C6 Marry me!

After an hour of bathing and dressing her up, Alessia was done and Avery could barely recognise herself. The shy, withdrawn and conservative Avery was replaced by a provocative and desirable Avery. Her heart raced and her palm was sweaty as Alessia led her to the room where the don was.

With a single knock, the door was open and she went inside.

Alone in the room with Silas.

He stayed seated and appraised her and so did she. He wore a thin undershirt which wasn't covering his thick and ripped arm or the chest which looked hard and terse from where she stood.

His long black strands dropped on his forehead but didn't hide his pointed gaze which made her feel like she was standing on thick ice.

She couldn't mistake the sardonic curve of his lips or his sharp gaze which pricked her skin like needles.

While she stood there, on edge and speechless, he stood up in a flourish and closed the distance between them.

His thick arm snaked around her waist and she let out a gasp.

"You looked so ravishing, it seemed impossible to keep my hands off you"

Avery flushed and met his gaze which had a dark glint to them. Was it desire she saw or rage?

"To think I wouldn't find you, after all these years" he smirked then brought down his face to hers, for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her.

"One thing you should know, cara mia, is that you can never get away from me" he whispered against her ear, then trailed his cool breath down her cheek.

She forgot to breathe then.

"No matter how hard you try, you won't get away from me"

She schooled her features to show him that she won't be intimidated, although she felt a bit scared of him.

"Is that a boast?" She asked

"No, Clara. It's just the truth. Look where we are after three years" his eyes turned cold and she could tell he was trying to control his temper.

"It's Avery" she blurted out. "Call me Avery"

His arm tightened around her waist and it hurt. "I don't care what name you go by now" he bit out. "You're Clara to me and I'll always call you that"

He gave her a look which seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else. Like he had loaded guns in his eyes, ready to shoot her and with that icy curve of his lip, she shouldn't have said anything but then, she didn't like to be intimidated or trampled upon.

"So what now, Silas?" She watched his body tense as she called his name and she wondered why. "What do you want from me? Why did you kidnap me?"

His gaze bored into hers, searching, waiting for her to say something she didn't know. "I simply brought you back to where you belong, mio tesoro" he said.

"And where is that?" She asked

"Right by my side" he declared and she sensed a possessive ring to his voice.

His arm tightened around her waist. Firmer than the last, and more painful.

Avery winced. "You're hurting me, Silas"

"I intend to. I shouldn't be the only one hurting"

Her breathing came out in gasps as she tried to disentangle herself from his hold but it was useless because he was obviously much stronger. After a tension filled moment, he let go of her waist and turned his back to her.

She wanted to run but to where? Was she really sure about her thoughts earlier? Was it possible to change this man?

It seemed as though the pain he'd felt from Clara's betrayal had morphed into something worse. Something vindictive.

"Since I can't change the past, I intend to change the future" his Italian accent thickened as he spoke. "A future where I will have the upper hand, cara mia" he still had his back to her as he spoke.

She didn't reply, she wanted to see where this conversation was heading to.

Silas then faced her, got down on one knee and brought out a small box.

She gulped down her saliva. Was that what she thought it was?

He opened the box and a small, shiny ring emerged. "Will you marry me, Clara?"

She took a step back away from him as her eyes widened in shock. Was this a joke? She had just run away from marriage to meet with another marriage proposal. Why did he even want to marry? Didn't he hate Clara...I mean, her?

"You're --you're joking!" She coughed out.

"I assure you, I'm not, Clara" she watched the muscles on his jaw work. "And I won't take no for an answer"

Wow! Wasn't this the most romantic proposal in the history of marriage proposals? Except that a positive answer wasn't going to come out from this particular one.

"I don't know what you're playing at, Silas but I won't be a part of it!" She declared.

He was about to reply when the door to the room swang open and two men in suit entered.

"Boss" the men called Silas. "We've caught Ricardo's right hand man"

Silas sprang up immediately, inserted the ring in his pocket as a deep frown settled on his features. "Go now, I'll be right behind you"

After the men left, he closed the distance between them.

He stared at her in silence and she stared back, the tension, forming tight knots in her belly and an unusual sensation down her groin. She gasped when he gently slid his warm, calloused palm on her face.

"It seems we've been interrupted, Clara" he mumbled. "I must attend to some work right now. Stay here and don't move, I'll be right back"

Curiosity got the better of her after he left. Nicholas had always scolded her because she didn't like to do as she was told. She didn't want to stay there and not move, she wanted to follow him. She wanted to know what business he had to attend to that involved Ricardo's right hand man, whoever that was. She quickly got out of the room and followed Silas silently.

She realised that the house was quite big as she followed him, but that didn't deter me, she was going to find out what was going on.

She followed him down a stairs she didn't know existed, it seemed like it led to a dungeon and she felt chills go down her spine but she didn't stop, she was determined to find out whatever this strange man was up to.

She was right. He got into a dungeon where his suited men stood around a man who was tied up and bleeding. She guessed that was the Ricardo's right hand man. She gasped and hid myself to avoid being discovered and she watched them.

She heard what they were saying but she didn't understand it because they conversed in a different language, probably Italian.

Then she saw Silas bring out a gun and load it. He said some other stuff she didn't hear, then she heard a loud gunshot. She stifled a scream which lodged in her throat as she watched Silas shoot the man again and again. When he was done, he said some more stuff to his men, probably telling them to take care of the body. She couldn't hold it in anymore, she felt nauseous.

She got out from where she hid and let out a loud frightened scream. Silas and his men turned and saw her. His men moved to seize her but he stopped them.

She watched the evil smirk form on Silas's face as he came to her. He had blood stains on his shirt and she was freaked out as hell. She began to cry again.

"Darling" Silas said to her. "You wouldn't have seen this if you had just listened to me. I guess this is what you get for being stubborn"

He brought his face close to hers. Dangerously close.

He whispered, his cold eyes and voice felt like a sharp knife was being thrust into her.

"I'll make sure you end up like that man if you reject my marriage proposal" he said.