My phone! My lifeline!
I remembered I still had my phone in my pocket. I was about to listen to Gian's voice message when the whole chaos started.
I quickly searched for it, inside both of my pockets, only to come up empty-handed. Lorenzo must have taken my phone. He made sure to cut me off completely from the world.
I cursed him to hell. How could he be so cruel? What kind of man was he?
The answer was clearly in my face. It was in his actions and speech.
Lorenzo was a dangerous man. Despite not knowing if he was connected to some mafia clan, he was still dangerous enough for me to fear for my life.
If he could do this to me, he could also do this to other women. My thoughts immediately turned to my sister, who was still at the university. If Lorenzo caught Jenny too, then my worst fear would come true. I knew I was strong enough to tolerate this, but the thought of Jenny being in my position too made me sick with dread.
"Oh, Jenny, please don't come home. Please go somewhere safe." I felt for the twin dragon necklace I absentmindedly slipped in my pocket. I took it out and placed it between my palms and prayed. "Dear Mama. Please watch over Jenny. Please don't let anything happen to her."
I thought of Papa and the last image I saw of him, crouching down, begging Lorenzo not to take me away. "Papa, please look after yourself. Please stay safe."
My final thought turned to my only friend, Gian. I regretted not having the opportunity to listen to his voice message. Gian must be in trouble to have called me at three in the morning. Did he have another fight with his girlfriend again?
I swore I would never forgive Lorenzo if anything were to happen to Gian.
Gian was special to me. We had known each other since the first day of college. From the moment we met, we clicked. He liked me and I liked him.
As friends. He saw me as someone who he could confide in, and I was only too pleased to have someone to call a friend.
Everyone had told me I had a beautiful face. To me, this face was a curse. I had been bullied numerous times in the past by female friends who thought I had stolen their boyfriends, and malice by male friends who thought all I wanted was to play around. Those traumas were enough for me to withdraw from society. And I withdrew into my shell, quietly living life in monochrome color.
But with Gian, I saw colors. He made me feel safe. He didn't see me as an object of desire, nor did he judge me because of my looks. He cared for me like a real friend should. And now he was in trouble and I wasn't there for him. If only he had introduced me to his girlfriend, then I could have found out what happened. But he had always kept his relationship a secret, even to me.
I shifted those thoughts aside and turned to more pressing matters. I was getting cold. If I didn't get changed soon, I would get sick.
I picked up the towel and clothes Lorenzo threw at me and climbed to my feet. I searched for the bathroom and found it, a door near the wardrobe.
I did a quick sweep of the room. The bathroom was large, with large black tiles covering the entire surface of the floor. The walls were adorned with gold tiles and the shower was big enough to fit at least three people.
There was even a settee positioned in the middle of the bathroom, like some kind of designer fashion showroom.
I didn't know where I was or what kind of place Lorenzo had brought me to since I was asleep for most of the ride here, but I knew one thing for sure. This place was grand. Whatever purpose he had for me here, I was afraid to find out.
I walked toward the large mirror on the wall and saw myself for the first time today. I was shocked. My eyes had become red and swollen and my lips were raw from Lorenzo's kiss. My brown hair was wet and in disarray.
I looked a mess. But this was no beauty pageant show, and I wasn't here to impress anyone. I needed to get out of this dress fast and get into some dry clothes.
I quickly dried my hair and started undressing. I was already halfway out of my bra when the door suddenly jerked open. Like a deer caught in headlights, I froze in my spot. Until I saw who was at the door. Lorenzo, his strong build filling the entire doorframe.
He had changed into a turtleneck top and casual slacks, the three-piece suit from before discarded. His blond hair was now brushed forward, hiding his broad forehead. He looked much younger like this. More youthful.
I couldn't help thinking how much he resembled the boy in my dreams.
As if that boy had grown up and morphed into Lorenzo. The resemblance was uncanny.
"You seemed to enjoy watching me. Do you enjoy seducing men, too?"
And that was when I realized I was standing there, half naked, with just a towel wrapped around my head, pathetically staring at him like I'd been moonstruck. I quickly pulled the towel from my head to hide my breasts, my hair tumbling down in volumes.
"Get out. I haven't finished changing yet," I shouted at him.
Lorenzo ignored my outburst. He coasted through the room and sat on that very settee, the perfect position to gain the best possible view of me.
