My eyes open and I'm still immersed in the darkness. I rub my eyes a few times. My gaze moves over to the nightstand. There sits a fancy glass digital clock. It's four in the morning, the time I've begun normally getting up. I guess my internal clock's working just fine.

Slowly I gently remove Dante's arm that's secured around my torso. He has an iron grip, I'll give him that. But once I switch my body for a pillow he snuggled back down into bed. It's rather adorable... I think I've gotten to a point where I don't know how I feel about the man. Do I still hate him? Can I steal one of his expensive cars and run him over with it? These are the questions that now haunt me late at night.

Tiptoeing around the room I grab his shirt from last night and toss it on so I'm not butt naked running around the mansion. Grabbing my clothes I swiftly open and close his bedroom door. Thank goodness everyone's fast asleep, except for those in my living quarters. That'll be awkward.

I run down the stairs and down the multiple halls. I manage to get to my room without anyone noticing me. I lean against the door taking in a deep breath.

Heading to the bathroom I change and do my makeup. Putting my heels on I'm out the door and headed to the kitchen where we meet. Nonnas standing already listing off jobs, it seems I'm a little late.

I wait for my name to be called. I'm normally at the end of the list anyhow but I'm left standing alone with nonna. She places her list on the kitchen bench as if she's done with it. "Morning nonna. What's my job for this morning?" She kissed my forehead and has the largest smile on her face.

"You and my dear grandson!" My eyes widen in horror. We aren't alone in the kitchen! Someone could hear and we had sex... once!

"Nonna! Keep your voice down." I whisper. She chuckles but apologises.

"So are you two official?" She's practically bursting and I don't want to ruin it for her but I'm also not going to give her false hope, so I go for the honest route.

"Yes, we spent the night together last night but that doesn't mean anything is going to happen between the two of us and I'm not sure if I want it to." She frowns a little and I immediately feel bad for being so blunt.

"I get it. He's tough, confusing and a murderer." She pushes me to the bar stool and gestures to the chef to conjure us up some breakfast.

"Nonna I have to work-"

"-no you don't, home school starts today."

"-but-"

"-no buts now let me speak!" I nod to which she continues.

"Dante wasn't always like this, he was a kid once with dreams of having the perfect family. Now remember that all of this." She gestures around the room.

"May be odd to you but to him it's all he's ever known. As a child he used to be very ambitious and had dreams of being happy like me and his grandfather are. He never wanted to take part in the mafia lifestyle but being the oldest it didn't leave him with a choice. His father- my son was ruthless when it came to the poor boy. There were beatings after beatings, all forms of abuse that you couldn't even imagine. Eventually he beat the sensitivity out of him and turned my precious Dante into a cold, lifeless robot. His fathers sadistic and as much as we tried we've never been able to change him." Please don't tell me it's the whole 'you can change him, he can be better with you' speech. I wait for nonna to continue.

"Now it's not your obligation to bring out the real Dante but keep an open mind, he'd been forced into submission, and that darkness you see? It isn't really him. Just get to know him, even if it's only as a friend." I'm not going to dedicate myself to him. Im my own woman but I'll keep an open mind, at least that's what she's going to think because it was obviously a one time thing. He said so himself.

"You said school starts today?" She smiles.

"Yes! Dante's organised a private tutor to help you with the school work that your teachers have sent over. They are also available to communicate with. Im sure if either of you struggle he'll get your teacher over here to explain." I don't think I'll let him kidnap one of my teachers and bring them here. They'll probably never leave.

"Go wake up Bianca and get changed into some comfier clothes. I'll send breakfast up for the two of you." I kiss Nonnas cheek and run down the hall while yelling a "thank you!"

I get a lot of glares from the maids. I guess it's unprofessional to run down the hallway. I pause and slip off my heels cause I'm going to snap an ankle if I continue at this rate.

Lucky for me it's still really early so none of the men are up yet. That means I can go back upstairs without any awkward interactions.

Making my way down the hall my eyes wander to Dante's door. It was a great night. One great night.

I open Bianca's door and walk into her room. It's empty. Her bed hasn't even been slept in. I check her closet and bathroom but she isn't here. Oh well. I'll get changed and if she doesn't appear I'll go tell nonna. Although I do have a slight suspicion of who she could be with.

Going through my side of her closet I grab a dark tan velour skims tracksuit with a cropped white tank underneath. I pull my hair up in a ponytail to get it out of my face and leave the makeup that I already put on for work.

After a few more minutes I hear her door open. Exiting the bathroom I watch as she flops facedown on her bed. Her hairs in disarray, she's not wearing any pants instead she's in what looks like a man's shirt.

