Twisted Minds

Elaina

Valentino is up with the dawn.

The room is still dim when the bed shifts, and I’m too scared to move. I’m afraid my body might shatter, or that he might touch me again.

I can’t decide which is worse, but neither feels right. Neither is right.

I keep my eyes barely open, watching him through my lashes as he moves around the room.

He disappears into the bathroom for a while, and the sound of running water tells me he’s showering. I’m tired, but I can’t sleep knowing he’s awake.

I barely slept last night, and my body is starting to feel it.

How am I supposed to get used to this? The fear and uncertainty already feel like too much.

I keep watching as the bathroom door opens and Valentino steps out in his boxer briefs, showing off everything that violated me last night.

He’s a handsome man with an ugly soul. His smile is charming, but it hides cruel intentions and even darker thoughts.

The only attractive things about him are his good looks and his body.

He pulls on his pants and tightens his holster before walking to his dresser and taking out a gun. He places it securely in the holster.

“Don’t think guns are easy to find, amore. This one won’t be in the same place twice,” he says suddenly, and my eyes widen as he turns to face me.

Translation: Love.

“You didn’t think I actually believed you were asleep, did you?”

I stare at him, his confident brown eyes meeting my terrified blue ones. “I…”

“You know, I’m trained to know when people are watching me,” he says. Even when he’s calm, his voice is never soothing or kind.

“I’m…I’m sorry for staring,” I manage to say. “I should have said something. I’m just tired.”

“We did have a busy night… Go back to sleep. We have a long day ahead,” he tells me. “I’ll make sure Anita leaves clothes outside the bedroom door for you.”

I don’t ask who Anita is—I’ll find out soon enough—so I just nod.

He doesn’t leave. Instead, he walks over to my side of the bed and kneels down, his eyes roaming over my body as if he can see through the blankets covering me.

“You felt amazing last night…” I almost flinch when he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, which makes him smirk. “What did we learn about saying no?”

He enjoys the fear I feel for him, and I’m sure that’s exactly what he wants. The answer I give him is not only what he wants to hear, but it’s also the truth.

“To not say no…”

“That’s my girl.” I see a small smirk before his lips meet mine briefly. “When I come back, I’ll show you around and introduce you to the staff…

“Don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone.”

Valentino stands up, takes a shirt from the closet, and buttons it up while keeping his eyes on me.

“Where are you going?” I ask. It’s a stupid question.

“To take care of business. But remember, I don’t answer to you, amore. That’s not how this arrangement works.”

I stay silent for the rest of the time Valentino is getting ready.

I can’t ask questions because I’m not entitled to know anything, and talking to him is too intimidating.

He leaves without another word, and I stay wrapped up in the bed and my thoughts.

Valentino still calls our marriage an arrangement, and even though it technically is, that doesn’t make it any easier for me.

***

The next time I open my eyes, the room is filled with sunlight, and it feels strange to see light in the room.

While I was with Vadim, the windows were barricaded, and I didn’t see sunlight until yesterday. I’m grateful I was only deprived for a week.

The only thing I like about life with Valentino so far is the uncovered windows. I can look out the glass and see the outside.

It makes me feel less like a prisoner.

I get up from the large bed, wrap the sheet around me, and walk to the door. I open it just a crack to see if the clothes have been delivered like Valentino said they would be.

Sure enough, there’s a small pile neatly folded in front of the door, and I quickly grab it before closing the bedroom door again.

I look at the clothes and see a white sundress and white undergarments.

As expected, they’re my size. I’d be foolish to expect anything less.

I walk to the bathroom connected to the bedroom, feeling the painful area between my legs, a stark reminder of what happened last night.

I never kissed him. I never wanted him to touch me or invade my body the way he did, but he did it anyway, without my consent.

I feel disgusted with myself because even though I know I couldn’t stop him, I still feel somehow responsible. Maybe I could have done more.

I stand in the shower, letting the hot water wash over me. As an eighteen-year-old girl, I always thought my first time would be different.

I expected the pain, not the regret that followed. It’s not until my fingers start to wrinkle that I step out and decide it’s time to face the day.

Am I allowed to leave the bedroom? For all I know, the door could be locked.

But it’s not.

I open the door, and everything looks so much brighter than it did last night when Valentino and I arrived after the wedding.

“I was starting to worry that he killed you,” a voice says, making me jump.

I turn around and see the same girl from the wedding last night: Gianna. Valentino didn’t seem to like her, which makes me wonder why she’s here.

The surprise on my face must be obvious because she quickly says, “I’m sorry… I was kidding. I know he’s awful, but he’s taken this union very seriously for… well, business.”

“Who are you?” is all I can manage to get out.

Gianna gives me the most straightforward answer. “Gianna. We met last night.”

“I know… I just… Do you live here?” My voice is shaky, but there’s so much to process, so much to worry about. I don’t know who I can and can’t talk to.

She nods and guides me out of the room. “Yes. This is Val’s home, but Stefano lives here too, along with some of the other men for safety.

“After Stefano and I got together, I became part of the deal, unfortunately for him.”

“Were you and Stefano…?” I realize I’m prying too much before I finish. I stop abruptly and shake my head. “I’m sorry, never mind.”

“If you mean part of a union agreement, then no.” Gianna gives me a sad smile. “Stefano is younger than Val, which means Val is to be capo.

“It’s his connections that matter, not Stefano’s as much. We met on our own.”

I trail behind her slowly as she starts to walk down the stairs. If she had a choice to be a part of this life, why would she willingly be here?

“It’s a story for another time,” she responds as if she’s read my mind.

It’s strange—Gianna seems normal, but in a world like this, there’s no way anyone could be normal.