He lifted his chin and stared coldly at me. "Your ten minutes are up. That's the only privacy you get. Now get changed."
"Are you crazy? I'm still changing. At least give me another five minutes. I won't be long." I walked to the door and opened it, waiting for him to take the cue and leave.
But Lorenzo completely ignored me. He leaned back against the seat and folded his arms. His intention was clear. He was staying.
I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from another outburst. There was no use talking to him. I quickly snatched the clothes and started walking toward the open door. "If you don't leave, then I will."
I was already at the door when I heard loud footsteps approaching from behind, then large hands slammed the door shut in front of me.
"You don't seem to understand your position, Amelia." Lorenzo spoke so close to my ear; his deep baritone sent a thrilling sensation up my spine. "When I said ten minutes, that is all the time you get. Now get changed."
I closed my eyes and counted to five, twice, just to control my erratic heartbeat. Lorenzo was standing behind me, his massive broad chest pressing into my back, and with his hands pinned against the door too, I was trapped.
Once my heartbeat returned to normal, I turned to face him. I looked up and up until I met his eyes. He was very tall, my head only reaching up to his shoulders.
There was no use arguing. This was hell and he was the devil in charge.
"Fine. Get out of my way. I can't change with you this close."
He glared at me, as if daring me to challenge him, but I stood my ground. He relented at last, releasing his hands from the door and letting me go. I started to change right in front of him.
If he wanted to look, then he could look. But he could never touch me.
I quickly got dressed, using my towel to wrap around my body, then putting on the jeans and shirt. As soon as I was ready, he stalked toward me, his eyes burning with fire. He clamped his hand around my wrist and pulled me out the door.
I dug my foot into the floor to create traction. "Stop dragging me. I can walk."
"Then start walking," he hissed in my face.
I flicked his hand off and rubbed my sore wrist. I hissed right back. "Then lead the way."
We both challenged each other, our gazes locked in a fierce battle.
Finally, he turned on his heel and stormed off. I followed. As soon as we got to the dining room, he slid a single piece of paper in front of me.
"What is this?" I asked, taking the paper in hand, reading and rereading that sentence again. On it were four simple words. 'You belong to me.'
Oh, how those four little words did something to me. I had always wanted to belong to someone, to share my thoughts, my feelings, my internal fears and my dreams with someone, but this… I knew Lorenzo didn't mean it that way. He meant to chain me to him, and I would be whatever he wanted me to be.
"Your contract. Read it and sign it," Lorenzo simply said, lifting his eyes up and catching mine. We were locked in another fierce battle of wills again. But it was me who surrendered first. I looked away. I couldn't take this. How could a man who was so distinctly handsome have such a cold heart?
"I'm not signing it," I said, pushing the paper back to him. I was determined to voice my opinion. I had lost everything, but the one thing I refused to lose was my freedom of speech. "It says I belong to you. I'm my own person. I don't belong to anyone. Especially you."
Lorenzo climbed to his feet and strode toward me, his long legs eating up the distance between us in seconds. Before I knew what happened, he had his arms out and caged me in my chair. Leaning so close, he whispered close to my ear, his voice dripping with malice, "Do you love your father, Amelia?"
Fear erupted in me and I started shaking. Lorenzo was a man who was filled with many secrets. I knew from the first time I saw him he was dangerous, but I didn't realize the extent to how far he could mess with my head.
"Are you threatening me?" I asked, gripping my hands together to stop the shaking.
"I'm not threatening you," he said, speaking so close to my ear, I felt his warm breath fanning my temple. If I wasn't sitting, my knees would have buckled, and I would have already collapsed. "It's just a simple question, Amelia. Do you love your father?"
I bit my lip, forcing myself to answer his question.
"I came with you willingly," I said with a determined voice. "I thought I was already collateral for that four million dollars."
"Unfortunately, it's not enough. I need to be certain that you have come willingly. Sign the contract, Amelia," Lorenzo demanded. "I will not guarantee your father's safety if you don't sign the contract."
"And you will guarantee that my father will be safe. You won't go after him."
"You have my word."
"And you will erase that four-million-dollar debt."
"Sign the contract and I will erase everything. Your father will be free. And you will take over his debt. He's of no interest to me once you belong to me."
I shifted my gaze to meet his. "What exactly did you mean when you said I belong to you?"