MAFIA'S ANGEL

CHAPTER 10

Her entire body froze. 

She knew that voice - it made her terrified to turn and confirm her suspicions. It made her chest swell with a breath she was too afraid to release. It wasn't Dale's apologetic and sunny tone. This voice demanded her to stop when all she wanted was to run as fast as her legs carried her. 

"I payed off my debt." The whisper came out with a shaky exhale. 

She felt him approach until his hot breath brushed against her nape. "Your father visited the club the other day." 

Her eyes closed. 

My god. 

It wasn't a question of if. It was a question of how much.

Her mouth suddenly felt dry as a sandpaper. Her palms became damp with sweat and she was sure that they were trembling by her sides. "How....much?" 

"More than one night can pay off." 

Tears begun to well up in her eyes. They fogged her vision, but she refused to let them fall. Slowly, she forced herself to turn around and face him. Silver eyes caught her own, staring down at her with evil glee. 

"How can I....pay it off?" She feared the question more than the tall man in front of her. 

Nikolai captured her chin between his carouse fingers, tilting her head upwards as if to inspect if her features had changed. "Be mine, Angel." 

How could he say those things so damn casually!?  This was her life they were discussing, but he cared none for that. Angelique gulped. "How many times?" 

"How many it might take." 

"And what if I refuse?" 

He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "You're a smart girl, you know better than to refuse." 

Her jaw clenched when his teeth captured her earlobe, taunting her. The young woman wished desperately she was one of those that could keep their face indifferent in these situations. Angelique was an open book, now displaying the fear Nikolai relished in. There was something beneath his sharp gaze that oozed deep satisfaction from power he had over her. 

Like a puppeteer pulling the strings of its marionette. 

"I...understand." Defeat echoed in her voice. But there was also something else mixing into her tone - anger. Scalding hot and burning her inside out. For the first time she truly felt like an animal driven into a corner. "But I need time. I have to talk to my...father." She spat out the name without much emotion aside from deep hurt. 'Father' had become not much more than a label at this point. 

He promised.

"I won't take you today. However, tomorrow...." Nikolai hooked his fingers through her hair. "A car will pick you up." His tone held a warning - Don't be late, don't disobey, don't dare to think of running.

His fingers untangled themselves from her hair, caressing her jawline. Coldly, he pressed a forced kiss against her closed mouth. "Until tomorrow, my Angel." Nikolai tightened his grip before releasing her altogether. 

He left her standing in middle of the dark street. Angelique watched the black SUV that had been tailing her without her knowledge speed off after Nikolai had climbed inside. Finally she let the building tears to run down her cold cheeks. 

On inside, she was screaming, kicking walls and ripping apart whatever was in her way, but on outside, she felt numb. Her steps dragged and tears kept coming without her permission. Why me? What did I ever do to anyone to deserve this? To be a toy for a monster....