Captured by the King

Chapter two: A dangerous bargain

I kept pacing around the fancy room, feeling like the walls were closing in on me. Everything in here screamed wealth, from the gold-lined curtains to the giant chandelier above my head. But all I felt was trapped. The only thing that might make this nightmare a little better was if I could talk to Izzy- my best friend in the whole world. If anyone could help me figure out what to do, it'd be her.

She and I have been inseparable since forever. We've been through thick and thin, laughing at each other's dumb jokes and staying up late talking about our dreams and stupid crushes. If I could just see her face right now, I'd feel a little less like I was drowning.

I was about to give up on everything when Marco finally walked back in. He was one of Lorenzo's guys, and I could tell he didn't like me much, but I didn't care.

"Marco," I said, crossing my arms and trying to look tougher than I felt. "Can you get my best friend for me, her name is Isabella Mancini, I really need to talk to her" I pleaded.

He gave me this look, like I was asking him to bring me the moon. "The boss isn't going to like that," he said in a flat voice.

"I'll cooperate," I said quickly. "I promise I'll do whatever Lorenzo wants, but please, let me talk to her first."

He stared at me for a minute, then sighed. "Fine. Just stay put." And with that, he disappeared out the door.

After what felt like a million years, the door opened again, and there she was—Isabella. I almost burst into tears when I saw her. She rushed over to me and gave me the biggest hug.

"Lils!"she said, squeezing me so tight I thought my ribs might crack. "Are you okay? I can't believe this is happening to you."

I nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm scared, Izzy. I don't know what to do. Lorenzo said I could stay here and finish my last year of school, but I don't trust him."

Just then, the door flew open again, and in walked Lorenzo, with Marco right behind him. Lorenzo's eyes narrowed as he looked at Isabella, his whole expression shifting to something unreadable.

"Who's this?" Lorenzo asked, his tone sharp, eyes flicking between Isabella and me.

"She's here for me," I blurted out. "I need her help. I need someone I can trust, Lorenzo."

He looked at me like I'd just said something ridiculous. "Trust? Lilia, you're in my world now. You don't have time to trust anyone but me."

I took a deep breath and stepped closer to him, forcing myself to look him in the eye. "Lorenzo, I want to go back to school. I want to actually go to school, not just study from here. I want to enjoy my final year like a normal teenager."

Lorenzo's face changed instantly, a flash of worry crossing his features. "Out of the question," he said firmly. "It's too dangerous. Giovanni and his men from La Famiglia Oscura are everywhere, waiting for any sign of weakness. I won't risk your safety."

"Please," I pleaded, my voice softer now. "I've already lost so much. I just want a little bit of my old life back. Let me have this one thing, Lorenzo. Let me go to school."

Izzy chimed in, "Lilia has a point. If she's not allowed to have even a small piece of normalcy, how do you expect her to adjust to all of this? Let her go. She deserves to be a teenager at least for a little while."

Lorenzo's jaw clenched, and he looked like he was fighting an internal battle. "You don't understand how dangerous this is, Lilia," he said quietly. "Giovanni has been jealous of me since we were kids, always wanting what I had. He and La Famiglia Oscura have always seen me and I Serpenti Rossi as rivals. He'd jump at the chance to hurt you just to get to me."

"But you're stronger than Giovanni," I said, surprising even myself with how much I believed it. "You have I Serpenti Rossi at your back, and they're loyal to you. I know you'll keep me safe."

Lorenzo's eyes softened, and for the first time, he looked at me like he was seeing more than just a burden. "You really want this, huh?"

I nodded, feeling a flicker of hope. "Yes. I want to finish my last year properly. Let me be Lilia, the student, not just Lilia, the girl trapped in your mansion."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine," he said finally. "But there will be conditions. You'll have guards, and they'll be with you at all times. No exceptions."

A smile broke across my face, and I could see Isabella trying not to look too smug. "Thank you, Lorenzo," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I won't make you regret this."

He nodded, his expression still serious. "You'd better not. Because if anything happens to you, it won't just be Giovanni I have to deal with—it'll be my own damn conscience."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just nodded. As much as I wanted to hate him, the way he seemed so genuinely concerned about my safety was messing with my head. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to Lorenzo than I thought.

CHAPTER 2 WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?!