Omertà

Chapter 7: I'm Sorry

Never in a million years would I ever have thought I'd be in a room with so many criminals, yet here I am. And I'm eating breakfast with them. I stay quiet as I nibble my toast, the hum of conversation hanging in the air. It was peaceful.

But like all things, the peace came to an end.

"Dimitri!" Giorgio burst through the door frantically, throwing a glance at me. "Come quick! Bring the girl."

Dimitri is up in a flash dragging me out of the room, barely giving me enough time to put down my fork.

"What did you do?" He hisses as his grip tightens painfully, sure to leave a mark.

"What?" I ask. "Why do you think this is my fault?"

"Well, why else would he need you." The disgust in his tone was evident.

"I didn't do anything, I-" I cut myself off, my eyes widening. Alyssa! Something happened! I had to make sure she was safe, I had to protect her!

"What. Did. You. Do? " Dimitri emphasizes each word by tightening his grip, his brown eyes black with anger.

"I just- I didn't think- I was scared-" I whimpered, unable and too afraid to complete a sentence.

We arrive at his fathers office and he goes right in this time, without knocking.

"Padre, what happened?" Alessandro stands up from his desk, looking eerily calm.

"Sit the girl down." He orders, picking up a hand gun. Dimitri forces me down into the chair roughly. I sit still, afraid that any movement will set off the time bomb that is the man in front of me.

"Tell me, Annabelle, do you know what this is?" He asks, examining the gun in fake fascination.

I nod my head slowly. "It's a g-gun." I speak in a shaky voice, cursing my stutter.

"Good! You're not as stupid as I thought! Have you ever been shot by a gun?" He asks with a cold, heartless smile.

I feel my stomach churn and my palms sweat as I shake my head, not trusting my voice.

"I'm assuming you want to keep it that way. Cooperate and it will. Don't and, well, you'll know just how painful a bullet can be."

My eyes widen in fear and I'm certain I'm visibly shaking, like a leaf holding on to a branch in the wind.

"Annabelle, did you, or did you not, contact someone yesterday afternoon in my office?" He asks calmly.

I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping that when I open them I'll be back home, but it doesn't work. "I did." I say barely above a whisper.

"And was it in hopes of being rescued?"

I nod. "I was scared." I whisper again.

Alessandro moves closer to me and places his fingers on my chin, gently lifting my face up to look at him. "Are you scared now?" He whispers. His brown eyes are filled with anger, but his tone is still eerily calm.

I squeeze my eyes shut, letting a year slid down my cheek. I wasn't scared. I was terrified.

"ANSWER ME!" Alessandro slaps me across the cheek, snapping my head to the side, finally losing his calm.

"Yes!" I sob. "Yes, I'm sorry!" Alessandro raises his hand and I close my eyes, waiting for a blow, but I open my eyes when it doesn't come.

"Dimitri, take her back to her room and punish her how you see fit." Alessandro orders before walking towards the door.