“Can I ask you a question?” I ask her as she stops walking. “I mean…another question aside from the one I just asked.”

She turns to look at me, raising her eyebrows and nodding her head. “Sure.”

“Last night…you said that Valentino is a monster, but doesn’t Stefano do the same thing?” The thought has been nagging at me since the moment she said it.

I knew he was a bad man, but hearing it from someone he knew just made it all the more real.

Gianna runs her fingers through her black hair, biting her lip hesitantly. “Elaina, I didn’t mean to ruin your perspective on Valentino.

“I just assumed you would know since you know what he does for a living.”

“That wasn’t my question…”

“Stefano? I mean, yeah. He’s dangerous too, but Val is different…” She shrugs her shoulders. “He’s next in line to be leader, and he shows it.

“He’s far more ruthless and malicious than most. I can’t really say anything else.”

Malicious.

I hate that word. It’s terrifying. Last night was nothing compared to what I know will come in the future.

The sound of the front door opening catches my attention, and Valentino walks through the door with Stefano and two other men.

His eyes land on me instantly, and Stefano walks to Gianna, greeting her with a kiss.

“Elaina, you look lovely,” Valentino says to me.

“Thank you,” I respond softly.

“I see the dress fits,” he comments as he approaches me. “The rest of your clothing has arrived and is in the delivery truck outside. Let me change, and we’ll begin our tour.”

All I can do is nod. Until then, I can wait here in the company of Gianna. She seems to be the most genuine person I can be around at this point.

He disappears up the staircase, and the other men I don’t know leave the room as well.

Stefano stays at Gianna’s side, and in a perfect world, they seem like an ideal couple, aside from the fact he’s a killer.

“See? I told you that you would have a female friend here eventually,” he comments toward Gianna with a charming smirk.

Stefano seems nice compared to the devil I’m forced to sleep with every night. He actually seems to care for Gianna, and that’s something I won’t experience in my life ever again.

“Thank goodness. I was getting tired of all the men here,” she jokes before looking back at me. “We’re going to get lunch. Do you want to join us?”

As nice as that sounds, I have to wait for Valentino. He doesn’t seem the slightest bit patient or understanding. I shake my head and give her a polite smile.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll probably have lunch with Valentino later.”

It’s not until Gianna and Stefano walk away that I realize how alone I feel here, but I have to toughen up and handle it.

I look around the foyer. The house seems nice, to say the least. Hardwood floor and it seems like the walls are professionally painted with surprisingly no visible dents or damage.

I expected to see damage, but I was clearly wrong. Photos are hung, but not of family; they’re paintings that make the house look even more elegant.

I stare at a painting. It’s impossible not to get lost in it. A cottage, a lake nearby, and a field that stretches for days. It’s gorgeous.

The painting captivates me, and in such a terrifying place in my life, it seems relaxing.

“Curious, are we?”

I jump at the sound of Valentino’s voice and turn to see him standing behind me. I hadn’t even heard him approach me, but I simply nod.

“The paintings are beautiful…”

He places his hand on my lower back and guides me toward a door. “Let me show you around… I want you to know the staff and the boundaries.”

“Boundaries?” I question.

“Where you can and cannot go,” he clarifies as we enter the kitchen.

It’s large, but stunning. It seems as though it was recently renovated, or maybe it always looked in amazing condition like the rest of the house.

An older woman turns around from the kitchen sink and smiles at Valentino. “Valentino, tesoro. Hai fame? Posso farti un po ‘di cibo.”

Translation: Valentino, sweetheart. Are you hungry? I can make you some food.

Valentino starts speaking in Italian. I can’t understand a word they’re saying, and it’s awkward.

Soon, they switch to English. Valentino gestures to the woman. “Elaina, meet Anita. She’s our housekeeper, but she’s also part of our family.

“She worked for my parents before she started working for me.”

I smile at Anita. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here, dear.” She smiles back, and it feels real. “You look beautiful in that dress.”

“Thank you.” I glance down at the dress, then back at her. “And thank you for bringing it to me.”

Valentino nods. “I need to show Elaina the rest of the house, but we’ll join you for lunch later.”

I hate being pulled away from another person. Valentino doesn’t feel like a person to me.

He takes me around the house, telling me that his office and the basement are off-limits unless he says otherwise.

I don’t ask questions, even though I’m curious—especially about his office. I’ve never been a fan of basements anyway.

He introduces me to his right-hand man, Gustavo, who seems really close to him. I guess he’s his best friend, if Valentino even has best friends.

He also introduces me to Raffaele and Diego, but we don’t talk because Valentino says the tour is more important.

The last stop is the backyard, which Valentino seems really proud of. He opens the back doors, and the yard stretches out before us.

The grass is a vibrant green, and there are even some rosebushes. I wouldn’t have pegged Valentino as a rose guy, but they’re beautiful.

There’s a single tree in the yard, and a fence that’s about six and a half feet high surrounds it.

“Wow…” I’m speechless. I could stay out here forever, but I know I won’t be that lucky. I have other things I need to do, like keeping Valentino happy.

Valentino walks ahead of me to a fountain in the middle of the yard. “I thought you might like it.”

“What are the rules out here?” I ask him. I want to know before I fall in love with this place.

He just shakes his head. “No rules. This place is safe. You can come out here whenever you want.”

He turns to look at me, and I nod. “Thank you.”

I’m fooling myself to think this is progress. It feels like Valentino might be showing me a softer side.

I’m wrong. It won’t last, but I’m so desperate for any kind of hope that I’ll take what I can get.

The moment we share in the backyard, with him letting me come out here whenever I want, feels real.

But I’ll soon learn that even the smallest kindness comes with a price, and that there’s nothing kind about Valentino.