Page 20 of Saviour
Carlo wants me to stay and distract Dax from looking for someone. Who is he looking for? And why me? I met Dax all but two days ago. How the fuck am I supposed to distract him?
If I keep asking myself questions, my head’s going to burst.
I stretch out my legs and lean back against the shower wall. It’s a dark marble walk-in shower with bright spotlights on the ceiling and never in my life have I had a shower somewhere so extravagant. It seems like such a waste of beautiful decor just for someone to wash themselves in.
I let out a huge sigh before standing up, turning the shower off, and wrapping myself in a fluffy mustard-coloured towel. I let my hair drip down my back. I’d taken out the French plaits Dax had done for me so I could wash my hair, but I already miss their presence. I’ll have to learn how to do it myself.
Walking into the bedroom, I look around and turn my nose up at the space. I’ve always been poor. I mean hell, I've been homeless for two years, but everything with Dax is extravagant and royal and beyond anything any normal person would have. The hotel, his car, this mansion.
Oh, how the other half lives.
I perch on the end of the bed and bask in the silence.
There are two things I am absolutely sure of:
Number one, Carlo is a dangerous man and if I want to survive, I’m going to have to play his game, no questions asked.
And number two, I’m going to have to betray Dax. I’m going to do whatever it takes to survive.
* * *
I openthe door to my bedroom—well, the bedroom I’ve been given. Is it mine? And poke my head round the edge of the door, looking down a long corridor with cream walls and black carpet.
When I’m confident the coast is clear, I step out and quietly shut the door behind me.
I stop just outside of Dax’s door and contemplate knocking, reminding myself of his warning earlier to not leave my room alone.
But I’ve been alone all my life.
I walk on quietly, looking over my shoulder once I reach the end of the corridor to make sure he didn’t hear me and then find myself dawdling through the corridors of the mansion.
The carpet is soft under my feet and there’s an autumnal breeze blowing through the windows. My damp hair is soaking through the T-shirt Dax left for me. I walk down a corridor on the first floor and I hear my name called out from an open doorway.
Halting my steps, I turn to the left and see Carlo sitting in a throne-like chair behind a desk. He looks untouchable. Like a king. And I decide right then that I have never hated someone so much. Well, maybe one other person.
“Aurora,” Carlo says calmly and I do my hardest not to glare at him.
I don’t respond and Carlo smiles, making my skin crawl.
“How are you settling in?” he questions, that smile still plastered on his face.
“You mean after I was kidnapped?” I sass, and I instantly regret it. I know I need to be careful around this man, especially because of the threat hanging over my head, but I’ve never really been one to keep my mouth shut.
The smile slowly starts to disappear from his face and is replaced by a more sinister frown that I already know too well, considering I only met this man today.
“Do you know who I am, Aurora?”
I slowly shake my head and he nods, standing up from his chair and rounding his desk.
“Then I suggest you find out. You don’t cross me, you don’t disobey me, and most importantly, if you tell Dax why you’re here, or you fail, I will no longer keep you safe.”
I look up at him. He’s now only a few steps in front and my palms grow clammy.
“I looked up Maxwell.”
My whole body freezes hearing his name and the panic must be evident in my eyes because Carlo’s smile returns.
“He’s still looking for you. You’ve done well to keep yourself hidden for so long, Aurora. But you can’t hide anymore. If you disobey me, I will lead him straight to you. Do you understand?”
