A Close Call

Ontario, Canada.

Souline's pov:

RING!

My phone rang, and I grabbed it, hoping it was Alliana. I sat up quickly and turned on my lamp to see who was calling. My brow furrowed when I saw the message's title: "NO CALLER ID." I opened it to find the user had left a message. Relief washed over me knowing Alliana was safe, texting me from another device. But I couldn't shake my anger that Carlos had gone so far as to order people to kidnap Alliana for his damn case. I quickly replied to let her know I'd received her message.

"Oh my God! Alliana, I'm relieved you're okay. I thought something awful had happened to you, aside from being abducted. I'm traveling to Rome for a surprise visit. I went to see Velma for you since you weren't here. Rather than worrying her with your disappearance, I told her you were sick. She said she hoped to see me soon before it was too late, but before I could ask what she meant, the nurses said it was time for me to leave. Stay put and don't leave. I'll let you know when I arrive in Rome."

I waited for a response but figured it was late, and she was probably asleep. I put my phone back on the nightstand, then headed to the bathroom to shower and finish my routine. Afterward, I returned to my room, grabbed my laptop from atop the basket, and quickly turned it on to search for the next available flight to Rome.

I found a flight for the eighteenth, at 4 p.m. The ticket was $4,000. The price wasn't the issue; it was the fact that it was the only available flight, so I booked it. I was exhausted and stressed. At this point, I might as well just drive myself there. I decided to wait a bit longer for any updates on the Celeste and Celine case to see if there was new information. I'm hoping Alliana and I can keep texting until then because I know she doesn't want to be stuck there alone.

Especially with them.

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Rome, Italy.

Alliana's pov:

For the first time since being trapped in this shithole, I was actually sleeping peacefully until I was jolted awake by a loud bang. I quickly sat up, turned on the lamp beside me, and looked around, it was still dark, the sun hadn't come up yet. I scanned the room and saw no one there, but the hallway lights were on.

My brow furrowed as I climbed out of bed and walked over to the door, creaking it halfway open to see what was going on. At first, nothing happened, but then a pair of dark hazel eyes popped through the door, scaring the shit out of me and making me flinch. It was Kai. He burst out laughing and pulled the door open, stepping right in.

"When we came to get you, this room was so organized, and now that you've got fucking clothes and shit everywhere, it's like the holocaust in here," Kai said, gesturing around. I glanced around the room and saw my bags scattered all over the place. "I don't see the problem. What was I supposed to do? None of you idiots helped me bring these bags in," I said, crossing my arms.

"Maybe you could organize it? Put it to the side instead of in the center?" Kai askd, turning to face me. "In that tiny space?" I asked, pointing to the corner to grab his attention. "Or the closet?" Kai asked. "The closet is so small I can barely fit in it," I said. "Yeah, maybe put Vex in there too, you both look like little dwarves," Kai added with a smirk as he moved toward the door.

"Why are you here?" I asked. "Just checking to see if you're awake," Kai said. I glanced at the alarm clock next to the lamp—it was fucking 5 a.m. "Why would I be awake at 5 in the morning?" I asked. "To go to work? Just because you're in Rome doesn't mean you'll be treated like a goddess," Kai remarked.

"I should be, after taking care of you assholes!" I said. "You don't 'take care' of us, love; don't be delusional," Kai said. "Are the others awake?" I asked. "Of course, I treat everyone equally," Kai said, already heading toward the door. "Now, get moving. Shower and change your clothes." With that, he left, shutting the door behind him. I stood there for a moment, then, realizing he was gone, I returned to my bed.

I didn't hear any more footsteps, so I turned around, reaching behind the bed to find my phone. I was hoping Souline had texted me back, even though it was from a different number. I dug my hand around, desperate to find the phone, but it seemed impossible. I sighed and stood up, grabbing the edge of the bed and slowly moving it to the side so it wouldn't make noise. After shifting the bed, I heard something fall.

I quickly dashed over and grabbed the phone, which had landed upside down. I placed it on the bed and returned the bed to its original position. When I turned the phone on, a notification popped up. My heart raced in anticipation, and my hands began to shake as I went straight to my messages to check if Souline had responded. When I saw her reply, I felt both happy and annoyed. 

I was about to send a reply when I heard footsteps. In a panic, I hurried to the bathroom, hiding my phone under the mattress. I turned on the shower to give the impression I was already showering. I heard the door open and peeked out from behind the curtains to see who it was. Vex. "She's showering," Vex said as he left the room. "Thank God," I muttered to myself as I stepped out of the shower.

