"I… I can't…"
Nicholas shook his head frantically, his hands trembling as the gun slipped from his grasp and clattered against the cold tiles of the bedroom floor.
"Ohh," Gabriel Steele scoffed with a devious smirk. "Very well then," he added with a cold, nonchalant tone.
He stepped toward Mr. Sinclair, his hand curling into a fist, and with a swift motion delivered a brutal punch to his cheek.
Boom…..
Blood spilled from Mr. Sinclair's mouth as his head snapped to the side, his breath breaking into ragged, gasping spurts.
"Take him to my hotel room. Dress him in something seductive and most importantly, make sure he doesn't try anything foolish." His voice was sharp and merciless.
"Sure thing, boss," the four men responded in unison. They seized Nicholas by the shoulders, dragging him toward the door.
"I'm… I'm sorry, please don't punish me! I can do anything for you, just don't… don't kill me."
Nicholas's screams and pleas fell on deaf ears as the men forced him out of the bedroom, leaving Gabriel and Mr. Sinclair alone.
"You're a dead man, Mr. Sinclair," Gabriel growled, his fist tightening before slamming another heavy blow across Sinclair's cheek, fresh blood spattering onto the tiles.
Meanwhile, Nicholas struggled against the men who were holding him as he begged to be released, but the more he struggled, the less they listened.
They hauled him into a black Ford parked outside and drove him straight to a five-star hotel named Devalots.
'This is it,' Nicholas thought desperately as the car pulled up. 'I'll scream for help when we reach the lobby.'
As the men dragged Nicholas out of the car and into the hotel lobby, he screamed with every ounce of strength he had.
"Help! Somebody, please! They're going to kill me!"
Heads turned. Guests and staff glanced at him, but their eyes held nothing but cold indifference. Not a single person moved.
"Please… call the police… somebody… anyone please do something!" Nicholas screamed once more and his voice cracked as tears streaked his face.
The men holding him only scoffed. One leaned closer, his tone sharp and cruel.
"That's enough, boy. No one here will save you. No one dares to cross our boss."
Nicholas froze, swallowing hard as he fluttered his tear-stained lashes. 'No one… no one's going to help me?' he questioned himself but the answer was quite obvious.
Nicholas's heart sank even harder and in that moment, he cursed the reckless impulse that had made him grab the gun of a Mafia Don.
The elevator doors slid open with a dull chime and Nicholas was shoved inside, then dragged into a lavish hotel room and thrown to the floor.
One of the men smirked as he adjusted his collar.
"This place is guarded by killers who'd end you without blinking. Don't try anything stupid. Put on the lingerie on the bed. The boss wants you ready when he arrives."
He paused at the door, his hand resting casually in his pocket.
"From now on, you belong to my boss. Be grateful you're still breathing."
With that, he and the others walked out, leaving Nicholas trembling on the floor as he stared at the locked door of the room. 'Wha… what have I gotten myself into?' he thought, fresh tears streaming down his face.
"Brrrrrr… Brrrrrr…"
The shrill ringing tone of a landline phone suddenly shattered the silence, making Nicholas jolt upright in fright. His held his breath for some seconds as he looked toward the small table where the phone sat.
"Why… do… do I have to answer that?" he muttered aloud, his words tumbling out like gibberish as panic gripped him.
Nicholas bit his lower lip, folding his arms tightly across his chest. He didn't want to answer… not now, not with so many other thoughts clawing at his mind.
'Why did he kill my mom? Couldn't he have handled things differently? Why take the life of someone who had nothing to do with my father's crime?'
Nicholas's tears fell harder, streaking his cheeks.
'And why… why did Dad have to mess with someone so powerful in the first place?'
Nicholas's throat burned as the questions spiraled.
He lowered his head, the bitter truth hitting him like a knife because he too had crossed a powerful man, and there was no turning back.
A shaky breath escaped his lips just as the ringing finally stopped, leaving behind a heavy silence.
Relief barely had time to wash over Nicholas before…
"Brrrrrr… Brrrrrr…"
The phone blared again, louder than before, cutting through the air like a cruel reminder that he was not alone.
"The hell!" Nicholas screamed as he shot up from the floor and stormed toward the bedside table where the landline kept ringing.
He snatched up the phone, pressing it to his ear, but said nothing.
His chest heaved with anger, yet fear weighed heavier.
He didn't dare say a word that might offend Gabriel. 'The last thing I want is to put my father's life in more danger,' he thought, swallowing hard, his throat bobbing visibly.
"Am I speaking with Nicholas Sinclair?" a male voice asked from the other end.
Nicholas's frown deepened. The voice was familiar, but it wasn't Gabriel's. So whose voice is this?
His silence stretched. His heart pounded harder.
The man chuckled darkly, his tone slicing through the line. "You don't want to talk, fine. But you'll listen. You'll work for me, Nicholas."
He paused, voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "This is Caesar Salvador. And you stupid little thief owe me. Pay back what you stole, or I will carve the fear of my name into your skin. Cross me again, and I promise… you're going to be six feet beneath the ground."
Nicholas gasped, choking on his saliva as his breath became caught up in his chest and terror wrapped around him like chains.
"I… I'm so sorry, I didn't mean… I didn't mean to steal your money. I was only… please forgive me," Nicholas whimpered, his words tumbling out like gibberish.
Caesar scoffed, his gaze like steel. "Forgive you?" he hissed, his tone dripping in rage. "The only forgiveness you'll get from me is death." The man from the other end of the phone stated and his words were cold while his voice was void of the slightest emotion.