Amara woke up in a bed that was too soft. The sheets were made of white silk. The room was huge, with gold decorations on the walls. For a second, she forgot where she was. Then, she remembered the alley. She remembered the blood in the rain.
There was a soft knock on the door. A young maid walked in. She carried a silver tray with hot tea and fruit.
"Mr. De Luca is waiting for you in the library," the maid said. She looked down at the floor. She seemed afraid to look at Amara. "Please eat and get dressed. He does not like to be kept waiting."
Amara dressed in the clothes they gave her. It was a simple black dress, but the fabric felt very expensive. She felt like a stranger in her own body. She followed the maid downstairs to a room filled with thousands of old books.
Lorenzo was sitting behind a large mahogany desk. He was reading a file, but he looked up when she walked in. His gray eyes swept over her. It made Amara's skin tingle.
"Sit," he commanded. He did not say "please."
Amara sat in the velvet chair across from him. "I want to go home, Lorenzo. I have a job. I have people who will wonder where I am."
Lorenzo stood up. He walked slowly around the desk. He leaned against it, looking down at her. "You have no one, Amara. I checked. You are alone in this city. That is why I chose to keep you."
Amara's heart hammered against her ribs.
"Listen closely," Lorenzo said. "If you want to stay alive, you must follow my rules."
He held up one finger. "Rule one: You do not leave this house without me or my men."
He held up a second finger. "Rule two: You do not speak to anyone about what you saw. To the world, you are my guest. Nothing more."
He leaned closer. His shadow fell over her, making the room feel small. "Rule three: When I call for you, you come. When I speak, you listen."
Amara trembled. "And if I break a rule?"
Lorenzo reached out. He traced the line of her collarbone with his cold, steady fingers. The touch was slow. It was a warning.
"I am a man with very little patience," he whispered. "Do not test me. My obsession is the only thing keeping you safe. If you disobey, I will remind you exactly who I am."
He pulled away and walked toward the door. "A tutor will be here soon. You need to learn the names of the families in this city. If you are going to live in my world, you need to know who our enemies are."
Amara watched him leave. She realized she wasn't just a witness anymore. She was becoming his property.
Amara is learning that the mansion is a beautiful prison. Would you like to read Chapter 4: A Dinner with the Devil, where the danger finally reaches the front gates?