I clear my throat. Her head shoots up and turns towards me. I offer a smile and her eyes widen. Ahh yes, caught red handed.

"Hey girl." I laugh at her attempt at casualness.

"Don't sweat it you'll tell me when you're ready. For now, get dressed in something comfy. It's our first day of online school, I guess." She runs to the closet to get changed while I lie back on her bed. Now that I've slept in her older brothers bed, hers no longer hits the spot. Maybe I'll just escape this place with his mattress and kidnap nonna and Bianca.

She comes out of the bathroom after brushing out that tangled head of hair. I see we're in matching skims sweat suits. Hers is a grey colour while mines more on the brown toned side. "Cute outfit." I compliment.

She smirks "thanks, it just really spoke to me." We both laugh.

"So what do we do now?" To be honest I also have no idea. Nonna only told me to come up here and she'd send breakfast.

"I have no idea. Nonna sent me up here."

"Wanna watch something?" I smile.

"Yes, after a lot of years of hardly watching anything it'd be nice to catch up." She scrolls through the different icons on the tv and begins to search for some movie.

"We're going to start off with getting you into the marvel franchise because marvel is better than DC."

"Oh yeah! I think I saw Spider-Man with my grandparents but that was a long time ago."

"That's a good start but today we're watching iron man. We'll work our way though and soon enough you'll be hooked."

"Okay, I'm excited." She presses play on the movie but the door knocking brings us out of our own world.

"Who's that?" I look at her.

"Nonna said she'd send up breakfast." She chucks me the remote

"Press play, I'll get the food." I don't argue and press the play button while she gets our meals. I'm so excited. I'd hardly have the time to watch movies or shows because of school and my job and my dad. I was our main source of income so my life was school, work, sleep during the week, then work and sleep during the weekend. I had no time off and I know that it was a really unhealthy cycle.

I hear Bianca walking back into the room but I don't smell the breakfast food. "Bianca? Where the food?" I turn around.

It's not Bianca. "Principessa."

He doesn't look all that happy. Actually he looks pretty pissed but I'm not sure what that has to do with me. Does he regret last night? Is he mad that I didn't stop us? Cause that would be irrational.

"Mr Romano, where's Bianca?"

He strolls over to the bed and takes a seat next to me. There's enough space between us that still allows me to breath without getting flustered.

"She went to go see why the foods been taking so long." Bullshit. Bianca's lazy, she wouldn't willingly walk all that way down. She'd either call them or make me do it.

"Why are you here?" Deciding to get straight to the point, I don't want to tiptoe around why he's here. Just lay it on me.

"You weren't in my bed when I woke up." Huh? Is this man on drugs. He's a manwhore. We know this. So why on earth is he getting all pissy over me not sleeping in his bed. If anything he should be happy that he didn't have to kick his servant out of his bedroom.

"I wasn't because I had work."

"You don't anymore."

"You mean, I don't right now as it won't fit in with my timetable for school."

"No, I mean ever. You're fired."

"WHAT?!" I stand up and toss my hands in the air. This isn't fair!!

"Mr Romano-"

"Dante." He corrects. I let out an aggravated sigh

"Dante, I need that job. It's my only source of income and even though you supposedly 'own' me, I have dreams and I need to pay for those dreams." His face remains stoic and it only pisses me off more.

"That's easily fixed. I'll pay for what you want and need."

"You don't understand! I've never taken anything for granted, I work my ass off to get where I want to be! I don't take handouts!" I can't believe I'm yelling at my mafia boss and I'm not dead on the floor with a bullet in my skull.

His hands grab my own as he pulls me to sit down next to him. This feels a little intimate for one night. "Scarlett, all that time when it was just you and your dad, you worked more than your ass off and you didn't receive anything but beatings in return. My families already fucking adopted you so much quit being so stubborn and take a break. Let someone else look after you for once." So sentimental...

"I still don't trust you. After everything I think that it's completely understandable." He nods agreeing with my statement.

" I wouldn't trust me either." He says.

"And since I've suddenly got the balls to actually speak to you, I'm not 'owned' as you put it, by you. I'm a person and I want more freedom." His jaw slightly clenches.

"Fine, you can have more freedom, with guards of course to keep you safe. As for owned, nonna will smack me if I continue with that so for now you're not owned by me but you are under my care and protection." Wow he's really taking some serious steps forward.

"Thank you." I say sincerely.

"Also you and Bianca are coming to the compound to do some training with the new recruits. You two need to know every way to protect yourselves." I nod my head.

"What time?"

"I'll come get you." He leaves, closing the door behind him.