Checkmate

Chapter 5

I stormed off to my bedroom and what I had said settled into the back of my mind following me throughout the night. I wondered increasingly what his motive was and as the sun started to rise my curiosity outgrew my capacity to stay mad. I showered quickly and went downstairs to a loud commotion amongst my father and the guards at the door.

I slid down the banister and confronted them. "What's going on ?" I asked and scanned the room especially towards the many luggage so suroounding them. I watched as Claire walked into the room with her large belly.

"Ah darling you're up." My father kissed the top of my head and wooed me to the living room.

"We are going to be in the hospital for the extra week or so considering the doctor says that the baby could come any moment now. We want very thing to go right." I nodded to everything he said and turned to leave the room, when I stopped.

"I'm assuming that I would be coming since you clearly had to remove me from the room to tell me. Wel, I hope you have a swell time." I walked towards the hallway and back towards the front door where I put on a smile and hugged Claire.

"Good luck" I smiled and watched as she settled into the car.

"Madeline, Mr. Vincent's will be overseeing your training while I am gone please do not start something I will have to finish." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I'll be back as soon I can" he added and chuckled after seeing my face of horror.

I crossed my arms and put on a smile until the car was out of sight and shut the door turning to find Alessendro leaning against the wall with a grim look on his face, matching mine. He moved towards me and locked thee door creating a large bolting sound that etched throughout the house.

"Let's get started shall we?" I gulped

************

I cringed as a book hit near my head. "Again!" He bellowed.

I shot the apple of the mani and head and his split in half just as it did the last three times. I felt a shock of pain as the hot poker hit my side.

"I said quarters!" He yelled and place the poker on my arm again causing me to drop my gun.

"Never drop your gun" he smacked my hand." Most important thing to remember is that the gun is an extension of yourself and you clearly only want half an apple. However I think a night in the dark will change that" I looked at him horrors field as many memories resurfaced to my mind.

He dragged me to the cellar where a small bed lay and a white lamp hung from the cieling. he threw me onto the bed and tossed his arms.

"You know this place and what is to be done" I nodded and waited until he turned to undress. The AC started and I could hear the vent tireless motion as the room instantly felt elbow 0º. I cringed and heard him leave cutting off the one source I had to light.

After 4 hours in the cellar, I wished I had my clothes but the bastard had obviously taken them when he left. I shivered and remembered my first time in the dark.

It had been 10 years ago when I was nine. I had been shooting a target and heard my father cla when I was finished however a guest had not thought it to be impressive. He had said I lacked the stability of mind and of aim as I slightly hit the center from luck. I had been forced to spend the night in the dark as my mother had wished for my failure. Before my mother passed she had a significant role in my reprimand. She stuck me in the cellar and blasted the AC, I had been clothed that's time but for the next 4 times of my entering that horrid cellar I had none. I would sit and cry and try to heat my self but the trick was to panic as it gave me movement and warmth as well as adrenaline.

"Alessandro let me out!" I screamed as I felt the fifth hour being reached. I had learned to regulate my breathing and now could hardly feel anything but the hard floor that had soon numbed under me. I screamed until I heard the door open and a shadow entering.

I was thrown a robe and walked up the sets when my knees gave out and fell down the two steps I had gone up. I felt a pair of broad arms lift me under my legs and torso as I was lifted from the ground. I opened my eyes and saw Alessandro carry me out from the cellar and I tot e house. I was placed on the couch and a steaming hot mug was brought to me almost instantly.

I tried to drink but my mouth was frozen shut. "Please help me" I tried to mumble but felt my lips move as the mug was lifted to them. I moved them and sipped the rest of the hot tea. I looked up and found Alessandro sitting across me on the sofa. His hand lay under his chin and he seemed deep in thought as his eyes met mine. They seemed sullen but suddenly cold and angry.

"You know about it don't you?" I looked at him pressing for answers. "You knew my mother kept me there when I was bad. The question I keep asking myself is how?" I watched as he rose from the sofa and clutched my shoulder lifting me I tot he the next room that was my father's study.

I fell into the desk chair and my eyes followed the tall figure in front of me. He popped out a large book off the shelf and handed it to me. It was my mother's journal and it had a yellow sticky note sticking out of it which made me disgusting beyond belief.

I rose and barged as Alessadro as he fell to the ground, staring at me with hatred in his eyes. I stepped closer as the warmth returned to my body.

"You are a sick son of a bitch and you will never break me n matter how hard you try." I whispered menacingly before an alarm sounded and two guns came out of the walls shooting me in the legs.

Alessandro laughed and stood up fixing his suit, putting a hand through his hair and stepping closer turning off the guns. I ;lay on the floor in a pool of my own blood when he lifted me and send a punch across my face.

"Get up!" I did as he said and waited for further violence but he simply moved his hand down my thigh sticking his finger into the first bulltet wound causing me to yell in pain. He lulled out the bullet and crouched down to reach the others.
He pulled them out one after one and dropped the three on the floor before leaving me to my pain and confusion. I moved out of the room after him, curiousity making me following the psychopath outside onto the porch where the sun was just starting to set.

"This is just fun to you isn't it?"
He scoffed and stared at me in the eyes.  "If I were having fun you would be upstairs screaming" his smile returned as I sank on top of the steps. My eyes started to close and I used my strength to keep the conversation flowing.

"Well you won't have to worry about that anymore" I laughed and closed my eyes allowing the pain to slip me into darkness. I hard his screams as he smacke my face and yelled in Italian for the men to move.

I Allowed my body to fall limp in their arms and watched through the slits that my eyes were now as they applied pressure to my wounds.

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I awoke with a blinding light coming through the widow. I I was I my bed all stitched u pand on pain medication. I found Alessandro gone but he had definitely been there as he left his jacket on the chair and hi scuffling so on the dresser.

I moved towards the hall and found the closet easily freeing a bottle of 2012 scotch. I brought it back to my bedroom and popped it open deciding to drown my sorrows when Alessandro walked into the room.
"I am not an alcoholic okay?! I just had a crappy day" I smiled weakly but he still grabbed the bottle from my hand and took a swig.
" I think I had an even crappier day which entitles me to this" he took another gulp and rested it on the desk across the room.
Walking over to me, I suspected foul play as he reached out towards me. I flinched a little as he set his hand on mine. He squeezed it ever so gently before releasing it. My eyes widened at his kindness but then I saw my father standing in the doorway and called his bluff.

He came towards me and hugged me tightly. "Are you alright?" I nodded and sighed with relief that at least for now I felt safe.

For now.