The Black Silk

Chapter 14🖤✨

The next moring, it was training day. New recruits of the organization were to be tested for their pain tolerance and athletics, agility and intelligence.  And the elder ones were to prove themselves who should retain their positions. The hierarchy was absolutely based on an individual's strength and skill. Adrian believed that only the skilled and capable made the organization strong, and weaklings just created a joke. And the organization did not differentiate between men and women. Whoever deserved to be on the top was given the rightful position.

One of the core values of Adrian’s organization was not to harm women and children unless, it was really called upon. Because sometimes women can be more visicious than a man. These were two of the reason why I decided to join this orgainzation apart from my dad’s consistent protest. 

I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to prove my capabilities not to the World but to myself. Afterall, I went through. I wanted to rise again from my ashes like a phoenix. And this place provided me with that opportunity.

Though Adrian has a horrible personality.

I scrunch my face thinking to myself.

It was a hot, a very hot day. 

Everyone was sweating buckets, even with air conditioning on. It had little to no effect on the sweaty atmosphere caused by rigorous exercise and training session and all the ‘ommphhs and Ahhhs’, resonating in the place.  I was in the middle of my kickboxing session when suddenly a searing pain shot through my lower abdomen and waist. It felt like someone was using a sawing machine. With all the past incidents it had completely slipped my mind that my periods dates were nearing and they had to begin today. 

With each pang that hit my abdomen with the force of an enraged bull, I pounded my fist harder against the hand pads of my trainer Diablo(yes, he was named after the devil). The man was built like a fuckin Greek God, it was as if Hercules descended down from Mount Olympus and walked among the mortals. 

“Thump…thump…thumpppp” The sound ricocheted off the ring. The man barely winced but with each subsequent strike I could see beads of sweat trickle down his otherwise frown free forehead. 

“Ahhhh mmhh aaahh,” sounds came involuntarily pouring out of my mouth. 

“Woah, woah, calm down C!”, he abruptly withdrew his upheld arms from their position and put them by his side, I barely missed hitting him smack in the nose. 

“Wtf !!! Diablo ! I could have hit you. You should be grateful to me for sparing that sculpted face of yours for Maria to sit on.” 

This man who was literally built like a mountain, had his cheeks flushed red. What a cutie, I chuckled to myself.  

Men in love. That's my favorite gender. 

He and Maria were high school sweethearts and were still going strong after 9 years, he had recently popped THE question to her and she had said yes. Even though there was little emotional bandwidth that the man was capable of showing, I swear I could spot the tiniest hint of a bounce in his step these days. 

Oh what I would give to find a love like that. Either it was the PMS hormones speaking or I was seriously a lovelorn woman. I hope it was the former. Because the “Diablo” of my dreams was heading in my direction and my bursting ovaries would either :

Profess to him that he has been a visitor in my dreams every night since that night on the beach.

Become the nightmare of his life by busting his nuts. 

I chose none and followed Buddha’s Middle path(thanks, to my meditation classes) and instead bolted towards the door. 

I didn't want to show him an ounce of my emotions, not when I had recently taken on the mantle of such a position. This test today was going to be a test of proof just for that. I didn't want him thinking I was not cut out for the job in any way whatsoever. 

As I stood on the wide alabaster balcony facing the citylights, I heard the tall glass doors shut behind me. It was already fall and the leaves on the trees had turned golden, the lamp posts in the compound played hollow shadows on them. The wind whispered into my ear with a chilly breath, the songs of a cold winter that was to come. I tried hard not to shiver in my thin training suit and rubbed my hands over my arms in an attempt to keep myself warm. 

I was so lost in the whirlwind of my thoughts that I couldn't discern when a familiar smell that I had come to like assaulted my nose. Adrian. Before I could turn back to face him, I felt the sudden warmth filled weight of a parka on my shoulders. I found myself nuzzling my face in the woolen collar. As soon as the day's exertion started to finally take a toll on me, a secondary thought arose. What the hell was I doing? This was your boss Cellina! And most importantly he is the last man you should be taking favors from.

I practically jerked the parka off my shoulder as if I had touched a hot bed of lava. And finally turned to face him. 

“Good evening boss!”,I addressed him with a masked face of steel. His eyes bore into mine as if to catch something. They had the power to make you feel guilty of something you hadn't even committed. I thought I caught something akin to a fleeting glimpse of compassion. But it went away as soon as it came, as he wore his own mask of the Capo of one of America's most notorious mafia. 

“Pardon me, my slave or not I can't help but pity a woman,” he said gesturing towards his coat that now lay hanging from his arm. 

“Corrections, boss. I am nobody's slave, just someone tasked to protect our leader. It's not a necessity that I need to like the said leader too. So I will have no qualms making this clear that I am not to be treated as one of your playthings.” I spit out as I proceeded to walk past him. 

“You are delusional if you think…” he said, roaming his hands from his chest down to his crotch, which to my shock he grabbed a fistful of, “...can resist this.” God was he a jerk.

“I think not, I have had better.”I said completely lying, Nico was the only man I had ever been with. The man I lost my virginity too, the only one I had given my body too. While he was an equally handsome man as Adrian, there was something more dark and sinister that lurked behind Adrian. As if touching him itself is a taboo. 

“That blush reddening your cheeks tell me that Miss Vittori is a liar too.” How could he ? I involuntarily felt my hands rushing up to touch my scalding hot face. 

I rushed off like a scaredy little cat. Such a coward, I was becoming. My father had raised a lioness. Who was this, wobbly legged, racing heart, blushing fool? Not me. I am Cellina Vittori, I chanted to myself. Who am I ? Cellina Vittori. Who am I ? Cellina Vittori…

*Splash* *Splash* I washed my face in the practice arena’s now deserted washroom stall. 

I had to regain what I had lost. I returned back to the practice room and started weight training, Diablo returned by my side and we continued our session. 

I came back to the lockers. Switched on my phone. 

The time read 12:43 AM. 49 missed calls. Nico.