TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE/SEXUAL ASSAULT & VIOLENCE

We left for Enzo's job in one of those big luxurious escalades I was quickly growing used to. I'd never want to take the train again after this.

It was only me and Enzo in the backseat. His brothers weren't coming with us. He said it would be just us today since he was only doing a few things and it would be a short day.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about what I'd see today. What I'll feel when I see what Enzo is capable of.

The ride was quiet but comfortable for the most part. Enzo held my hand the whole way to Brooklyn, rubbing circles into my palm. It was actually quite soothing.

I leaned into him rigidly.

When we rolled up to an abandoned-looking warehouse I got out of the car with him as he led me by my hand inside.

My eyes shot open when I looked around and saw coke all over the place. I recognized it right away from movies I'd watched before. It looked just the same, wrapped in clear plastic, stacked in big squares.

I was shocked, to say the least. But, it wasn't that bad. I wasn't necessarily afraid of this. I didn't like drugs but this didn't affect me so I just decided to accept it.

Enzo was watching me intently trying to gauge my reaction. I shrugged. Not feeling awfully bothered by the drugs in the warehouse.

He smiled tightly at me and we kept walking toward a door in the back of the room.

There were a lot of men walking around moving the bricks and talking in Italian. A few of them looked at me and all of them nodded at Enzo respectfully.

"He's in the backroom, boss. Ready to be dealt with."

I wasn't sure what I was expecting but it wasn't anything close to the scene I walked into.

When Enzo opened the door and let me inside I jumped back, pressing my body against his.

I gasped loudly, closing my eyes for a second.

There was a man in the room, tied up to the ceiling. He was naked, hanging by his wrists with his toes barely touching the floor. His body was drenched in sweat and blood, all out for display. It had to have been humiliating to be strung up like that, all vulnerable and exposed. I turned my face into Enzo's chest, who ran a gentle hand through my hair.

My breathing relaxed.

Common, just relax. It was bad, but I could handle it.

I turned back around facing the man. Enzo rubbed at the small of my back sweetly in an attempt to comfort me.

I stared at the man in front of me again. Calming myself down helped a bit as I assessed the situation.

"He stole from the family. We take that very seriously in my mafia," Enzo informed me.

I nodded, not sure what else I was supposed to say.

"But he didn't do it alone, so now I have to squeeze a name out of him. So I know who else was part of his plans. I don't like rats in my home," Enzo said the last part to the man hanging.

The man stirred awake and jumped with fear at the sight of Enzo. His face grew paler and his chest was heaving uncontrollably.

I didn't want to admit it but something inside me liked the way Enzo intimidated people. I liked the fact that he was so powerful that just the sight of him turned this man into a shaking, sweaty mess.

"Enzo, I don't know if I can watch you torture this guy..." I mumbled. Feeling cowardly for getting ready to back out before I even saw what was going to happen.

The man was already full of purple bruises and cuts. I was okay looking at that, maybe I'd be okay with seeing the way the bruises and cuts came to be.

"When it becomes too much just leave the room. I'll come out to get you. Don't ask me for permission to leave or anything; just go if you are overwhelmed. No one should bother you out there if they know what is good for them."

I nodded again, feeling like I lost my voice.

I watched as Enzo took off his suit jacket, I held out my hands to hold it for him and he handed it to me.

He placed it in my arms and kissed me sweetly, then continued to roll up the sleeves on his white dress shirt. The action was incredibly hot, which felt wrong considering the man bleeding only a few feet away from us.

Enzo walked towards the man and punched him square in the face. He spluttered blood from his mouth. I was shocked at the sheer force of Enzo's punch.

I could see his muscles flexing through the tight dress shirt he was wearing. I'd be close to drooling if he was doing this shirtless.

"Are you going to kill him?" I squeaked, unsure if I was mentally prepared to see that happen right in front of me.

Enzo looked at me with an odd expression on his face, "yes, Lilly. But you will stay outside for that part. I know you're not ready to see that yet."

I nodded quickly in agreement because I wasn't ready to see that even if I thought I'd possibly be able to stomach it.

The man hanging was whimpering for mercy.

I kind of felt bad for him. But, there was nothing I could do so I just looked away.

"You stole from me, Filippo. Then you tried to lie about it when my brothers confronted you. I was only going to kill you, but I think I'll kill your daughter now too. How old is she again? 16?" Enzo taunted him.

