AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Milo nods at me, a smirk playing on his lips, before he exits to run an errand for Leone. And just like that, I’m left to stew in my own boredom as Leone immerses himself in phone calls and the relentless tap of his fingers on his laptop keyboard.
“Can I work while I’m here?” I ask, hoping to distract myself from the gnawing feeling of uselessness. “Maybe deal a few hands? It would help me feel less like... like an ornament.”
Leone doesn’t even glance up, his focus unbreakable. “You’re not here to work, Fallon. You’re here because I allow it. Now quiet or I will have Milo drop you back home.”
His words sting, a harsh reminder of my captivity. So here I sit, on a plush couch in the corner of Leone’s office, my mind racing with thoughts of escape and the burning need to reclaim some semblance of who I was before all of this. But with each passing second, the realization sinks deeper—I am only allowed to be who he allows me to be and nothing more.
“Move from that couch, and I’ll have you over my knee,” Leone’s voice is velvet wrapped in steel as I dare to shift from the corner of his office.
I look up at him, defiance mingling with the trepidation in my eyes. “You can’t keep me like some caged animal, you have cameras everywhere here. And where would I even go that you wouldn’t find me?”
His gaze locks on mine, unyielding. “I can do whatever I please.” His words are a reminder of the power he holds over me. “As for your other question, no where. No matter where you go I’ll find you, and then I will make you regret running from me.”
With nowhere else to go, I resign myself to pace the confines of Leone’s office, the walls adorned with photos that speak volumes of his life—one steeped in luxury, power, and the blood of others. My fingertips brush against the cool glass frames.
“Fallon,” Leone calls out suddenly, snapping me out of my reverie.
“Yeah, I know sit and don’t move,” I suck in a breath moving back to the couch when he speaks again.
“No, we’re going downstairs. I have a meeting.” I stare at him, I can leave his office. “Now!” he snaps, and I hastily stand fixing my dress and snatching my heels from the floor. Leone mutters something before bending down and helping get the heels on, doing up the straps while I hold his shoulder. “Keep up,” he tells me, moving toward the door.
His command is not one to be disobeyed, so I follow him, each step feeling heavier than the last. The muted sounds of the casino grow louder as we descend, morphing into the orchestra of clinking glasses and the dull hum of conversation and slot machines.
Leone leads me into the main part of the casino, where I am shocked to see Sienna. Her face lights up the moment she spots me, her joy a stark contrast to the dread coiling in my stomach. She reaches for my hand, her bubbly enthusiasm infectious despite the circumstances. “Come on, let’s grab a drink at the bar!”
Before I can respond, Leone’s strong grip encircles my wrist, anchoring me to him. “Not so fast, Sienna,” he says, a note of warning in his voice. I look up at Leone pleadingly. I hate that he has reduced me to a beggar. He presses his lips in a line and I can tell he is about to refuse me when I hear Sienna speak.
“But we’re just going to the bar,” Sienna pouts, looking between us with a confused frown. “I’ll keep an eye on her and we will stay where you can see us,” Sienna adds. Leone sighs but his attention diverts as Sienna’s husband gestures for him, discussing something that clearly demands his full attention. Seizing the opportunity, my pulse quickens, my muscles tensing as I slip away from Leone’s loosened grasp.
Heart pounding, Sienna leads me to the bar, the familiar scent of liquor and polish grounding me. “Whiskey, neat,” I order, the bartender nods with a polite smile.
“Long night ahead, huh?” he asks, pouring the amber liquid with practiced ease.
“Something like that,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “What’s the go with the boss?” Darnel asks and I glance back at Leone to find him looking in our direction when Sienna answers.
“I’m surprised it wasn’t announced already, Leone really wanted to keep it under wraps.”
Darnel looks at Sienna who sips her drink.
“Announced what?” Darnel questions.
“Their marriage of course,” she says and Darnel blinks at me before looking at my hand on the bar. I move it, placing it in my lap, the rock on my wedding finger feeling like a boulder suddenly. Each second away from Leone’s watchful eyes feels like borrowed time, and the weight of his imminent wrath presses down on me.
The bartender slides the glass toward me, the smooth surface cool beneath my fingertips. I take a sip, the burn of the whiskey a welcome distraction from the chaos of my thoughts.
“Really, you got married?” Darnel asks in shock, but I hear the hidden words he doesn’t speak. ‘You married him’
I nod, my cheeks warming under the flush of whiskey and attention. “Yeah, spur of the moment thing,” I mutter.
“Wait, you two know each other?” Sienna asks.
“I used to deal cards here.”
The bartender gives me a knowing look before he makes his exit, only to be replaced by Marcus a few minutes later and I could curse Sienna for telling Darnel. My eyes widen at the sight of him; his presence sends a ripple of unease through me. I glance quickly to Leone, wary of his reaction, but find his gaze already fixed on me, sharp as a hawk’s. Turning back to face Marcus, he looks furious and his eyes narrow on my hand and the wedding ring wrapped around my finger.
“Care for a dance, Fallon?” Sienna slurs, gripping my hand with surprising strength.
I hesitate, torn between wanting to blend into the crowd and the fear of retribution but one thing I want right now is to get away from the seething look Marcus is giving me. Sienna tugs me off my seat, not taking no for an answer. Leone follows us with his gaze, his eyes glued on me. I don’t know how much longer I can survive this charade before everything comes crashing down around me. I chug the rest of my drink when Sienna passes me one of her fruity girly drinks that tastes like water. I sip my drink as she leads me through the curtains at the back, which moves into a nightclub. The music pulses through my veins, the heat from the bodies around us stifling but after a few more drinks. The pulsing lights of the dance floor swallow us, and for a moment, I let the rhythm take over as I dance with Sienna, if I am going to be punished it might well be for good reason.
