Twisted Obsession

31 - Control

Athena Luciana Bianchi

The steam from the shower wrapped around me like a warm hug, providing a fleeting respite from the turmoil racing through my mind. I had hoped that the soothing water would wash away my worries, even if only for a moment. But just as I was beginning to find just a bit of peace, a sudden, jarring noise shattered the quiet. My heart pounded as an unease gripped me.

I hastily wrapped a towel around my chest, clutching it tightly to shield myself from both the sudden chill and the looming fear. Every sound seemed amplified now—each creak of the floorboards, each whisper of the house settling. My instincts kicked in, and I grabbed my gun, feeling its weight in my hand like a cold, comforting anchor. With a mixture of panic and resolve, I slipped out of the bathroom, moving with the careful stealth of someone who knows they are not alone.

The quiet of the room was deceptive, but I kept my senses sharp. I rushed to close the open files on my laptop, shoving the device under the bed with a frantic urgency. My eyes darted around, scanning every shadow and corner, searching for the source of the noise. A low mutter of frustration escaped my lips—"Fuck." I couldn't help but scold myself for the paranoia that had taken hold, but the vulnerability of the moment was all too real.

Just as I began to lower my gun, trying to calm my racing heart, I felt something brush against the back of my legs. The towel I had so desperately clung to slipped free, falling to the floor in a damp heap. My breath caught in my throat, and I spun around on my heels, my pulse quickening even further.

There he was—Valentin. His gun had got caught in my towel, pulling it off my body as he walked passed. He notices and turns around as I reach down for my towel, grabbing it hastily and wrapping it around my body. I look up seeing his dark brown eyes on me.

"You can't just show up out of the blue?!" I scold. I sigh, heading back to my room, sliding into clean panties and a bra. I slip into a crop top and enter the kitchen. I tuck my wet hair behind my shoulder, applying my vitamin c serum when Valentin enters, standing behind me. He wraps her arm around my neck, suffocating me. "Valentin, what are you doing?" I elbowed him in the ribs but he didn't budge. "Fuck psych-" My head gets dizzy and I pass out.

As consciousness returned, I jolted awake, the icy grip of water surrounding me. I gasped, the breath stolen from my lungs, my screams muffled beneath the surface. Panic surged through me, raw and primal. My hands clawed at the vice-like grip of Valentin's fingers, desperation fueling my actions. He yanked me up, and I sucked in a desperate breath, my voice breaking through the water's barrier. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Just keeping you on your toes," he replied, his tone disturbingly casual, as if we were discussing the weather. "I can't have you daydreaming about Lorenzo while I'm stuck following your lead like some obedient bitch, Athena. If this mission goes south, and I don't get my revenge on my sister, the throat I'll be slitting will be yours." His eyes burned with intensity, and my heart raced in response.

He released me, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. He loomed above me, an imposing figure casting a long shadow.

Using the edge of the bathtub for support, I pushed myself to my feet, meeting his gaze with defiance. His glare was cold and unfeeling, a warning that only stoked the fire within me. Fueled by fury, I struck him hard across the face, the sound of the slap echoing in the cramped space. Shock flickered in his eyes, but it was fleeting. He turned back, scoffing, but I wasn't done. I delivered another stinging slap, relishing the moment.

"Valentin, before you even think about getting violent, remember who owns your twisted ass," I spat, my voice low and venomous. "I could drop an anonymous tip about your so-called 'innocent' persona and once everyone sees the monster lurking beneath, you'll be nothing but a corpse in a ditch." His jaw tightened, and the fury simmering behind his eyes urged me on.