He must have been strung up to this ceiling for a few days because the room smelled sour and pungent like he soiled himself at least a few times.

"No! Please, please, Don. I beg you, don't hurt her. She is innocent, I swear. Please!" Filippo begged. I shut my eyes.

Would Enzo really kill a young, innocent girl? She was only a few years younger than me.

"I don't know. I think the men would really enjoy her. Maybe pass her around before they break her completely. Then when she is completely used and shattered, I'll have Stefano kill her slowly. You know how good he is at his job. I'm sure you've been able to hear screams from the other side of the warehouse when he is in the mood for fun. I'm sure he'll have lots of fun with her, he really enjoys it when they scream."

Enzo's words made me nauseous.

What the fuck was I getting myself into with this man?

He was a fucking psychopath, sick and twisted. So were his brothers. I backed myself against the wall of the room, feeling like my legs could give out at any moment.

"How about we bring sweet, Charlotte in here? Bring her in!" Enzo yelled.

The door to the room swung open, and I saw a teenage girl being carried with her hands and feet bound. She wasn't hurt or anything but I could see the fear in her eyes.

"You can watch as they defile her. Or, you can give me the name of the person you worked with... you have five seconds before they start taking her close off."

"Daddy, please," Charlotte screamed, sobbing all over her school uniform.

I was too in shock to cry. I just watched on, as the psychological warfare played out.

Would he really let them rape this young girl because of her father's mistakes?

Enzo pulled a knife out of god knows where and slashed Filippo's stomach with it. He cried out in agony.

"Five, four, three," Enzo slowly counted down, looking bored. My eyes were bugging out of my head. He was so soft with me when he ran me a bath and put me to bed. This was a different person altogether.

I heard ringing in my ears and my head was spinning. This was becoming too much but my legs felt like jello. I couldn't move from my spot against the wall.

"Enzo," I croaked. I don't know what I was asking for. For him to stop? For him to carry me out of this horrible room? For him to have mercy of the innocent girl?

Enzo looked back at me and must have perceived my equal parts terror and agony for the scene unfolding in front of me. His eyes softened as he took me in like he forgot I was standing here.

Filippo must have just noticed my presence because he looked up at me and begged me, "please, help me. Have mercy."

I gasped. I felt guilty looking into this dying man's eyes and doing nothing to help him, but more for his daughter.

"How dare you speak to her," Enzo growled, followed by a punch to his ribs.

"Don't try to ask her for help. If anything you should be begging for your daughter's mercy. Your death is already a done deal. But, her's is not. If you give me the names, she'll be safe. But, you're making things rather difficult so if she has to be your collateral damage," he shrugged as if this was no big deal to him. The man holding Charlotte took out a gun and cocked the hammer, showing he was ready to shoot her. He had it pointed at her head.

I felt like I was about to vomit all over the stained cement floor. What was one more stain, right?

"Gabe, and Marcelo," he screamed, urgently. He was a coward. It took a gun to his daughter's head to give up two names.

He should have said that as soon as his daughter was threatened in the first place. I looked at Filippo in a newfound disgust.

Charlotte was a wailing, blubbering mess. I felt so bad for her.

"Was that so hard, Filippo?" Enzo smacked his cheek lightly, in an almost affectionate manner.

Yup... He's insane.

"Rocco, take Lilly outside and bring her to my office. Bring Charlotte outside too."

Rocco held out an arm for me to take, clearly seeing that I was on the verge of passing out. I hold onto him by the forearm and walked outside the room with him, before glancing at Enzo. He was looking at me with a frown.

He knew I was afraid.

Afraid of murder.

Afraid of this world.

Afraid of him.

He stopped Rocco with a hand when he recognized the fear in me.

"I'll take Lilly to my office. You bring Charlotte to the car outside. Gino is waiting. Then meet me here so we can take care of Filippo."

"Yes, sir," Rocco said and untied Charlotte's shaking hands.

"Say goodbye to your father, Charlotte," Enzo said softly but curt to her.

She ran to him and hugged him. It was one-sided since his hands were tied to the ceiling.

"I love you, sugar cookie. I was stupid and made too many mistakes. You'll be safe with mom. Just please, take care of yourself..."

I didn't want t to listen any longer to this depressing dialogue.

I started walking out of the door with Enzo hot on my heels.