Calla furrowed her brows, confused as to why everyone was acting strange. She turned around and was shocked to see Rico. 'He didn’t leave?' She asked herself.

"Oh. My. Sweet jeans," Luxe uttered, "He looks like he just walked out of a painting," she whispered to Calla.

Calla couldn't deny that. Rico's hair was still damp, as he didn’t have time to dry it after his bath. Giving him a more aesthetic feature. He was tall with large shoulders.

"Who is he?" Eli asked, shaking her back to reality.

She quickly turned away from Rico, cupping her brother's face in her hands. "He's no one, okay?" She gestured for Luxe to get up from his bed, and she gently pushed Eli to lie down. "You need to rest."

Eli shook his head, "I feel fine now. I promise."

"No way. The doctor said you should rest, so..." She helped him lie down, putting the blanket over his body. "... rest."

Eli nodded with a pout, not wanting to disobey his sister.

Calla kissed his cheek, then stood up and headed for Rico. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him with her. He was obviously bigger than her, but he let her drag him out of the room.

She stopped by the hallway, certain they were far from prying eyes. "What are you doing here?"

He glanced at her hand holding his, and her eyes trailed to what he was staring at. Realizing that she was still holding him, she quickly dropped her hand and cleared her throat.

"Sorry," she uttered. "But you can't be here."

He watched her, his gaze dropping to her mouth, then back to her eyes. "I let you go, even when you're not done for the night. And I drove you here in under thirty minutes, breaking traffic rules," he said so calmly, but only a fool wouldn't notice the anger underneath his words.

"Don't you think I need an explanation?"

Calla knew he was right; he deserved the least explanation. She was grateful to him for letting her go early.

None of her other clients would have done that for her. They'd work her to the death.

She sighed, looking away then back at him. "It's my brother," she started. "He– he fell and hurt his head."

"What does that have to do with me?" He asked, voice flat with his hands in his pockets. "Kids breaķ. That's what they do,"

Calla almost scoffed. She couldn’t believe this guy. "It doesn't have anything to do with you, yes. But I'm his only family and I was supposed to be here for him."

Rico blinked so slowly, as if he was so bored with listening to her.

"Is that supposed to make me feel something?" She looked at him, like he'd suddenly grown two heads. "We're leaving."

He announced and started towards the elevator.

"You must be crazy to think I'm going to leave my brother all alone after what he just went through," she blew before she could think. Her hand shot to her mouth, realizing what she said.

Rico turned around so slowly, she thought time had slowed down. He gazed at her, his eyes scanning her from toe to head.

He didn’t smirk, nor did his eyes burn with fury. He just looked at her with no expression, and she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

She couldn’t move her feet away as he walked towards her. He stopped a foot away from her, towering above her like a statue.

"The last man who called me 'crazy' had his throat snapped by my bare hands," he growled, his left hand leaving his pocket and grazing her cheek so gently. She didn't look away from him, even though her insides screamed to do so.

"Just because I fucked you more than once, doesn't make you special. Don't make me stop being nice, understand?" He warned.

Calla bit inside her mouth, trying to stop the insults from spurting out. "Yes, I understand."

"Good," he nodded. "Now, let the doctors do their job. You do yours."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Calla didn't let the tears fall; her head was always held high.

She sent a quick text to Luxe, to help watch Eli for the night. Thankfully, Luxe didn't have clients for the night.

She left, feeling guilty that she still wouldn't be there for her brother. She followed behind Rico, who didn't glance once at her.

They got into his car and for the entire ride back to his mansion, no one spoke. Calla's eyes were on the window, watching the night sky and praying for her brother.

When they reached, Rico acted like nothing had happened. He made her give him a blowjob and a hand job.

He fucked her, no atom of sympathy.

Now she knows why they call him 'Il Vuoto', it was Italian for 'The Void'.

She blamed herself for letting her heart get swayed a bit, by his few kind gestures. Even driving her late in the night to see Eli.

She almost forgot who she was to him. His fuck toy.

It was seven in the morning, and the sky was brighter. Calla's head throbbed when she opened her eyes, and crying herself to sleep left her drained.

She promised herself she wouldn't cry, but her eyes had other motives.

Calla turned to her side and Rico wasn't there. She remembered the events of last night.

After going two rounds, Rico cleaned himself up and left the room. She was glad he didn't sleep next to her.

She sat up and picked her phone from the lamp stand, and she quickly dialed Luxe's number.

"Hi gurl, ya aight?" Luxe asked, her voice laced with worry.

Calla nodded, even though Luxe couldn't see her. "Yes," she replied. "How's Eli doing?"

"He's been asking about you since you left last night, but he's still asleep right now," Luxe said, and Calla sighed in relief.

"I'll be there in an hour," she said, already getting off the bed, then she hung up. Her eyes cut a dress on the couch, and she narrowed her eyes at it.

At least he kept to his promise to get her a new cloth.

She ignored it and went to the bathroom to get washed.

After showering, she put on the clothes and it was her perfect size. How did he know her size? She didn't have time to think about it as she grabbed her purse and phone then left.

She got downstairs, but Rico isn't there either. She couldn’t just leave without saying anything.

Come to think of it, she didn't notice anyone her last night he brought her here. No maids, no butler, not even a single bodyguard.

She wondered if he lived alone. It could be possible, considering his attitude.

Who would want to live with this monster of a man?

She heard noises coming from another room, and she took slow steps to see what or who it was.

It was the kitchen, and an elderly woman had her back turned to Calla and was busy with the sink.

"You awake," the woman said, causing Calla to gasp. It was either that the woman had eyes behind her head or she was a witch, because she was sure she didn't make any sound. "You-a like something to-a eat?" The woman asked, finally turning to her.

Calla shook her head. "No. I've been privileged enough," she said with a smirk, remembering what Rico said to her last night. She wasn't special, just a fuck-thing.

The woman tilted her head a bit, not understanding what Calla meant. "If you-a say so," she said. "The master, he-a left for work. You stay, if you want-a bit or go, it's up to you," she said with a shrug. Her accent made it almost impossible to understand her, but Calla managed to piece the words together.

'Master?' Calla thought.

"No, I have to go. Not that you'd care, but my little brother is in the hospital, and he needs me."

She didn't wait for the woman's response or to see her reaction, she left.

She stepped outside and her phone buzzed in her hand. It was a text from an unknown number.

[Your brother looks so innocent in his sleep. I wonder if I should slit his throat or wake him up to see the shock in his eyes when I drive my knife into his chest? You choose...]

Her breath caught in her throat.

It was them, those people her late father owed money to.