Taken by the Heartless (HEARTLESS, Book 1) (NOW EDITING)

BULLY

     A few days passed, and no one came into the room. It was only Cassandra and Bully in the room. Whenever Bully left the room, he always locked the door, the window was high and guards were walking around downstairs, there was no way for Cassandra to escape even if she wanted to. She has done everything to get Bully to talk with her, but the man was so staunch about being quiet. She noticed that he was always looking out of the window, so when he wasn't around, she went and looked and found that he was watching the other men playing games.

For some weird reason, she felt pity for him, even though she wasn't supposed to. She felt it was because of her that he doesn't get the chance to do something that might be the only thing that makes him happy in that mansion. That day, Bully dropped the food in front of her and walked away toward the window. She stared at the gun strapped to his back. Bully was a big man, and she could never be able to whisk a gun out of his hand if she wanted to. If she wanted to take the gun from his waist, she has to be very fast. There was no doubt he was also a very fast man.

  She slowly stood up and walked up to him toward the window where he was smiling down at the men playing games. The smile on his face suddenly disappeared when he noticed her beside him. He looked down at her with an icy glare, but she smiled up at him.

  "I saw your smile already," she said.

  "Go back and sit," he said curtly.

Cassandra ignored him. "I know you missed these games with your friends. I can help you play it. I promise I won't try to escape."

  Bully was not having it her way. He grabbed her arm and started dragging her toward the bed, but that has been her intention. He pushed her to the bed, and when he turned to leave, she quickly lunged at him and grabbed the gun from his waist. She never knew she was going to succeed. Before Bully could stop her, the gun was already in her hands, and she was aiming at him, and a mischievous smile pulling up on her face.

  The look on Bully's face was epic and he looked almost like he wanted to beg. Cassandra's father always told her that behind every exterior lies another side of a person, she had believed her father. Maybe except when it comes to Eros. Eros was a naturally wicked man and didn't have any reason to be wicked She didn't think he has any other side of him. But she couldn't say the same for Bully. She had heard him snicker most times as he watched others and she had seen him smile just a few seconds ago and now he looked like he wanted to plead, even though the scars on his face made it a little difficult to tell but she was going to give it her best shot.

   "Put down that thing," Bully said in a raspy voice.

  "Make me," Cassandra said and felt her hand quiver a little. She has never held a gun before and she was so scared holding it, but she remembered when Apollo used to teach her how to cork a gun and how to pull the trigger. She corked the gun and didn't miss the surprise look on Bully's face. She smiled.

  The man slowly raised his hands in surrender. He realized that coercion wouldn't remedy the situation. He might have other ways of taking the gun from her, he was going to take it from her, but now he was treading on cautious grounds.

  "You are going to harm yourself with that," he said and took a step closer.

  "It marvels me that you speak good English. You really care if I harm myself right now?" She smiled and took a step back, still aiming the gun at him. "And stop coming close or I will be forced to pull the trigger."

  Bully's hands were up in the air. "What do you want? To escape? Come on, you know better than that, you remember what happened the last time you did that. You might not get so lucky this time."

  Cassandra chuckled. "Or this time, I might get lucky." She moved back even though Bully didn't take another step toward her. "Look, Panda, don't try to manipulate me."

  "The name is Bully, not Panda."

  "Is a good thing that we are finally speaking in this situation. I was beginning to think you have gone deaf and dumb."

  Bully's jaw clenched. "I won't take that from you."

  "So, what will you do? Shot me?" she teased and kept going back.

  "What do you want? I can't let you escape from here while I watch, I will have to die first."

  "We are going to make some tough decisions then." Bully stared blankly at her, she could only imagine what was going on in his head and she needed to act fast before someone else comes in and interrupts, especially Eros. "Does it always take this toughness to get you talking?"

  "Is this about me talking or about you escaping?" Bully's voice was gruff, he was impatient.

  "Both. If you have spoken to me earlier, this thing wouldn't have been happening." She didn't care to think about the consequences of what would happen if she finally loses the gun. Bully wasn't going to put a hand on her unless Eros instructed him.

A small frown perched on Bully's eyebrows and disappeared almost immediately. "What are you talking about?"

  Cassandra smiled. "You know you can play that game your friends are playing downstairs right now."

  "And then what? Let you escape? You are stubborn and we have never had your case here. Are you even scared of dying? Why are you even particular about me playing that game anyway?"

  She had Bully's attention now. It was what she wanted, to get his attention. She smiled. "It's only those who have what to live for that would wish to live through this misery."

  "I know your type. You can't get me with that bullshit. Even if I decide to fall for whatever you are saying, Eros will kill me the moment he sees me there." Bully pointed toward the window.

  "Well, who said anything about going to join them? You can have fun while you are here with me." She brought down her hands. Now, Bully seems relaxed.

  Bully's brows furrowed in a frown. He was confused about what she was saying. "What are you saying?"

  "We can play games too to ease your boredom."

Bully chuckled and brought down his own hands. "This is not you trying to be ridiculous right now."

Cassandra smiled. She had achieved what she wanted. If she can't escape the other way, she could buy his heart. "Are you laughing?"

  Bully's face became straight again, almost as if he caught himself. "No, I am crying. Now give me the gun." He started moving closer to her.

  She smiled, moved the gun a little away from her leg, and pulled the trigger. The sound resonated in the whole room then she shrieked, threw the gun away, and jumped on Bully who was coming toward her. Bully caught her before he burst into an uncontrollable laughter. She smiled as she clung to him. She has achieved one goal. If she could get him laughing like that, she could get him to do anything.