STOLEN || 18+ (Monsters #3)

.17. Creeds

"Milena, if a million loved you, I'm one of them and if one loved you, it was me, if no one loved you then know that I'm dead."

- Franz Kafka

Istg if no one says this ^ to me before I die...
. . .

Leyla

My double confinement, as I was calling it after not being allowed to even step out of the room, was bad.

I didn't have a clock, but the phone Gabby had sent had California time on it - so I calculated Rome's time according to it.

I didn't dare step out of the room. I just stayed in the room - like a good little pet, read my books, and ate.

Maybe I should have been grateful. This could have been a lot worse - it had been a lot worse in the past. The only thing which bothered me was the certainty that they were not going to give me back.

What do you want from me? I wanted to scream this at them.

Father had hurt someone they cared for and if it was revenge they desired - they had not done anything but get me. They were yet to hurt me.

If they were aiming for ruining father's reputation by making it known to the whole world that the eldest Campbell daughter was taken by them - they had succeeded. I knew without a doubt, that the information was out - showcasing to the whole world that there was no one safe from them - that even a daughter of one of the most powerful politicians could be taken easily by the Italian mafia.

So much power.

I rolled onto my back, looking up at the ceiling.

Being seen walking Creeds' bride down the aisle would have helped in father's reputation as no one knew Creeds were on the mafia - hell, even I wasn't sure what they were. Everyone knew they were very powerful businessmen. But me being with the Valentinos, someone the whole world knew ruled the Italian mafia with an iron fist, would affect my father's reputation.

I suppose he was already holding charity balls and stuff to make up for this.

But, if I was to get revenge from my father like Valentinos appeared to be doing, I would have not kidnapped his daughter. No, my father didn't give a damn about me. There were only two things that mattered to him - his position and money.

They should have asked for money in exchange for whatever silence they were meant to keep and then let the secret slip anyway.

Me being in the equation made sense but like this, they had ruined something which could easily be wiped clean.

I knew they were smart - I could see the intelligence in their eyes.

Then what was that they actually wanted?

In what way were they going to actually get their revenge? Because if this was the way the Italian mafia took revenge, grabbing a girl and putting her in a room, then it did not deserve to be feared as much as it was.

Then what were they planning?

. . .

I hummed under my breath as I read my book. I had gotten a little bit comfortable in not having to leave the room. I felt terribly trapped still, but in here was a sense of safety, even though I knew anyone could march in and shoot me in the head.

And then, the door opened and my stomach dropped. The maids who came with the food always knocked.

Entered an unknown man.

He looked at me. He was tall with heavily tanned skin and slightly long curly dark hair. He had just a hint of stubble and his eyes were of the ocean. He was tall, perhaps as tall as the Valentinos, and covered in a three-piece suit.

He watched me silently. "Hello, Leyla."

I closed my book, happy that I was wearing clothes that covered me fully and did not compliment my figure - at all. Sweatpants and sweatshirts never let me down.

"Hi," I said, my voice a little shaky from not using it for what felt like weeks. I had felt the urge to carve tally marks on the wall but decided to not risk Gio's wrath if he happened to be protective of his ugly walls.

The stranger looked around the room and then his eyes settled back on me. "I'm Luca Severo. Enforcer and Consigliere of la Famiglia. Your presence is required downstairs."

Please no.

I got off the bed. He looked at my body - not in a bad way. "You might want to dress in more formal clothes, Miss Campbell. There are guests downstairs."

I nodded and walked to the closet, locking it firmly shut behind me and looked around my clothes.

I settled on a casual red dress which left many things for imagination and my curly hair up in a bun with a few strands framing it was. I stepped into boots and looked at myself in the mirror, wondering if I should put on make-up.

I didn't want Valentinos to complain about me looking like shit in front of their guests so I put on a little make-up and walked out of the closet.

Luca nodded approvingly and walked out of the room. I followed him and we descended the staircase side by side.

"Who is there?" I asked hesitantly.

"The Creeds."

My heart thumped. "Is Olivia with them?"

"Yes, Mrs Creed is here, too. All of them are here for dinner."

. . .