Bon Acteur

Chapter 38 (TW)

Trigger Warning: This chapter features sexual violence and a panic attack. Please skip if you're not comfortable reading this chapter. I'll make sure to appropriately summarise the contents of this chapter in the next one.

I didn't know how long I was out for but we had already landed in Italy and we were driving through the streets at night when the lights woke me up. I hated the fact that they chose to just drug me just like that, my throat was so dry and my chest felt very heavy instantly as I got up. I was seated right opposite Angelo and one of his guards in what appeared to be a black SUV.

"She's awake, great", Angelo grumbled as he offered me a small bottle of water. I gently placed my body upright as I took the bottle of water from his hand and our fingers brushed against each other a little. I took a big gulp of the water and my throat immediately began to feel better even though my chest still felt very heavy. I decided to ignore it and continued to drink the water from my water bottle as I stared at the beautiful city of Milan. Too bad the reasons as to why I'm here weren't in my favour.

It was the middle of summer and it was nothing like what I had expected, in fact I didn't expect any of this since finding out everything just a few months ago. Ever since training, I couldn't really quite put myself in that mood of making fun plans or having expectations for the year. There was so much I couldn't prepare myself for. Everything was unexpected, meeting Renato and getting stuck in this mess was unexpected. I can only hope that I can get out of this alive early enough to warn him.

I locked eyes with Angelo who was staring me down again, oddly I finally understood what Renato meant when he said he didn't trust him. Now that I've truly gotten to know him, my whole perception of him has changed and I only look at him with fear and shame. I wonder why I trusted him so easily and why I was so naive in believing he could help us. Of course he had ulterior motives, don't they all. How could I have been so stupid?

"Why are you staring at me like that?", I asked him confidently. I've never been the type to just allow myself to be seen as a victim. I'm stronger than that. I know that they love to see you scared, that they like to see your fighting spirit slowly fading away but I refuse to be an example of that.

"Like what?", he murmured and placed his phone in his pocket.

I decided to just ignore him as I continued to stare out into the window beaming as I saw all the pretty lights around the city and the smell of the warm summer air and traditional Italian food as people walked around at night in their summer dresses holding gelato's in one hand and their partners hand in the other. It made me think of Renato and whether I'd ever get the chance to see him again. I missed him so much and what Maxime and Angelo could do to him, scared me more than anything. My plan of 'accidentally' dropping the paper bag with the SOS note at the airport didn't work because they had chosen to put me under. I had no idea where we were going and it was getting dark so there were too little people for me to even try and make a scene.

It was useless.

We drove for only a couple more minutes until we arrived at a huge building that looked like it was a huge five star penthouse almost like the one Renato and I had stayed at but obviously this one was a little more traditionally Italian style. The building had a chalky cream colour and it looked like it was about 20+ floors highbut I couldn't really count that well from inside the car. The entrance had a small gold carpet and there were a group of valets welcoming guests in the front. We finally got out of the car and I made sure to look around my surroundings for clues of where I was. Just opposite the road there was a restaurant called 'Avido' and a small square that appeared to be nearby a huge Cathedral. It must be the famous Milan Cathedral.

"Let's go", I heard Angelo say as one of his bodyguards took my arm and rushed us to the door. I had no handcuffs this time but it was so quiet right now that I didn't think I could make a big enough scene to escape. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if Angelo owns the building and everyone here works for him. As we were walking, I realised the note in my shoe had disappeared. It must have fell out of my shoe somehow when I was carried to car. At least I hope so.