Heartless Ending Book 3 of the Heartless Series

Chapter 16 - Haunted Past

Valentina's POV

3 years ago

I crumpled to the floor with her and crawled quickly to her side covering her body with mine, shielding her. She just shook in my arms as she sobbed. Stefano and Maxwell hadn't left the room, I looked towards them from behind my hair, using it as a curtain to hide my stare. They weren't paying attention to me but they could still be listening as they spoke about business. "I need you to be strong Emilia. We will get through this if we work together." I whispered directly into her ear. Her shaking subsided a little but she was still mortified at what happened to her.

"Take them to their room, I'm sick of the sight of them and we need to talk more in depth about business." Stefano instructed Maxwell. I saw him turn to us an evil smirk flashed on his face. I know it was because he would be able to get another look at her body, I quickly took off my jacket and put it on her backwards to cover her chest. Maxwell wasn't happy with my quick thinking but I didn't care, he wasn't going to get anything from her. "Get up." He spat at us through gritted teeth.

I pulled Emilia up from the floor and placed my arm around her shoulders guiding her out the office. "You will be stopping in the maids quarters." He looked smugly over his shoulder at me. "Separate rooms." His stated with evil intent as he said the last part. I didn't want her out of my sight but this was something I had no control over.

We reached the first floor maids wing and dread flooded through me, this is where I stayed the last time I was here, but the doors didn't lock and screams could be heard all around me as night fell. I wouldn't be able to protect her if he visited her when I was... otherwise engaged. That's when it dawned on me that it didn't matter that I made this deal, I would never be able to protect her. My gut wrenched at the thought of someone taking no notice of the deal I made with Stefano, but he would still expect me to uphold my end of the deal.

For years I've always caught Stefano staring at me with strange expressions on his face or saying inappropriate comments towards me. As I thought more about it maybe this was what he wanted all along, me not Emilia. He knew I'd never willingly give myself to him and he saw the perfect opportunity today to force my decision. In his mind it would be no fun breaking someone that didn't agree to this, but breaking me because I chose this, would be more challenging with the added bonus of me not being able to refuse because of the consequences.

Maxwell stopped in front of a white door, there were nothing special about it just like there would be nothing special behind it. "This is your room." He pointed at me as he pulled Emilia out from under my arm. "You have the privilege of sleeping right next door to me. Easier access." He threatened her, I was in shock I just assumed she would be down here with me just in separate rooms. She gripped onto his arm with pleading in her eyes as she mouthed the word no. A softer expression flashed over his features before his original hard stare took its rightful place. "Give me what I want and you can stay here with her." Emilia took a gulp and looked over to me asking for me to step in but there was nothing I could do. She closed her eyes tightly and slid off my jacket exposing herself to him.

He looked over her lustfully, hovering his fingertips over her breast but quickly pulled her closer to him and lightly placed his lips to hers. By the way she softened her stance ever so slightly I could tell that this was not what she expected, but it was more suitable to her. He moved down her jawline and neck and finished by marking her neck. "You are mine. I promise you no other man will touch you." After he said his declaration he turned on his heels and stalked back up the corridor, it was awkward to stand there and know what was going on right in front of me but I believed every word he just spoke.

Our room was the last door in the row, which placed every other maid in the building before us and that was a lot of maids. It made me wonder as I lead us into the room, if this was done on purpose by Maxwell to make all the other men think twice about coming this far down the hall. Surveillance cameras were right outside our door, no one could hide from it if they tried.

As soon as the door closed Emilia spoke softly. "Why did you do that for me?" I understood her concern but she was young, she wouldn't understand not yet anyway. "I'm guessing you have never been touched by a man." She shook her head agreeing with my statement. "The first time you decide to be intimate with someone there should be an underlying trust and agreement on both sides. No one should have that decision taken away from them, even if they are imprisoned." I motioned for her to join me on the bed and took her hand in mine angling my body towards hers. "Emilia, sex whether you like it or not will make you create an emotional attachment to it. I don't want for your first time to be forcibly decided for you. I don't want the experience to shape your views and scar you for the rest of your life." I could tell she thought I were questioning her resolve and strength, but I wasn't I was just telling her the truth. "You won't understand any of this, not yet anyway but one day you will and you will be glad that your virtue remained intact. I also thing that it would break you in a way I can't fix, and we're going to need each other to get through this."

Emilia dropped my hand and turned away from me to face the wall. "Thank you." Was the last thing she said to me for a few hours. I went into the bathroom after that to relieve myself and take a shower. The only good thing about these rooms were that they had an attached en suite. The bathroom was plain but functional so no one could complain. The toilet, sink and tile in the shower were all white, nothing extraordinary but they were stocked with a small supply of essentials.

Knocking at the door pulled me from the bathroom and into the main room. Emilia still hadn't moved from the same spot I last saw her in. She continued to stare at the wall in silence, I think this was a coping mechanism for her to deal with the world around her but I didn't question it, just opened the door. Maxwell stood at the other side. "You are to wear this tonight." He told me in an uninterested tone and shoved a box into my hands. It confused me that he delivered this himself instead of getting a maid to do it for him until I saw that he had come to see Emilia again. I looked over my shoulder following his line of sight that landed on her exposed chest again, I stepped in front of him, hiding her as I thanked him for delivering this in a cheery tone. He walked off after that and I closed the door again.

I put the box down on the bed and placed a hand on the small of Emilia's back. "Come on let's get you in a bath." It was easier than I thought it would be to get her to follow me into the bathroom from her solemn meditation. I sat her on the toilet as I ran the bath, I put in a small amount of shampoo to create bubbles for her. She smiled as she got in the soapy water. "I haven't had bubbles since my mother ran me baths when I were younger." I smiled along with her. "I miss your mother terribly. I know if she were here she wouldn't want you to have this birds nest on your head like you do now." We giggled together as I placed a pile of bubbles on top of her head.

I finally managed to get all the tangles out with the help of plenty of conditioner and I continued to do her hair once we were back in the main room. I combed and dried it and even found some new clothes for her to put on when we were done. I looked at the clock above the door and saw that it was 8pm. It was nearly time for me to go and fulfil my side of the agreement. I looked over at the white box nervous of what was inside it. Emilia watched me silently as I flipped off the lid to see what was inside. I gasped at its contents, she was at my side in an instant and I shut the lid quickly not wanting her to see what I would have to wear, but I know she saw.

"You don't have to do this you know." I half smiled at her and took her beautiful face delicately between my hands. "Yes I do, I may not be your mother but I will protect and care for you as if you were my own. I won't break this deal so he will feel that you being raped is justified." Emilia gulped and tears welled in her eyes. "Now get into bed and sleep. I will be back before you know it." She nodded, getting comfy under the covers and closed her eyes.

I took the box and went into the bathroom to change. The short black lace dress exposed everything but my woman hood, he clearly wanted to push me to see if I would go back on my word and on the deal. But I won't. I put the silk robe over my body not that it helped to cover much skin, put on the heels and left the bathroom and room all together, not even casting a glance at Emilia to see if she were sleeping before I left.