"Get rid of her."

The words echoed like thunder in my ears. I froze. My body refused to process the command, as if I were hearing it in a dream. A nightmare. But the man before me wasn’t a shadow from sleep he was here in flesh and blood , and every bit as dangerous as he looked, right in front of me.

The man on his left moved forward. Broad shouldered, with the eyes of someone who’d followed orders like this more than once.

No. No. No.

“Please!” I screamed crying, jerking against the ropes that held my wrists. “I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m not her! I’m not anyone! You have the wrong person!”

The suited man the one who’d given the order watched me. No flicker of emotion crossed his face. Not sympathy. Not hesitation. Just ice.

He turned away.

The other man reached into his coat.

A gun.

Oh God.

I yelled, "WAIT!" "Please! I have a brother! I tend to him! My mother is ill, she needs me. I am nobody. Please, just release me. I promise, "I won't tell anybody, I swear it on my life!"

"You already have," the one with the gun mumbled. He brought the weapon up. Tears blurred my vision. I was going to perish in a golden prison, killed for a mistake I had not even done. Nobody would ever know what became of me. I would just vanish. Nobody would even glance. I cried, readying myself for what is about to happen.

"Stop." The voice was calm. Quiet. Still it cut across the air like a knife. The gunman halted.

I blinked through my tears. The one in charge had come back. He inspected me now actually. With his brow furrowed and his dark eyes narrowing, he walked ahead slowly, hands in his pockets, the pressure of his presence so great it was difficult to breathe. I recoiled, my heart pounding in my throat.

He said, "What's your name?" I swallowed. "A-Ariana Dawson."

"Not Italian." "No." I- I grew up here, but I am... American. My father was American.”

He angled his head a little, as though filing away the information. "Where do you reside?"

District of San Rocco. 4C Apartment. With my brother and mother. Please, I am not who you believe I am.”

He said Nothing. Just stared. I held my breath. Then, at last, after what seemed like a lifetime he groaned.

"Untie her." The man holding the gun stiffened. "Boss-

"Now," he said sharply. Though reluctantly, the man complied. I flinched and scurried toward the opposite edge of the velvet couch the instant the ropes tumbled from my wrists. My legs were numb. My face was stained with tears. Though I was grateful, I didn't know what was happening or why I wasn't dead.

"Why did you take me?" I demanded, my voice raspy. “Who did you think I am?”

"You matched a profile," he said coolly, not an ounce of regret in his voice. "Wrong place, wrong time. "An inconvenience." I reflected, the shock in my voice reflecting the pain in my chest. "You kidnapped me. You nearly murdered me."

He curved a brow. "Still, you're still breathing."

I whispered under my breath, "You're insane," but he heard it. He smiled chillyly, "Some would say that."

“I want to leave. I said my voice shaky, "Now." He did not move. “That's not happening.”

My stomach went down.

"I told you I'm not her. Please let me go.

"I believe you," he added. "But it doesn't change the fact that you've seen me. Heard my name."

I cried, "I haven't!" "You never even stated your—"

"Isaac Vitorri." My mouth opened. I knew that name. All Naples' residents did. He was not just wealthy. He was not only potent. He is danger himself. untouchable. Behind every unsolved crime and sudden disappearance is the whispered name. He ran the city like a king wearing a thousand masks: CEO, philanthropist, art collector… and mafia boss. Cold blood raced through my veins.

“You…you're him,” I said whispered. He inclined a little. “Now you see why I couldn't let you go.”

I watched him; his words fell on top of me like a tsunami.

I was a witness right now. An unintentional one but that did not matter. He couldn't take the chance of me speaking. I was not leaving this place. Realizing this made my chest tighten.

"But I don't know anything!" I shouted, the despair ripping at my throat. "I don't care who you are, I swear I won't say a word!" "You may not mean to," he said. "People break, nevertheless. They speak when they are either frightened or angry. Or paid enough.

“I wouldn't." He gazed at me once again. "We'll see."

He turned to one of his men. "Get her cleaned up." Feed her. Bring her to the southern wing.

My eyes grew bigger. "Wait, what? What do you mean?"

"You'll stay here," he said, as if it was a very sensible setup. "For Now."

His expression was undecipherable; like insurance.

With trembling legs, I sprang to my feet. "You cannot keep me captive," I yelled.

He whispered, "I can, And I will."

I watched him, fury coursing through my veins.

He couldn't care he had taken me from my life. That I was not guilty. That I was frightened absolutely. He considered me nothing but a mistake, something to be controlled. And that's when I promised myself something. I would find a way out. No matter what. Even if it ended me.

Later that Night...

The space they assigned me was more expensive than my entire flat. Silk sheets, velvet chairs, gold mirrors. But it was not lovely. Not to me. It was a cage. Arms circling my knees, I sat on the bed's side, trying not to cry again, thinking about my mother and brother. The door creaked open all of a sudden. I braced myself but it was not one of the guards. Isaac Vitorri: It was him. He stepped inside without saying anything and slammed the door behind him.

"I told you I didn't want to see you again," I snapped, my voice trembling.

“I know,” he said calmly, “but I wanted to see you.”

"Why?"

“Because you gazed into my eyes and told me you were not afraid of death.”

I swallowed deeply.

“And because I think,” he said, his voice sinking low, “you're not as weak as you pretend to be.”

He paused only inches from me, eyes searing through mine.

"Which means I must investigate what you are concealing."

I stepped back.

"I'm not hiding anything." He leaned in, lips right against my ear.

"Ariana, we will have to see about that."