𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑔𝑛

42

Kailani moved fluidly through the kitchen, the quiet clinks of silverware and the soft rustle of fabric the only sounds in the etheral house.

The room was bathed in the golden light of dusk, casting long shadows on the walls. The scent of the meal—succulent meat, roasted vegetables, and a rich sauce—filled the air, though Kailani barely registered it. Her thoughts were elsewhere, tethered to the ever-present weight of Salvatore's eyes on her.

He had been watching her since they’d returned, his figure lingering in the shadows, just out of her peripheral vision, yet his presence wrapped around her like a tightening noose.

She set the table, arranging the crystal glasses and polished silverware with trembling fingers, remembering how he had informed her using the whiteboard that they would be having a guest over tonight.

Minutes stretched into an hour, the room perfectly set now, but her mind raced with a whirlwind of unease. Salvatore never allowed anyone into his world—into her world. Whoever this guest was, it wasn’t someone trivial. She smoothed the edges of the tablecloth for the hundredth time, her hands moving mechanically while her mind spun.

Salvatore guided her towards the door and pulled it open, Kailani stuck to his side like a little pet, her head tilted down, her small hand clinging onto his huge arm.

Giovanni strolled in, his presence casual yet commanding in a way that made her stiffen. He was sharply dressed, his suit crisp, but his demeanor light, so unlike Salvatore’s brooding darkness as they shook hands.

He flashed her a smile, one that felt oddly out of place in the tension-filled room.

“Kailani,” he greeted, his voice easy, almost too friendly. "I'm Giovanni, it's lovely to finally meet you."

“You’ve outdone yourself. This smells amazing.”

She offered him a tight-lipped smile, polite but distant, feeling the weight of Salvatore’s eyes glaring down at her, forcing her to look down and not look at Giovanni even once. Giovanni’s attention lingered on her, his gaze taking in more than just her cooking. It unsettled her.

Salvatore stood silently, his huge arms crossed, his body a looming shadow of control. His mask obscured his face, but his eyes... his eyes burned with something dangerous, flicking between her and Giovanni like a predator waiting for the right moment to strike.

Kailani served the meal as Giovanni kept the conversation light, his tone conversational, seemingly unaware of the tension coiling through the air. He commented on the food, made small talk about the weather, all while Salvatore watched silently, his intensity palpable.

But then Giovanni’s tone shifted.

“So, Kailani,” Giovanni began, his voice deceptively casual, “do you miss school? Your friends—have you kept in touch?”

Her hand froze over the dish she was serving. The question pierced through the careful wall she had built around herself. Her chest tightened, the reminder of her life before Salvatore a sharp, jarring contrast to her present reality. School, friends—those things felt distant now, a fading dream she barely remembered.

However, she remembered how miserable her life was recently before he took her. Saved her.

She hesitated before shaking her head, her movements stiff. A quick glance at Salvatore confirmed what she already knew: his eyes were locked on her, unblinking, predatory. He had worked hard to erase any thoughts of the outside world from her mind, and Giovanni’s question was like a stone thrown into still water, creating ripples of unease.

She stood beside Salvatore who was sat in his usual place at the dining table, she placed the food into his plate, his hand moving up to hold her by the side of her ass, his hand resting there, possessively.

However, Giovanni didn’t let up. “And your family? Have you heard from them?”

She moved towards Giovanni, now standing beside him to serve the food.

Her heart clenched painfully at the word. Family. A concept that once held warmth and comfort now felt foreign. She hadn’t spoken to them in what felt like a lifetime.

She opened her mouth to respond, but the words stuck. What could she say? The silence stretched, oppressive, as Giovanni leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice.

“If you ever need help... I can talk to him for you.”

Her pulse raced. The offer—help—seemed too good to be real. His words tugged at something buried deep inside her—a flicker of hope.

Glancing quickly at Salvatore, who hadn’t moved, she whispered the faintest plea. “Help me.”

Giovanni’s eyes flashed with something, a slight nod the only response. “When he steps away, go outside. I’ll be waiting in my car.”

Her breath hitched. This was it—her chance. But fear gripped her heart. If Salvatore caught wind of this... she didn’t even want to imagine what he would do. She had to be smart, quiet. Her hands trembled as she continued serving the meal, her mind racing as the clock ticked closer to her escape.

Finally, Salvatore stood from his chair, his towering form casting a long shadow over the table. He said nothing as he left the room, heading down the hallway, presumably to the bathroom.

Kailani’s heart pounded in her chest. This is your chance.

She moved quickly, her body acting on instinct. Slipping out the back door, the cool night air hit her skin like a shock, but she kept moving. Her breath came in short gasps as she hurried across the driveway, her eyes darting toward Giovanni’s car parked in the shadows. The door swung open just as she reached it, and she jumped inside without hesitation.

Giovanni sped off into the night, the roar of the engine loud in the otherwise silent evening. The city lights blurred as they raced away, the world outside becoming a distant memory as she finally allowed herself to believe it—freedom.

But the feeling was short-lived.

As they drove further away from the house, Giovanni broke the silence with a chilling calm. “My apologies, Donna.”

Before she could react, Giovanni pressed a cloth to her face. The overpowering scent of chloroform filled her senses, and her vision swam. Her body went limp, consciousness slipping away as darkness swallowed her whole.

In her final moments of awareness, she realized with a sinking dread: there was no escape from Salvatore Russo.

---

Kailani awoke slowly, groggy, her mind heavy with confusion. The familiar chill of the room and the oppressive scent of Salvatore’s cologne filled her senses before her eyes even opened. She blinked, her vision still hazy, but it didn’t take long for her to realize where she was. Back in Salvatore’s grip. Back in his world.

She felt his presence before she saw him. His massive form loomed over her as she lay on the bed. His eyes bore into her, cold and unyielding. And then, in a voice as chilling as the night air, he whispered, “Hmm, bad girl.”

Her stomach twisted in fear and shame, the weight of his words sinking in, his deep voice rumbling through her, his accent thick and evident.

All adding to her succumbing to him.