Finding Beauty in the Darkness

I swallow a bite of my delicious turkey sandwich. “I’ve thought about it, but I have no idea. He just kept saying once I turned twenty- two he could get rid of me.”

“When your mom died, did she leave you any money?” Where is he going with this?

“She had a life insurance policy, but it was only a couple million. I had the money from it in my bank account, but one day I went to pay for groceries and was declined. I looked at my account and it showed every cent had been withdrawn. Before I could investigate it, I was taken from my dorm by a masked man who delivered me to Weston. He drugged me and put me down in the basement, where you found me nine months later. Are you thinking he took the money? And if so, why would he take me? The money was taken before I was.”

Giovanni takes a large bite of his sandwich, then washes it down with a sip of his water. “Your mom’s husband is in a lot of financial trouble.”

“Please don’t call him that.” The thought of that evil man being linked to my mom or me in any way, including marriage, makes my skin crawl. “I don’t know why he would take me, though. Like I said, if he’s the one who emptied my bank account, he already got every cent in my name. The house was put in his name before my mom died. I have nothing!”

“There has to be something else. You said the magic number is twenty-two, right? When is your birthday, again?”

“I turn twenty-one in April.”

“All right. My men are looking into all this. If you think of anything else, you need to let me know. Your step—Weston has gone under the radar. He ran scared after I took you, but he’ll eventually come out of hiding. He made it clear when I spoke to him, he wants you back. I’m going to have my men search your house. Anywhere in particular he might keep important documents?”

“There’s a safe in his office and another one in the master bedroom. I don’t know the combinations, though.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it. What were you doing when he took you? You said you were in your dorm?”

“I was in my sophomore year of college, majoring in photography.” Thinking about my life before I was taken makes me smile. Then I think about everything I’ve lost. Everything Weston has taken from me, and I suddenly feel depressed.

“I know you don’t understand why I have to keep you here, but the truth is, it’s for your own good, until we figure out what Weston wants from you. If he was willing to hold you captive, I imagine he’s desperate. I can keep you safe here.”

“I understand that, I do. But I’m sick of having my choices taken away from me. It should be my choice whether I stay here or leave.”

“Aria, you need to come to terms with the fact that you’re staying here for the foreseeable future. The moment I told Weston I was taking you as payment, your fate was sealed.”

“Life doesn’t work like that!” I start to get worked up. “Before I was taken, I had a boyfriend and a best friend. I really need to contact them and let them know I’m okay. And I’m broke. I need to find a job. I need to earn money, so I can go back to school. You can’t hold me here against my will!” I stand and get in Giovanni’s face.

He gives me a soothing smile and takes my hand in his. “Breathe, Aria. We’ll take it one step at a time, okay? Finish up your lunch and then I’ll show you around.”

I pull my hand out of his. How can he be so damn calm? He’s holding me prisoner here while acting like I’m a house guest on an extended vacation. I sit back down and for the rest of lunch, we eat in silence. Once we are done eating, Giovanni is true to his word. He starts with his living quarters. He shows me the living room, the library, and the kitchen. Then he takes me outside onto the balcony to show me the Jacuzzi.

After he’s shown me the entire floor, we go down the stairs to the second floor. Giovanni tells me it’s split into two wings: the east and the west. Apparently, this place is so huge it needs to be labeled like a compass.

He walks me through the west wing where he tells me his staff sleeps. Staff such as his chefs, bodyguards, and housekeepers. Apparently, even his bartenders have rooms here.

“Emilio can make any drink you want,” he jokes then frowns. “Shit, you aren’t old enough to drink.”

I roll my eyes. “You do realize I was in college, right? Drinking might as well be a college student’s major their first couple years.”