Betrayal of Love

"How is she? Any change?" Vin asked, looking at the fragile woman that lay hooked to machines in the middle of the room. Beside her was a man in a disarrayed black suit that had not slept in days. The man did not even look up to respond with a dejected "no." Vin shook his head and left the depressing white room. His boss wouldn't leave the room no matter how much he begged. The poor man had barely allowed the nurses to bandage him up when they'd arrived at the hospital via ambulance.

"Those bastards!" Vin muttered as he headed out of the hospital. As it turns out, one of the many enemies of Alessandro Catalán managed to hit their car just as they were headed to the hospital. Most of the impact was on Arabella's side. The doctors stated she was in very bad shape. They had to wait for her to wake up to see the full extent of her injuries. It had been nearly a week since that day.

Since then, Alessandro had not moved from her side, only turning away to answer calls and bark out orders to his men. Vin had managed to find the bastards responsible for hurting the boss' woman and member of the Catalán family. Alessandro told his men to have fun with them, and to keep them alive long enough for him to deal with them.

Alessandro could not stop beating himself up for ever letting Arabella out of his sight. He was a complete idiot for ever failing her. His easy lay had turned into a nightmare, and he knew he'd regret it for the rest of his life. The man he once was had disappeared the moment he laid eyes on the beautiful woman in front of him. He remembered the day he took her by force clear as day.

-----------------------------

“So, we finally meet,” I looked up to find the source of the voice. My entire body was on edge as the figure approached me. I instinctively reached for my weapon. “There is no need for that, sweetheart,” the husky voice added. “I mean no harm,” he continued. He easily towered over my short frame. He was certainly over six feet tall. The power radiating off his suit-clad form was overwhelming. His eyes lowered to mine.

“Who are you?” I questioned, stepping back. I noticed more figures walking forward and standing behind the man in front of me, guns drawn. I was trying to figure out an escape plan from whoever these men were, but I came up empty. They were standing in front of my only exit.

“Don’t try to run, love. I like the chase, but I’d prefer it if you cooperate with me,” the man approached me, gripping my arm and disarming me effortlessly.

“And why should I?” I asked calmly, hiding the unnerving feeling bubbling in the pit of my stomach. I pulled away from his grip only to be slammed into the wall behind me. A small grunt left my lips. I glared up at him.

“For your own good, I’d suggest you not try pulling away from me again. I won’t be so lenient next time,” he growled lowly, his jaw clenched. “Now, you will willingly accompany me to the car. You will get in without a scene, or I will show you why I am one of the most feared men in the nation,” he concluded, yanking me off the wall and dragging me with him, the others following closely behind. I elbowed him, catching him off guard long enough for him to loosen his grip.

I ran as fast as my adrenaline would take me. I heard a blast that made me lose my balance. I tried getting up but couldn’t get off my knees. I felt something warm against my back, reached to touch it and was met with a warm liquid trailing down my fingers. I felt myself falling. I touched cold concrete.

“I told you not to pull away from me again,” I heard him say faintly before my vision failed me.

-------------------------------

“Is she awake yet?” a deep voice questioned.

“No,” came the response. “She lost quite a bit of blood, boss,” the same voice added.

My eyes felt too heavy to open. A groan left my very chapped lips. I turned my head, slightly moving my body and immediately regretting it as a searing pain raced through my lower back.

“Easy now,” I heard the man who had just spoken to his “boss” tell me. I finally managed to open my eyes, although it probably looked more like squinting to the people in the room. A moment of confusion settled over me before bits and pieces came rushing to my mind. I recalled the “boss.” I had run from him only to receive what now registered as a bullet to my back. I glared at him, but he was unfazed. He only looked intently at me, almost as if looking into my soul. It made my unease rise.

“Get away from me,” I rasped out, making my throat ache. He just chuckled and approached me. I tried to pull back, but only managed to grunt from the pain.

“Haven’t you learned not to move away from me, cariño?” he questioned, gripping my chin roughly. I couldn’t turn away and was forced to look directly at him. His eyes, a honey brown, bore into me, making me squirm. I turned my gaze toward his clenched jaw, unable to handle him looking at me in that manner. He seemed intrigued, and it bothered me to no end. Clearly, he was a psychotic bastard.

“What do you want from me?” I practically whispered. I tried clearing my throat, only causing a burning sensation. He noticed and raised a glass to my lips, not releasing his hold on me. I drank, silently grateful for the only kind gesture I’d probably receive. He finally let me go, his eyes never looking away. I rubbed where his rough hands had been, and his eyes seemed to follow my movement.

“I want you,” he finally answered me, making me turn to look at him. My hand went limp. I glared at him and scoffed, which did not sit well with him if his murderous expression was any indication. I turned to look around the room. The man I assumed was the doctor was standing a few feet away. By the door, I saw two more men, both in dark suits. “Don’t think about it. You might end up with a bullet in your brains this time,” he warned, his tone sending chills down my spine. I turned back to look at him.

