To Find Isabel

Chapter 4

Of course, he was right.

This was his kingdom.

I sat on the edge of the bed and stared out the window. I lost count of how many day's it's been since I've been captured an held like a prisoner.

I heard the door creak open.

"He wants you to get ready," Dante explains from the doorway. I don't turn back.

"Why now?"

"You will be here for a while. You might as well get to know the area."

"I will gladly decline the offer," I said. Suspicious. But again, the question arises. Was I a guest or a hostage. Or both?

"You weren't being given an option," Victor's voice announced from the halls.

"I'm appreciative of the all the gifts you are showering upon me, but I have no interest in most of them," I reply.

His footsteps get louder and louder until I can finally see his reflection in the mirror again.

"Get up," he orders. I maintain eye contact with his reflection as I slowly stand up. He makes his way around the bed. His reflection disappears from the mirror, but I could feel his steady, paced breath ready to pounce on me.

"You are to get ready in 30 minutes. Again, I don't want to hurt you. Don't make me," he whispers and then walks away. I loosen up my shoulders a bit. I turn to Dante who gives me a helpless look.

Once again, I have no choice.

Dante leaves behind a forest green jumpsuit that looks like it was make of gems. I rub the fabric in my hands. I pull my hair back into a braid and lay it across my left shoulder. I pull on the outfit and pair it with some small golden hoop earrings.

This time I didn't need help finding my way down the corridors. I meet Dante at the doorway to leave. Victor appears from the staircase. The only thing that seemed to have changed was the color of his shirt. Everything was still dark. Threatening. Menacing.

I eye him down with disgust. His expression doesn't change. It's like he's dealt with so much in this world that my mere existence and judgement didn't bother him the slightest bit.

I hear his shoes tap across the floor, and I simply have no option but to clack my heels right behind him.

Honestly, being here with him at the moment seems far better than being stuck with my female obsessed father. This seems as a safer option rather than rotting in a room where I was supposed to go. I guarantee he wouldn't have let me out in the fear of Victor kidnaping me.

Even though that's exactly what happened.

It still confuses me though. Has Alexander not started to search for me? Did he even know I was coming? Did he know of my mother's death? As if.

I seat myself forcefully in the car. Victor takes the seat in front of me, leaving Dante beside me. I felt small and surrounded.

As we walked around the plaza, Victor takes a moment in front of multiple shops. We don't exactly go into any of them. He just takes a moment, sighs, and we continue walking. Dante is telling me new information every step we take along the cobble streets but I drown everything out.

I look at the outer edge past all of the buildings. The beautiful view of the water beckons me. We meander through the streets towards the water. I see a small gelato shop. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but this angry sunlight was enough to cook me alive.

"Can I get some gelato?"

"Not now," Victor says.

"Why not? It's so hot!" I whine.

"Not here, there are more shops further along. Now stop being a baby."

"I'll be a pool of flesh by then. Can we please just get some here, and then move along?"

"I said no," he said as we approach the shop.

"Then I'm not coming."

He turns around and glares at me. I wasn't afraid of him. If he hurts me, he's screwing up his own empire. But then again, did Alexander even care? He was probably too busy with some girl.

"Fine," he barks, and then orders Dante to take me.

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