To avoid any suspicions, I decided to text Souline after I showered. I walked over to the sink and grabbed my toothbrush from the cabinet. Stripping down to my underwear from the night before, I stepped into the shower. I turned the water on cold, then adjusted it to hot. I began brushing my teeth, making sure to brush twice to get rid of my bad morning breath.

Next, I washed with a soap I had bought the day before, then shampooed my hair twice before rinsing it with conditioner. I combed through my hair with a new brush and rinsed out any leftover product. I gave my hair one last rinse before turning off the shower. I grabbed one of my towels and wrapped it around my hair to dry it, then used another towel to dry off my body, wiping away the water droplets.

Back in my room, I dug through my bags and found my new bra and underwear. I picked out the black set since it fit my mood today. After choosing my underwear, I grabbed my bag that held my lotion and other essentials. I started applying lotion, then slipped on my bra and underwear, finishing with a spritz of one of my new perfumes. I removed the towel from my hair and clipped it up, ready to get dressed.

Once I was dressed, I reapplied my perfume. I went downstairs, leaving my phone under the mattress and lights off. As I made my way down, I noticed Mimi staring at me from her bed. I approached her and gently petted her, reassuring her that I wasn't a threat. She purred and nudged my hand as I smiled and walked away. In the kitchen, I found Kai, Vex, AJ, and Denzel eating.

"You took forever," Kai said. "So? I was changing and showering," I said. "I told you, women's necessities," AJ added. "Shut the fuck up, AJ," Vex snapped. "Vex, don't even start about when you bitched about a cat," Kai said. "What was I supposed to do when she bit me?" Vex shot back. "Man, shut up, we're not pussies!" Kai said.

"It's easy for you to say when you haven't been bitten!" Vex argued. "Whatever," Kai said, then turned to me. "Why are you still standing? Take a seat and eat." I rolled my eyes and took a seat across from Vex, next to Kai. "What are you guys eating?" I asked, examining their plates.

"Food?" Kai asked, looking at me. "Could you be more specific? Pancakes? Waffles?" I asked. "You see me eating scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast," Vex explained. "I already ate my shit, so I have nothing on mine," Kai added. "Where should I ask?" I asked. "Just ring the bell," AJ said, picking up the bell and placing it on my side.

Ring! Ring!

A man walked in after I rang the doorbell, glancing at us. "Yes?" he asked, his voice thick with a French accent. "Can I get scrambled eggs with bacon?" I asked. "Is there anything else, madam?" the man asked. "Coffee with milk," I said, a bit uncertain. "Coffee with milk?" Kai raised an eyebrow, looking at me.

"Um, yes?" I said. "Why not just ask for creamer?" Kai suggested. "Because I want milk," I said. "Yes, ma'am," the man said, turning to walk away, but he stopped when I called out to him. "In fact, sir, what is your name?" I asked. "My name is Montero," Montero said. "Nice to meet you, Montero," I said. Montero bowed and exited.

"Hm, I thought his name was Adrien," Vex said. "You're a moron. The most recent chef to steal from us was Adrien," Kai explained. "Whatever," Vex muttered. A few moments later, Montero returned with my plate and coffee. "Your food and coffee, señora," Montero said, placing my utensils on the table in front of me.

"Thank you so much, Montero," I said. "Bon appétit," Montero said as he walked away. Just as I was about to eat, Kai interrupted. "We're going somewhere as soon as you finish eating," Kai said. "Where?" I asked. "First, I need to run some errands before meeting with an investigator," Kai explained.

"Investigator? Why do you need the help of an investigator?" I asked. "He has information to give me that has nothing to do with you," Kai explained. "How come I'm going?" I asked. "We don't trust you here," Kai said. "Who's going to keep an eye on Mimi?" I asked. "Who else is there? The maids. Now hurry up and eat," Kai said as he left with Vex, AJ, and Denzel.

I rolled my eyes and began eating. The scrambled eggs were a little too salty, and the pancakes were sweet with a hint of cinnamon, but the coffee was fantastic. I quickly finished my meal. I was about to stand when Montero appeared. "Are you finished, ma'am?" he asked. "Yes, I was going to take this to the kitchen," I said.

"Let me do it for you; I don't want you to get in trouble with Sir Rivera," Montero said, taking my plate and heading into the kitchen. Kai returned to the room, leaning against the doorframe. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Yes, let me just go grab my purse," I said. I was about to pass him when he grabbed my arm and yanked me away from the stairway. "No, we're leaving right now, so let's go."