SCORPIONE | BOOK TWO.

Three

I spun around, completely ignoring his last words. His cologne was too much. The sweet and honey smell of the cigars he usually smoked lingered on his skin, and as I made my way further down the hallway, I wondered if he tasted the same as he smelled.

The two bodyguards quickly found me, and they took their post behind me as usual. I sighed, but before I could say anything, a voice so smooth and rough at the same time filled my ears, and the hairs at the back of my neck stood straight.

"Sei sollevato dai tuoi doveri,"
[You are relieved of your duties.]

The guards stopped, and turned. And when they saw Scorpione, they bowed their heads like a dog being scolded, and nodded, "Yes, Scorpione," They said, and disappeared from my sight.

I rolled my eyes, and Scorpione made his way towards me, and then walked next to me as I trailed through the empty house.

"I expect a list of whatever you do during the week,"

I folded my arms over my chest, pausing in front of my bedroom. "Why?" I asked him, "Why aren't you fighting this?"

He stood with his hands behind his back, and leaned forward ever so slightly. "I obey orders, princess. I do what I'm told,"

I nodded slowly, "You're a good little soldier then, obeying his master?"

Vitterio grew rigid at my words, and I remembered in that moment who I was facing. Fear seeped through my veins and warmed my body from the inside out, and I wondered that now that we were alone, if he'd hurt me. If he'd hurt me to keep me in line.

But the hurt never came.

Instead, a smile bloomed at his lips.

It was a small smile, one you'd give an acquaintance at a gathering. One you'd give a cute baby when it reached for you but you hated children.

"Correct, Gattina." He said lowly, "And I expect you to do the same for the time being,"

I frowned, "Obey your orders?"

His eyes hardened as he looked down at me, and he stood so still that you could mistake him for a pillar.

"Yes, Gattina. Obey my orders and there won't be a problem between us. Disobey me—" He paused, and smirked, "I think you'd prefer not to find out what happens then,"

The way he said that intrigued me that I almost nodded. But before I could, Vitterio had turned, and left me to blush and stare at the ground on my own. I inhaled deeply, throwing my bedroom door open and trudging inside.

Miki meowed disapprovingly at me for waking her from her slumber, but I waved her off and continued to scream into my pillow.

After a few minutes if screaming and my throat growing hoarser by the second, I stood from my bed. I slugged to my dresser and pulled my needed items from it, threw them in a random bag, and slipped from my bedroom.