Tainted

Viridity

Viridity | naïve innocence
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Ariadne
I was getting sick of being dragged and thrown around like a sack of potatoes. Especially when no one explained why I was receiving such treatment. It was beyond infuriating and painful even. Neo's grip on my arm grew tighter, and I was sure my arms would have bruises all around from all this pulling. "W-who was that?" I heave as we were headed god knows where. It seemed utterly impossible to get around this house. He had called him Nero, yet for some reason, I was sure that wasn't his actual name.

Neo lets out a loud, annoyed breath that told me he still wasn't accepting questions. That within itself was annoying, but I didn't care much, for I was already destined to die whether I talked or not. "I'm dead either way, the least you could do is answer my questions. I kind of don't want to die clueless." I frown. The last part of my sentence was so unserious, but I was being honest.

He lets out a small chuckle, and it was the first that I'd seen any of these men break out into a small laugh or even smile. "You're persistent as fuck," he scoffs, his eyes still dead ahead while his grip on me remained. "As much as I'd love to tell you why your pathetic ass has to die, I'm not allowed to."

I pinch my brows together and narrow my eyes towards him. "You really let other people boss you around like that?" I nibble on my bottom lip, purposefully try to make him feel as though he was powerless. From my years and years of reading, I had found that men hate feeling inferior to others, so I figured I'd use that to my advantage.

His head snaps towards me, giving me the exact reaction I was looking for. "Your tactics are useless when I could have your life with a snap of my fingers." He seethes, clearly I struck a nerve. Wanna make a man mad? Question his masculinity.

"Well- not really. Based on what happened just a few minutes ago, I'm not meant to die just yet." I snort, reminding him that he isn't in charge, for it was very clear that man back there was. I knew I was playing with my life at this point, but I had absolutely nothing to lose.

"Yet." He repeats, signaling that I was to die whether it was now or later. "You've got a smart mouth on you considering the tight leash your father kept on you all these years."

"My Papá didn't keep a tight leash on me, he just kept me safe from people like you!" I grit, angry that he was insulting my Papá this way when it was clear my Papá was only ever worried about my safety.

"You're too naive." Is all he tells me, but I was far too irritated by his disrespectful comments towards my Papá to ask him what why he thought that. Instead I remain quiet as we climb down a huge staircase. As we do so, we come across another man who seemed to be heading up but instead froze in his tracks once he saw us. One that was also dressed in a suit and whose demeanor was incredibly hard. "Oh shit, is this her?" His eyes widened as he stared me down, his question directed to a very annoyed Neo who simply nods.

"She's not deformed like you said she'd be." He frowns, disappointment washing through his features. His dark brows furrowed as he continued to look at me. I was taken aback by his comment and disappointment. "I'm Alessio," he sticks his hand out, introducing his self and anticipating that I take his hand. Luckily my left arm was the one being held, so I was able to take his hand, thankful that I met someone who seemed somewhat. "You must be Ariadne?" He raises a brow.

I don't question how he knows my name, being that these people seemed to know more about my family than I. I nod, as I go to retract my hand. "You're breathtaking, it's a shame these fuckers got your beautiful dress dirty." Alessio sends a glare towards Neo who grew more impatient by the second.