Chapter - 3

Amara P.O.V

Disregarding the unbearable pain that is being shot through my sprained ankle, the bulky man who had my wrist in a solid grip starts to drag me to god knows where.

Soon we pass along a lush green garden connecting to a dense dark forest and finally stop at an old rusted building.

As we enter, the foul smell of which I couldn’t put my finger on starts to fill up my nostrils almost making me puke.

The silence surrounding every corner of the building arose chills through my spine. So, this is how I die?

We then go over a series of stairs leading us down probably to ‘the basement’ as ordered by Zale.

The bulky man makes me sit on the chair which was placed in the middle of the room, which creaked at my weight.

As we now wait, my thoughts run wild. Who exactly is this person? What did he possibly want with me? My dad called him ‘Zale’. I certainly heard the name somewhere, but my brain refuses to recognise it.

Shortly, the man himself decides to grace us with his presence. The dark room with only a source of light hanging above my head, forced out the fear in me.

“Markus, out!”. the bulky man instantly leaves us alone.

Standing right infront of me with his hand in his pockets, he looks down at my shaking figure.

“Who the hell are you and what the fuck you want from me?” I crane my head at him.

“This isn’t about you getting answers, my feisty kitten. But you listening to whatever I have to say” he circles me with predator steps.

“So, I heard you majored in business so, I assume you very well understand the language of deals” he traces his hand alongside the back of the chair.

“Your father owes me a big debt---“.

“All this for a few million dollars?” I cut him mid-sentence.

A dark chuckle erupts from him filling up the room.

“A debt which he should pay with his life” my breath hitches at his reply.

“But killing people with a single shot is entirely not my style and obviously no fun, so, I decided otherwise and this is where you come into the picture” I hear his steps pause behind me.

I feel him bend down to my level as I feel his breath on my neck making me grip hard onto the chair armrests.

“You will be a part of my underworld crime organisation which your father hated all his life” his lips on my earlobe, his voice husky.

“Where I am going to make you suffer every single moment of it while your father wails in sorrow” venom spilling through his words.

“All the wait is gonna be worth it!” he moans in happiness, moving away from me.

“Underworld crime organisation?” I mumble to myself.

“The New York Mafia!” he describes further.

A name flashes infront of me at his depiction. The name to which the whole New York city backs down. The head of the New York Mafia. Zale Austin Windsor!! The freaking man I am talking to.

I look up at him in realisation and catch him smirking at my state. Consumed by my thoughts, I do the only thing that comes to my mind at the moment. Make a run for the door!

Only when I reach the door, I recognize it was locked. Turning around I reunited with those pair of dark eyes with a sinister smile sprawled across his lips.

Letting out a lazy laugh, he paces towards me.

I glue my back to the door hoping it would swallow me up as a whole.

“Is my feisty kitten scared now?” his 6’2 tall figure towering over me.

Pulling up his right hand from his pocket, he grips onto my nape, bringing my face infront of his, mingling our breaths.

I attach my hands to his chest in an attempt to put some distance between us. My efforts turn futile when he won’t budge but instead shoves his face into the crook of my neck inhaling my scent.

“There is no point in running away now, kitten. You are already trapped” he speaks against my skin.

Sparks erupt through my body, travelling down my spine and settling between my legs.

Another hand going around my waist pulling me closer to dig his face deeper into my neck.

“No wonder you always had men swarming around you all the time!” his deep growls affecting me in a way it shouldn’t.

The sudden knock on the door behind me, snaps us back to the situation.

Withdrawing, he turns his back to me. A moment where we both compose ourselves.

“Sir, we are ready to go!” I hear Markus' voice from behind the door.

Facing me with that same old cold look, he asks Markus to unlock the door and tugs me out.

We passed through a series of rooms and ended up infront of a large one. The tall doors open with a creak as we walk further inside.

Loud whispers and chatters, dies immediately acknowledging the man who just entered with me.

Taking a look around I find the room filled with tons and tons of men, no sight of a single feminine.

“Boss!” A beefy man who seemed to be in his forties steps ahead greeting Zale.

One look at me puts a grin on his face.

“To appreciate our hard work, our boss has brought us a present!” he tells the whole room while cheers surface the silence.

What the fuck! Is this what he meant by working here?

I cower behind Zale at his words laughing at myself for feeling safe behind the broad shoulders of the most dangerous man in the room.

“One more word Albert, I’ll make sure it will be your last!” he tips off.

He then forces me to the front.

“She is Amara and will start working with us from today. Prepare her for the missions” and just like that he leaves me here with a pack of hungry wolves.

“Albert!” he introduces himself, asking for a handshake.

“Amara!” I shake his hand hesitantly.

“So, what level are your fighting skills at?” he asks.

“Fighting skills?” I ask in confusion.

“Do you know how to use a weapon, a gun or a knife maybe?” he probes again.

“A gun and a knife?” I gasp.

“Do you even know basic self-defence?” his tone disappointed.

He sighs in defeat as I shake my head no.

“Jackson!” he calls.

A man with dirty blonde hair, leaps from the crowd pacing towards us.

“Teach her everything from the start. Boss has ordered us to prepare her for missions” Albert addresses.

“For a mission? Without basics? This will be very hard on her!” Jackson, exclaims.

“Indeed it will, but we are expected to do what was ordered. So, better start with it!” Albert shrugs.

“Back to work, boys!” Albert alerts everyone and disappears into the crowd.

“Hi, I am Jackson” the excited tone grabs my attention.

Turning back to him, I see his hazel eyes shining with joy, the messy hair falling onto his face, his body muscular, his smile comforting.

“Amara!” I smile back.

“Your clothes won’t be comfortable for training. Do you want me to find some work out clothes for you?” he offers.

“Sure, I guess!” I agree.

After everything that has happened, I know one thing for sure, there is no escaping from this place. All I can do is wait for my father to come to my rescue. Up until then I need to keep up with this.

The second night eventually fell and my whole body ached with excruciating pain. It’s been two days of me staying here, two days of me holding myself strong.

Zale never visited me personally in these two days but I caught him lurking around my training sessions eager to spot atleast a trace of my distress which I decided not to give him.

If he thinks he can break me with these tricks, the boy has a long way to go. I had rather hold it in than give him the satisfaction.

I sat in the changing room staring into the darkness, while a knock on the door interrupted me.

“Amara, can I come in or are you changing?” a soft voice asks from otherside of the door.

“Come in!”.

Jackson walks in with a glass of water and a first-aid box.

Jackson and I have grown very close in the last couple of days. I never made friends this quickly in my life but both of us being the same age worked in our favour.

“Here, the painkillers!” he hands out the usual pill and I gulp it down.

“And the ankle?” he grabs my ankle to take a look at it.

Two days ago, when I came here, he noticed my sprained ankle and treated it.

“A lot better”.

“Thank you, Jackson!” I smile at him.

“You look beautiful when you smile, Amara” he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear as I look taken back by his actions.

Before I react, the door to the changing room bursts open.

“Zale!?”.

My eyes widened at his burning gaze.

“What the hell is happening here?” he turns his scary gaze towards Jackson.

“Boss!” fear clearly evident in his tone.

“Did I interrupt your lovey-dovey moment?” he now sets his gaze on me.

“You will be going on a mission tomorrow!” he informs.

“But boss, she is not yet ready---” one glare from Zale and Jackson shuts up.

Slamming the door shut on his way out, Zale leaves.

I am doomed.