never in my life had I been rendered speechless like I was at this moment. My mouth opened and closed, no sound leaving it while my eyes were glued to Vittore's dark ones. He looked at me waiting, calmly, patiently. I knew anger shimmered behind his cold gaze but why?

The hits Maddox gave me were necessary, hell I even asked for them. I didn't think Vittore would care for the damage on my face or ask how I got them. I hadn't prepared for this moment.

I wasn't prepared.

Since the "safe house" I had been trained to be ready for anything. Kidnapped by the U.S government, I could escape. Left stranded in a desert, I could survive. Abandoned in Antartica, I could live. Strapped to a chair with a bomb, I could save my life. Stranded on an island, I could get back. Bound and anchored to the bottom of the sea, I could free myself.

But never in those 4 years was I prepared for the intense gaze of a man by the name of Vittore. Never in those 4 years was I prepared for the warmth of his hands on my light brown skin. Never in those 4 years was I prepared for the mix of emotions that run through me.

I didn't know what to do... I didn't know how to react. I didn't know how to save myself from this situation. This was entirely something new, something raw, something that was seriously scaring the bloody shit out of me.

I stepped back.

I didn't know what to do so I stepped back. In the "safe house" when they tortured me to no end, when they insulted me, when they shouted at me, I never took a step back. Never.

But here I was, in front of a man that I hadn't known for more than a week yet he scared me.

Not in the sense most would think of. I wasn't scared of what he could do, I'd met many people similar to him. I was scared of what he was doing. He was making me confused. I hated being confused. I had to be at the top of things. I had to know how they worked so I didn't find myself in the same situation I did 4 years ago.

Out of the seven billion people in the world, fate somehow brought me to someone I couldn't read well. Someone I couldn't understand. Someone that posed a threat.

"I asked you a question tesoro. Who?" Vittore said stepping closer, making the distance I put between us before irrelevant. He knew he had me, I was backed in a corner. Literally. My back was close to meeting the door.

I side-stepped him, walking further into the room. Once his presence wasn't so close to me, I felt like I could breathe again. My heart was still beating erratically in my chest, goosebumps spread all over my flesh and my hands slightly shook for reasons other than my disease.

"No one important. It was necessary for the mission," I said to Vittore, happy I had kept my tone emotionless and even just like it always was.

"I don't think getting hurt was part of the plan," Vittore countered turning to me.

"Plans change," I said holding his gaze. I would not show I was affected.

"Not in a way where you get hurt," He said stuffing his hands in his pockets, making my gaze lower to his exposed chest for a second.

"It doesn't matter. I got the job done and I wanted to talk about my award," I said.

"Award?" Vittore asked in an amused tone, "This isn't the Oscars."

"With the acting I did today it might as well be," I said with a roll of my eyes. "Look. I understand I'm not one to trust but I did get your job done and I want something in return."

Vittore shook his head, a smirk on his face before he walked towards me. I held my position.

"So tell me tesoro," he said invading my personal space. His minty breath fanned my face and the heat emitting from his exposed chest did not go unnoticed. "What do you want?"

I don't know why that question suddenly made my mouth dry. Vittore raised an eyebrow at me, walking around my confused form to the bed. He sat down on it, his elbows resting on his knees as he looked at me.

"Don't be shy. Humour me," He said and that snapped me out of whatever trance I was in.

"I want some freedom," I said.

"No," Vittore responded in a heartbeat.

I rolled my eyes. "I said some freedom. I know you don't trust me and honestly, I don't blame you. What I'm asking for is the ability for me to move freely in your mansion without someone breathing down my neck."

"No," Vittore said yet again and my eye twitched in irritation. "I know even that little thread of freedom is all you need to disappear off the face of the earth."

I mean... he wasn't wrong. I had planned to do just that.

"But you did pull off the mission so it wouldn't be fair to lock you up again."

"What games are you playing Vittore?" I asked. This caused him to chuckle.

"No games... for now. I'm giving you a choice. You want freedom and I don't want to go through the hustle of finding you when you disappear-"

"What makes you think you'll find me?" I asked with a raise of my brow. Vittore turned his gaze to me.

"Like I said, I don't want to go through the hustle of finding you so you'll have a guard," I snorted. I could easily get rid of them. "Alexa."

"Fuck no," I protested. I would take any other person but that needy bitch. "What's my second option?"

"I take you back to the safe house."

It was like my whole world turned on its axis. I looked at Vittore. He was the same. A calm mask on but truth rung in his words like a loud church bell, forcing me to hear the deafening words. Silence stretched between the two of us, neither willing to give up more information on the matter.

"Alexa will be here tomorrow to take you and the others back to my estate," Vittore said in a tone that clearly dismissed me. He knew I wouldn't want to go back. He planned this.

I turned away from Vittore, walking to the door. I had underestimated him, I'd let myself slip. That couldn't happen again. My hand wrapped around the handle and I pulled the door open.

"Oh and tesoro, I will find who hurt you. You'll have a worse fate than they will for not telling me."

I stepped out of the room, closing the door behind me, creating a barrier between me and the man who was making my life so much harder. I walked down the hall, running a hand through my hair.

"Dalia! Come count and celebrate with us," Peyton cheered once she saw me. "I got booze."

"Thanks but I'm calling it a night," I said walking to the room that was assigned to me, not once glancing at the others.

"I take it the talk didn't go well?" Carter said.

"Something like that," I answered vaguely before opening my door, entering my room and closing it behind me, making sure to turn the lock.

I rested my back against the door as I took deep breaths. Dizziness slowly claimed me as I shut my eyes, sliding down to the floor. When was the last time I ate? I should seriously be watching my meals.

My mind slowly filled with dark thoughts as my heart beat increased to an unhealthy pace. My breaths shortened until I was basically clawing at my chest and gasping for air. The dizziness wasn't helping and neither was my mind.

God I was just so tired of everything. I just wanted to be fucking normal for once in my bloody life. Just once and nothing more.

In the life I was thrown in, the one filled with mafias, gangs, assassins, drug lords...

It was just too much to ask.

I was alive.

I should be grateful shouldn't I?