Ambrosia had sat up with her back on the backboard of the bed. Daniel had stayed with her resting his head in his hand as he lay on his right side facing her.

"So the gamble between me and Ivy was just to get the claim of the house?"

Daniel nodded and blinked slowly.

"Avril just wants the house deed, which would have been associated with the survivor," he yawned.

Ambrosia let out a pitiful groan and rested her head on her knees. Daniel lightly touched her hand before raising his hand to brush her kinky hair from her face.

Daniel sat up and leaned towards her tilted head his lingering before touching her own. His hands roamed her thighs and snaked themselves around her hips. Ambrosia immediately felt a sharp pain of shame as his fingers touched her hot skin and his lips curiously took a hold of her mouth. Ambrosia moved her self back and pushed his hands back to him.

"You can't do this," she whispered letting her eyes wander around the room.

"Why not?" Daniel asked drawing himself further for another kiss but Ambrosia quickly dodged him by standing up and making her way around her bed.

"I'm not mentally okay right now, this just isn't right."

"I'm not trying to do anything to you, Ambrosia, we both need someone to hold right now, these are tough times."

Daniel had now gotten up and walked back over to Ambrosia, his arms were open to welcome her for an embrace. He kissed her once more, craning his neck to reach down to her neck and kiss along her throat. Ambrosia, now emotionally muddled pushed him away from her with a strong amount of force.

Daniel stumbled back and caught his balance on the dresser along the wall. He smirked and pulled his hands up in surrender.

"Fine, I'm sorry," Daniel apologized while raking his fingers through his disheveled hair. Ambrosia said nothing as she watched him scoop his jacket off the floor and as he wished her goodnight before closing the door.

Was that the right thing to do?

Ambrosia sank back into her bed grabbing a pillow and shoving it with herself underneath the covers. She clutched it against her chest and pressed her face against the soft white cushion, the only thing that was on her mind through that encounter with Daniel was none other than, Elias.

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The sun had proven impatient as Ambrosia slept, the cold dread of another morning awoke her and her stomach demanded attention in response to her denial of food yesterday.

Ambrosia rose from her bed and as she routinely did she brushed her teeth, took a shower, and collected her thick hair into two braids. To pass time as she waited for Daniel to retrieve her for breakfast she would read through Elias' journal, listen to music on her grandmother's old radio, or waste away through sleep.

Now that Ivy had...passed, she expected to be switched into a new routine sooner or later. Then would do that mundane routine and pray every night for liberation from the bondage of these people. A knock came at her door and Ambrosia called the visitor in.

"Breakfast," Daniel called and waited for her to slip into her shoes and walk with him down the large spiraling staircase. Ambrosia walked into the kitchen and took her seat in a small breakfast nook off to the side of the kitchen appliances.

Ambrosia watched the woeful maid cook in bulk, eggs, bacon, and oatmeal. The small woman hurried around the kitchen weaving through the men that came in too take their plates and leave into the dining area. Sweat held up against her forehead and her hands seem to never stop moving as she feared for her own life and had no one to call for.

Daniel took up to plates and walked over to the nook, he placed the plates down and slid into his seat.

"Today's a big day," Daniel declared digging into his own food. Ambrosia took her time to chew a piece of bacon and eyes him in confusion.

"Why is that?"

Daniel wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Confrontation is going down today," he put a few pieces of scrambled egg in his mouth and ate it quickly, "Dante is coming."

Ambrosia nearly chocked on a sharp edge of bacon as he let those words flow off his tongue. She covered her mouth and coughed, Daniel laughed and shrugged his soldiers.

"Don't know how Avril is going to act, but hopefully all goes well to secure the deal. today and tomorrow"

"What deal?" Ambrosia questioned.

Daniel shrugged again and took a bite out of his bacon. Ambrosia leaned over her plate and let a look of seriousness etch its way, not her face.

"Daniel, what deal?"

Daniel swallowed his food and responded in a bitter tone.

"I'm only telling you this because you're actually going to be helping us with the transaction, these guys from up north want to rent space for their weapon business down here."

Ambrosia gripped the tablecloth that cascaded off the table tighter and stared at Daniel.

"How am I involved in this?"

Daniel let a small smile sneak onto his face before allowing his sharp eyes to snap up taxing at her. He pointed his fork in her direction.

"You're taking over Ivy's job, immediate sexual persuasion," he cooed and those words sunk into Ambrosia's head twisting around every edge of moral decency in her.

"Immediate sexual pers—"

"That shouldn't be a problem though, from last night I could tell you seem pretty comfortable around men."

Ambrosia was taken back.

What the hell did he just...?

