Honest

eighteen

I watch him. Just moving. Studying him. It's funny, because I just realized what this is.

This isn't a chance.

This is war.

And he's an expert in strategy. An expert in war. He sings a nice song, but underneath the pretty words is just thinly veiled threats.

Of course I knew that. He's not flirting me into a corner. He's pushing me in one.

He cooks something, attentive to the pan, as he pulls things from cabinets.

What does he really want from me?

I decide to ask. “What do you want, Giuseppe?"

He looks up at me startled. “What do I want? I thought I told—”

“What do you really want? Why are you trying to keep me hostage here?"

He smiles. “You're so smart. It's irritating."

I smile facetiously. “Tell me. You're always honest? Right?”

He chuckles. “I am. But as I'm sure you've figured out, honest and truth can be different."

I nod, moving.the pepper shakers.

“So then answer me. What do you really want from me?”

“Can't we just have a nice meal without all the negativity, gattina?”

I scoff. “Of course not. I'm pessimistic at least and twisted at best. Answer me."

He whips out a knife, making me quirk my brow. I wish he would.

He chops some vegetables.

“You're so hard to love. You're a naughty little—”

“Spare me," I spit.

He chuckles. “Babe, can't you just...be? You don't have to be so wild and hostile, huh?’

I scoff. “You don't seem to understand. Those honeyed words don't actually work on me. I might go along with it for a bit, but don't think I actually believe it.”

He sighs. “Well, just another irritating thing about you, huh?"

Heh. So he's not gonna tell me. But he also doesn't expect I'll leave.

“There's a plan here,” I explain. “It started in the prison. You latched on to me, and now, you're trying to paint in a corner where you hold the brush."

He smiled. “Astute observation. Wine?”

“Answers. I'm not like the other little girls out here, who'll bend to your will with a litte coaxing. I will set your world on fire, boy."

He chuckles, leaning over the counter, his nose pressing against mine. “Oh baby I'm counting on it,” He breathes.

My breath catches.

“I've been waiting for you to show me some of that...fire,” he looks between my eyes. “You say you're gonna burn my world down but I don't even see a spark. Where is it, sweetness?”

I laugh. “You're a masochist.”

He ignores my question.

“It's like you wanna pretend you're normal. That's no fun. And not honest. C'mon. This house is full of fun things. You haven't tried to resist, to fight.” he shakes his head. “It's disappointing.”

I study his eyes. “That's what you want? You want me to feel trapped so I'll explode on you?”

“Well nothing else seems to working,” He murmured. “I don't want a kitty. I need a tiger. And I won't know if you're worth my time until you show me what you got.”

Heh. “And that's it? That's all?”

“What do you have I can't get?” he says. “If I wanted your gang. I wouldn't seduce you. I'd take it.” He sneers. “That's my honesty. I don't do tricks.”

I guess tricks are for kids.

I sit back, breathing my own air for the first time on what feels like hours.

The truth in his words is hard to ignore.

“You a masochist?”

He chuckles. “Fire doesn't burn me. I'm a dragon. I eat that s**t for breakfast. There's few people in this world like us, don't you think?”

He pours me a drink.

“If you're not the one, I'll move on. But I want to see. I want to see if you can handle it."

I grab the cup, sipping.

“I don't trust you, Giuseppe. You're reasoning is flawed as fuck.”

“Is it? What? You think just any woman out here can handle me? Again, I'm disappointed."

I swallow. This is a damn mess. But he won't leave me alone.

“Fine. And if I refuse to play your little f****d up game?”

He takes me cup from my hand with a sly smirk. “Oh,” He sips from it, placing his lips where my lipstick stained the cup, “There's only so much anyone can take before they blow.”

He chuckles into the cup with a wink.

• • •

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