Taming the Fire

Serena's POV

The blood was gone.

The body was gone.

But the memory remained.

I should have felt relieved that the mess had been cleaned up, that the reminder of Lorenzo's brutality had been scrubbed away.

But somehow, that was worse.

Because it meant this wasn't new to them.

It meant bloodshed was normal here.

I sat on the bed, staring at the polished floor where a man had screamed just hours ago.

I should have felt disgusted.

I should have felt horrified.

Instead, I felt... angry.

Not because Lorenzo had hurt him.

Because for the first time, someone had actually listened to me.

And that terrified me more than anything.

I clenched my fists, forcing my breath to steady. No. I won't think like that.

I wasn't like him.

I wasn't like them.

A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts.

I braced myself as it opened.

Not Lorenzo.

A woman.

Tall, with long black hair and sharp green eyes. She carried a tray of food, setting it on the table before meeting my gaze.

"You should eat." Her voice was smooth, controlled.

I frowned. "Who are you?"

She arched a brow. "Elena. I run things here when the boss is... occupied."

Occupied. Right. Probably handling some other poor soul who had dared to cross him.

She motioned to the food. "You need your strength."

I scoffed. "For what? Another day locked in a room?"

Elena smirked. "For survival."

Something in her voice made my stomach tighten.

I watched her carefully. "What do you mean?"

She leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "You're different from the others."

I tensed. "What others?"

She tilted her head. "The women before you."

My throat went dry.

She watched me like she was testing me. "Most of them learned quickly. Some ran. Some..." She paused, lips curling. "Didn't last long."

A chill ran down my spine. "And what am I?"

Elena's smirk deepened.

"You?" She stepped closer. "You're fire."

I swallowed hard.

"And the thing about fire?" she whispered, leaning in.

"It either gets extinguished... or it gets tamed."

I shivered.

She turned to leave, pausing at the door. "Eat." A pause. "And be careful, Serena. Fire draws attention. And not just from him."

The door shut behind her.

I sat there, pulse pounding, staring at the untouched food.

Not just from him.

What the hell did that mean?

---

Lorenzo's POV

I watched the security footage from my office, fingers steepled under my chin.

Serena sat on the bed, staring at the door Elena had just walked out of.

She looked troubled.

Good.

She needed to be.

I needed her to understand what was happening.

What she was becoming.

Dante sighed from across the desk. "You're playing a dangerous game, Lorenzo."

I leaned back, smirking. "Am I?"

"She's not like the others."

I arched a brow. "I'm counting on that."

Dante's jaw tightened. "She's going to fight you every step of the way."

I swirled my whiskey. "She already is."

He exhaled. "And when she finally snaps?"

I chuckled, taking a slow sip. "Then she'll be ready."

---

Serena's POV

The next day, the lock clicked open earlier than usual.

Two guards stepped inside. Not Lorenzo.

"We're moving you," one of them said.

I frowned. "Moving me where?"

Neither answered.

I was led through the halls, past rooms I had never seen before. The air smelled like cigars and expensive leather.

Then we stopped in front of a massive wooden door.

One of the guards knocked once.

A voice from inside answered.

"Enter."

The door swung open.

Lorenzo sat behind a large desk, sleeves rolled up, a glass of whiskey in his hand.

He looked up at me, eyes dark and unreadable. "Leave us."

The guards nodded and left, shutting the door behind them.

Silence.

I crossed my arms. "What now?"

Lorenzo leaned back in his chair. "Sit."

I didn't move.

His lips curled. "Still defiant."

I smirked. "Still a tyrant."

He chuckled. "Come here, Serena."

I hesitated, then stepped forward. "Why am I here?"

He studied me for a long moment. Then, he slid a knife across the desk toward me.

My breath caught.

I looked from the knife to him, heart hammering. "What—"

"You want control?" His voice was smooth, dangerous. "Take it."

I swallowed. "What are you playing at?"

He smirked. "You want power? You want a choice?" He nodded to the blade. "Then take it."

My hands clenched at my sides. "And do what?"

He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Kill me."

My breath hitched.

He was serious.

My pulse thundered. "Is this a joke?"

Lorenzo tilted his head. "No jokes, dolcezza."

He slowly spread his arms, baring his chest.

"No guards. No weapons. Just you and me."

I swallowed hard.

I could do it.

I should do it.

This was my chance.

But my feet stayed rooted to the floor.

Lorenzo's smirk deepened. "What's wrong, Serena? You're free to make a choice."

I hated him.

For trapping me here.

For twisting my mind.

For making me hesitate.

My hands trembled as I reached for the knife.

The cool steel felt heavy in my grip.

Lorenzo watched me like a predator. "Go on."

I took a shaky breath.

Lifted the blade.

Imagined plunging it straight into his heart.

And yet—

I couldn't move.

Lorenzo's gaze burned into me. "You're afraid."

I gritted my teeth. "I hate you."

He smiled. "Good."

Then, faster than I could react, he grabbed my wrist.

I gasped as he twisted me around, pinning me against the desk.

The knife clattered to the floor.

His breath was warm against my ear. "That hesitation?" His voice was a dark whisper. "That's what makes you mine."

My pulse pounded.

His grip was firm, but he wasn't hurting me.

He was toying with me.

I hated that it made my skin prickle.

He leaned in, voice dripping with amusement. "You're not ready to kill me yet."

I turned my head, glaring at him. "And you're not ready to let me go."

His smirk widened. "No, Serena. I'm not."

A long silence stretched between us.

Then he released me, stepping back.

I turned slowly, heart still racing.

Lorenzo gestured toward the door. "You can leave."

I blinked. "What?"

His expression was unreadable. "Go."

My throat tightened. It's a trick.

I hesitated, then turned and walked to the door.

The handle was cold under my fingers.

I turned it—

And it opened.

I froze.

I looked back at him.

He smirked. "Go ahead."

My breath caught.

This was it.

Freedom.

I stepped over the threshold.

Into the hall.

One step.

Two.

And then—

I stopped.

My fingers curled into fists.

I could run.

I could leave.

But deep down, in the darkest part of me, I knew the truth.

I wasn't ready to go.

Not yet.

Because I wasn't done fighting.

I turned, meeting Lorenzo's gaze.

His smirk deepened.

He knew.

I hated him.

And yet, for the first time since I had been brought here…

I felt like I was the one in control.

---

Oh my god, guys I think my book is going to hit 1,000 views tonight. Thank you so much for reading my book, supporting me, even though no one has voted for my book; when I saw that my book wasn't getting any votes, it was a huge discouragement. But I saw that I was getting a lot of views, so I decided to continue write because I know that someone will vote my book, god will send someone.