Seven

Chapter 14

SEVEN'S POV

Victor eyes me from the other side of the basement floor as he paces.

"Leave us." He tells Curby who followed us down here. Curby simply nods before making his way back up the stairs, following orders like a good acolyte. He never questions Victor's orders, or mine for that matter.

I on the other hand haven't been so obeying when it comes to the rules, not recently anyway. Not since I met her.

"I don't want to have to punish you Seven. But so help me I will." Victor threatens.

"I'm sorry I spoke out of line." I apologise for undermining him upstairs at the bar in front of Lilianna. I don't know what came over me, I've never gone against Victor like that before and I know it surprised him as much as it surprised me. But I couldn't stop myself. I hate the thought of her being on show for all those perverts upstairs. I hate the thought of her being uncomfortable because of them.

"What has gotten into you?" Victor demands.

"I don't know." I admit, looking down at my hands as I twist the gold ring on my index finger. It's true, I don't know what the fuck has gotten into me.

"You're spending far too much time here. I need you out in the city, we have bigger things that need attending then this fucking cesspit." Victor grunts.

"Is it the girl?" He asks me and my head shoots up.

"Who?" I act dumb. I know exactly who he's talking about.

"Don't play stupid with me boy." He points a warning finger at me.

"The girl from the bar. You had her working in a fucking t-shirt and not out front. Is she the reason you beat that kid the other week?" He questions.

I knew he'd bring that up. He walked in on me beating the shit out of that fucking soldier wanna be for touching her. A couple slices to his neck just wasn't good enough for me. And when I rewatched the security footage of him grabbing her over the counter the rage just took over. I had to go out and hunt the fucker down till I felt his punishment was justified for touching her the way he did. I probably shouldn't have brought him down to the basement to carry out the beating, since Victor ended up barging in on my little play date and made me stop.

"No." I lie again. I've never lied to Victor, but once again Lilianna has me breaking rules for her. Victor's dark eyes meet mine and I know he's looking for the lie written in my face but I've been good at keeping my emotions unreadable, he can thank himself for teaching me that.

I hate looking into uncle Victor's eyes. They remind me so much of my fathers. Only I remember my fathers to be brighter and warmer when he looked at me. Not like Victor's. Victor's eyes remind me of a snakes; cold, dark and calculating.

"Do I need to remind you of the rules we have in place here?" Victor asks me.

"No." I repeat. I know them all too well. They've been torturing me for the last couple weeks.

"Good. Because if I find out that you've so much as touched that girl I'll skin her in front of you." Victor threatens and my breathing accelerates at his threat of Lilianna.

"Don't forget who's club she's working at. Who she's working for. She's my property." He says with a smirk and my jaw clenches.

"I understand uncle." I answer him, keeping my voice steady.

"She is pretty that little flower. Much too pretty for men like you and I." He reminds me. I'm well aware Lilianna is too good for me, but it hasn't stopped me thinking about her. Imagining her at night laying next to me.