“Do it,” I stated, “because I will never go willingly with a disgusting bastard like you,” I added, taunted. I met his glare, returning one of my own. He slammed his hand down on the bed making me jump.

“Watch your tone with me, cariño. My patience is running thin,” he growled out. He then trapped me with his arms on each side of me. He leant into to me, his cool breath fanning my ear. “And, trust me, you do not want my patience to run out,” he whispered, causing goosebumps to fill my exposed skin. But I refused to back down, despite the rising tension I felt in the room.

“Screw you,” I spoke, looking directly at him as he pulled away from me. I could see his form visibly shaking.

“Out,” he growled, “Now!” he bellowed, and I looked up to see every single body leave the room. I tensed up, unsure what I had just caused. He ripped the sheets from my body, making a gasp leave my body from the cold breeze. “You just don’t learn, do you?” he spoke, his jaw clenched. I tried to get out of bed but wasn’t fast enough. An animalistic noise came out of his lips as he lunged at me. I cried out as I felt his body on me, my back on fire. His hand trapped my hands and held them in place above me, his body immobilizing me. I could feel the tears escape my eyes as I bit my lips to hold in the screams of pain threatening to escape. He ripped my flimsy gown open, causing my heart rate to skyrocket. I looked up at him, my eyes unwillingly pleading.

“S-stop,” I croaked out. His eyes, once murderous, now looked down at me, softening. He growled out, making me flinch and turn away from him. I felt his hand grip my chin, forcefully turning me to look at him.

“Don’t turn away from me. You will do as I say. You will go wherever I want you to go. Most importantly, you will not disrespect me in front of anyone, especially not in front of my men. Is that clear?” he said, his voice much calmer. I nodded, unable to speak from the fear that had entered my body and refused to leave. He pulled away from me and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. For the next few minutes, my body shook uncontrollably as tears ran freely down my cheeks. I pulled my now ripped gown around my chest and attempted to keep myself from shaking. It was futile. I looked up as the door opened slowly, and a sigh of relief left my body when I saw that it was not the “boss.”

“I just came to check your wound,” the one I assumed was a doctor said. I nodded, still gripping my ripped gown. I turned sideways, regretting it instantly as a cry of pain left my lips. “Your stitches came undone,” he murmured. My shaking only worsened, and as the man redid my stitches, my body began to feel on fire. My shaking soon turned into uncontrollable shivering. The man just looked at me with pity. I closed my eyes, hating the lack of control I had on my body. I heard the man leave the room. I continued to shiver despite the heat radiating off my body. Something cold was placed on my forehead. “You have a fever,” someone said. But I was too weak to speak or move. I felt myself slipping back into the comfort of darkness.

“Stay with me,” came the very far away voice. “Boss, we’re losing her,” was what I heard before I lost consciousness.

When I awoke, I was in an unfamiliar room. I tried to get up, but was met with a pain in my back. I laid back and partially on my side, the side that wasn't wounded. I looked down and had an oversized t-shirt on me. I was covered from the waist down by a thin grey sheet. I looked around to a spacious and furnished room. I attempted to get up again only to be rushed back down by the same man responsible for my wound.

"Doctors orders are strict bed rest," he muttered and handed me some pills. "These are for the pain," he added. I reluctantly took them and thanked him, accepting the glass of water he offered me as well. "We are working on getting you more of a wardrobe. There are a few outfits already in your closet. All that you find in this room will be yours to use freely," he explained, towering over me and pointing out the closet.

"Why am I here?" I finally spoke, looking up at him cautiously. He gave me smile and pulled out the chair from a nearby dresser and set it next to me. He sat down and looked at me.

"I want you to work for me," he stated. I looked up at him flabbergasted.

"I beg your pardon?" I questioned. He looked intensely at me.

"You're good at luring people in. And you can definitely hold your own in a fight. I've been watching you for a long time. You're someone I want working for me," he finished off, never taking his eyes off my face, almost as if trying to read me. I laughed, probably like a maniac, yet his expression remained unfazed and trained on me.

"You're telling me that you cornered me, attacked me and shot me just to get me to work for you?" I asked. He only firmly nodded once. I scoffed. He stood up, never breaking eye contact.

"Yes. And, as you can see, I don't take 'no' for an answer. As soon as you're fully recovered, you will start training with my men. As of today, you officially work for the Catalán family," he stated and walked toward the door. He opened it and stopped. "The doctor will be here soon to check on your wound and talk to you about your recovery. You will follow his orders to a 't'. You'll do well not to do anything stupid again," he stated and left.

What the hell had I gotten into?