JASON.

Elena's POV:

It was just like I said. The moment his balls were about to be chopped I was leaving. Grace and the others stayed there though. I sighed as I descended the stairs before I heard his screams. They were so fucking loud I had to cover my ears. I noticed someone standing by the French door and paused. It was Jason. I smiled, glad to see him. He walked towards me with a smile on his face as well.

"I was hoping to see you." He said.

"Why?" I cocked a curious brow.

"I got both of us something. I mean back in Gretchen's house we used to eat it a lot." He opened a pack of pancakes and I laughed. He smiled. I loved pancakes a lot.

"You made it yourself?" I asked while he nodded and offered me one. I received it with a smile of course. I missed Jason a lot, and even the times we spent together.

"You really did a lot for yourself. I don't think I would have been as bold as you if it came to my father. I mean..."

"I understand. Doing that to him gives me absolutely no regrets though. I'm finally free from his clutches. Even my nightmares wouldn't go unless I knew he was gone." I took a bite out of the pancake again and was loving it with the honey.

"Sometimes, I wish it was me you chose to marry, not Antonio." He said and I raised my gaze.

"I wasn't left with too much of a choice. He was the only one who could help me the way I wanted, so I succumbed to every of his will."

"Do you love him though?" Jason asked and I looked away. I still wasn't sure about my feelings yet.

"I don't know," I said.

"Are you sure about that? He provides for you, he cares about you, and he kills anyone who tries to get away with harming you. He protects you. How come you don't understand whether or not you love him? Or is there somebody else?" He asked and I paused my eating. Was there someone else?

"I don't want to talk about that. Let's talk about you. How did you get to join the mafia?"

"I'm not exactly a mafia person yet. They gave me two choices. And I sincerely believe that's one of the darkest parts of being a mafia. They told me to drink blood."

"What?" My eyes widened.

"Just like Hernandez did while he was still alive."

"Blood? Why would you do that?"

"So I could get what I want. But they gave me another option and it's not really something I want to talk about."

"So you couldn't do the first?"

"Why would I do that? It's so gross."

"You can tell me what the second one is can't you."

"Sadly I can't. I was told not to mention it until I've executed the mission. Anything aside that could lead to death. And I'm not just ready to die." He chuckled at his statement. "You know, when I heard you were in the mafia I was really stunned and glad that you were here and I wanted to see you again. I joined this team as a driver because I wanted to be with you for a short while before I finally go into the real task."

"You're not staying here for long then?"

He shook his head.

"I'm not supposed to leave until the mission is accomplished."

"Does the mission have anything to do with Antonio?"

"Not at all. But it has everything to do with me. Until I can handle myself, I won't be able to leave this place."

"But I need to understand you. Are you doing this all for power? Because it's one of the things that can destroy the focus of people. Tell me you're not doing this because you're blinded by power, Jason. It's really dangerous."

"I just want to have a say amongst the elites. I need to gain recognition because I don't want to be disrespected by anyone. Antonio and Derek are both lucky they had their supremacy given to them on a golden platter."

"It might but do you know what it would have taken them to maintain that supremacy after all these years? To hold on to their reputation so it will never fall, and what they are still doing to maintain it?"

"I don't believe the capacity to get it is all that as much as the capacity to maintain it. To keep it. You have to build that capacity, not to be but to continue being."

"I think that will be sorted out on its own. I have the capacity, I just have to prove myself."

"Just remember that the mafia team is a slippery pathway. You slip, you stumble, you fall. And every other person will walk on your bones like you've never existed. I've seen it happen in the mafia. Every person that Antonio has killed has lost one power or the other. Whereas when discovered dead, the juniors take up the position not caring who dies and who doesn't. It's the survival of the fittest. Between life and death. Either one kills or gets killed. Antonio taught me all I know today, knowingly and unknowingly." I sighed.

"And you indeed got smarter. I can tell, it's written all over you." He said and I grinned. He stared at me for a while. I studied the scar on his eyes, it was something that didn't use to be there but I'd decided not to dig into that. I was curious though, what had caused it. He noticed I was staring at his scar and touched it before smiling.

"I didn't mean to stare that long."

"It was caused by Seth. That night he came to attack both me and Grethen. It was as I expected for both of us. I was able to shoot him in the leg but he was able to scar me for the rest of my life. I never hid it though until I came here. I didn't want anyone to know who I was, even you." He stated.

"I see." I was getting a little bit exhausted after the long day. "I think I'll be going to my room now. I'll see you tomorrow." He smiled and rose before bowing m

"Mademoiselle, I'd love to escort you."

"Antonio..."

"It's just an escort. I'll be gone before you know it."

"Fine." I walked up the stairs and he followed. When I reached my room and was about to open my door, my head was spinning and I was seeing things in double. I clutched my head.

"Elena, are you okay?" I wasn't even able to answer.

I tried to but...I blacked out.