Daniel finished his food and dropped his fork unnecessarily loud onto the plate, he scooted back out of his chair and smiled. It was plastered on his face like a dull painting and didn't leave him until he had turned his back to her to look at his phone.

"But I can't Daniel, you know that I'm—"

Daniel turned back around and touched his stomach in relation to what she was implying. "I know, I didn't choose this for you Avril did and if I had told him what was up, you'd probably be dead right now."

Ambrosia pushed her plate away from herself and got up as well, she walked towards him and balling her hand into fists. Daniel gestured for her to leave the kitchen and she turned slowly to the stairs.

"You'll figure it out, Ambrosia, I believe in you," Daniel called out.

Fuck you.

Ambrosia returned to her room and was happy to find that Daniel didn't follow her to lock her door.

Maybe I can wander the house later and look for a way to escape.

On her bed, she noticed a new outfit and shoes awaiting her attention, black spaghetti strap dress, and black heels. Ambrosia began to fall ill at the thought of the position she was being forced into. She ran for the toilet and after releasing her stomach of all the contents she had just put into it she took shower.

After an hour or two of staring at the dress in her robe from the other side of her dark and cool bedroom Ambrosia had made the decision that if an of the men got too physical with her, she would kill them.

No questions asked.

She retrieved her gun from the bathroom and placed it on her bed before grabbing the outfit and pulling it on her body. It was much tighter than she expected and she shivered as she walked to her mirror to apply some makeup. She then reached for a sleek purse just large enough for her gun and she put it inside.

Suddenly from downstairs, Ambrosia heard a loud cacophony of voices and noises. Two were yelling quite restlessly.

Is it time already?

Daniel flung open her door and scanned her body for a moment before shaking his attention back onto her eyes.

"Let's go."

Ambrosia scurried to of her room behind Daniel and held his arms as he rushed them downstairs. Ambrosia could barely make out the words being thrown around from downstairs even as they made their way closer to the front entrance.

Ambrosia gasped as her eyes slipped around the large from the entrance to Avril and then Dante who stood facing away from her. Dante whipped himself around and clenched his jaw letting a small vein reveal itself near his temple.

"Ambrosia?!"

Ambrosia opened her mouth but her voice had completely hidden within the depths of her throat. Dante groaned in agitation and turned back to Avril cracking his knuckles in the process.

"Are you fucking kidding me, so Ivy's dead?"

Mr. Avril laughed and lit a thick cigar that had been resting between his lips. He took a puff and removed it.

"I don't take too well to being swindled Dante, so I decided to screw with your plans, did you forget I could do that...Ivy was one of your assets!"

Dante rubbed the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"I don't give a shit who does Ivy's job, I'll give you your fucking money just...if she does anything, anything, to mess with this deal...your dead Avril."

Avril only gave a burly laugh in triumph and smoked contently as he strolled away. Dante turned to Ambrosia and she looked around noticing that Daniel had left her alone with him, she took a step back.

Dante reached up and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and smiled as he pulled her by her waist into his chest. Overtaken by fear Ambrosia stood like a puppet her hand shaking as they were pressed against his chest.

"Mmm, should have texted me," Dante chuckled rubbing his hand down the side of her waist. Ambrosia shrunk away and squirmed but his hand had firmly clutched itself around her neck.

"If you try anything, I'll kill you just like I did your grandmother."

Ambrosia felt the hand that was around her neck as it began to tighten she heaved for air and Dante slowly let her go playing wit a crooked smile on his face. One of the double doors of the front entrance began to open and Ambrosia's head began to swirl as Elias walked through.

"Or I should say, we will kill you."

Dressed in all black, there he stood, her fallen angel. The side of his forehead held a large white bandage almost hidden by his dark scattered curly brown hair that shaded over his eyes.

He was the father of her unborn child, the first culmination Ludus and Mania love she had ever experienced.

"Elias..." Ambrosia breathed his name letting it fill her with a familiar sense of warmth.

Elias looked at her and blinked his hands went quickly to fiddle with the collar of his jacket his eyes lowered to the floor. Ambrosia rushed to him forgetting about Dante, she was angry, she was sad, she was desiring him all over again.

All practical reason left Ambrosia and she embraced the only person she seemed to have left, even with the burning accusations of his crimes against her and her family.

She kissed him desperately, hot tears streaming from her eyes she moved her lips against him with the growing realization that it was a one-sided effort. Elias grasped her upper arms and pushed her away from him his cheeks were tinted pink in sudden shyness. He bit his slightly red bottom lip as his face twisted in confusion.

"I-I'm sorry, do I know you?"

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