You're not HIM

"So Mr. Knight, are you interested in our deal?", Mr. Ivanov asked Xavier who was slouched on the couch and was looking at the father-son duo with a grumpy face. Xavier was currently at the cocktail lounge along with Mr. Ivanov and his son Augustus who were discussing about their new project.

"We both together will form a strong and powerful squad. Moreover, with Antonio's advanced weapons and your well-trained army, we will become invincible and will build the strongest and most powerful Mafia force in the world."

Augustus chirped as he tried his best to flatter Xavier who was lost in his own thoughts. Hearing him Xavier's eyes sparked as something clicked his mind. Although he was angry at the little stunts of his Rosebud but he always kept his professional and personal life separate. He never let his emotions took a toll over his mind as being the most powerful Mafia in the world, he also holds some responsibilities towards his empire and members. He needs to be on his toes all the time and if he led his personal matters jam his senses then it can invite troubles for him. Xavier was well aware that he is always being watched by his enemies and his slightest mistake can lead to deadly consequences.

After excogitating for some time, Xavier finally looked at Augustus who was staring him with hopeful eyes.

"I need six of yours best choppers", Xavier said in a cold tone. His words immediately wiped off the smile from Augustus' face.

"S-Six? Mr. Knight, I am sorry but we can't give you six of our Alligators in free. You need to-", he replied in a scared tone but Xavier cut him in between.

"Who said I am asking you to give me in free? Name the amount I will pay it.", Xavier replied in a gruff tone. Augustus' eyes turned wide as saucers as he looked at him in shock. Mr. Ivanov was quiet the whole time as he kept studying Xavier silently.

Mr. Albert Ivanov was one of the most powerful Mafia of Russia. He was also a business magnate who had his own company that manufacturers the best advanced and high-tech choppers in the world. The prices of his modern and latest helicopters touch the sky and Albert was well aware that Xavier won't be able to pay him such a hefty amount. But he knew that Xavier was obdurate, he can go to any extent to fulfil his stubbornness. Although his son, Augustus only wanted Xavier to become their business partner but Albert didn't want to keep their relationship professional. He wanted Xavier to become his friend.

"Mr. Knight, you won't be able to-", Augustus again tried to speak.

"100 billion"

"What?"

"200 billion"

"W-Wait Mr. Knight"

"300, 400, 500 NAME IT!!", Xavier growled and slammed his right fist on the table. The glasses of wine kept on the table rattled because of the impact and soiled Augustus' costly tailored pants. He glared Xavier in anger and was about to lash out at him when Mr. Ivanov grabbed his left hand. He gave it a tight squeeze signalling him to calm down. Augustus exhaled sharply and closed his eyes to suppress his anger. Albert then put up a sweet smile on his face and looked at Xavier who was glaring them furiously.

"Mr. Knight, I know you have an agile mind and I also know that you are well aware of the cost of my choppers. But I am here to take our professional relationship to another level. We want to be your friends Mr. Knight and do you think that we will demand this much amount from you?", he spoke softly. Xavier looked at him with sharp eyes, his words sounded genuine which was able to assuage his raging temper somehow.

"I don't want your friendship. I want your choppers Ivanov.", Xavier scoffed. Augustus balled his fists in anger as he didn't like the way he was talking with his father. But Albert kept his calm and nodded.

"I am extending a hand for friendship. Being a Mafia, you know Mr. Knight that the more alliance and the more supporters you have, the stronger and powerful you become. You want six. I can give you ten Mr. Knight. In fact, you don't have to pay for it too. And I think you can't say fairer than that, can you?", he smirked. Xavier looked at him with narrowed eyes as he tried to decipher the real meaning behind his sugar-coated words.

"And you also know that if a powerful Mafia himself is giving his most important weapon to another Mafia on a silver platter, then definitely there is a hidden motive or rather say his own selfishness behind it.", Xavier replied as he flashed him a cocky smirk. Augustus glared him. His words only fuelled up his anger more.

"Mr. Knight, you are crossing your limits now. We are talking with you nicely but here; you are being way too rude. I always thought that you were a gentleman but it seems like I did my research wrong.", he sneered. Although he just wanted to strangle Xavier at the moment but still, he chose his words wisely. Xavier looked at him. A husky chuckle escaped his lips and soon the room boomed with laughter.

"Well, that's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard because a Mafia can be anything but not a gentleman. I think you need to learn more callow young man.", he snickered.

"HOW DARE YOU-"

"Augustus, let me talk.", Albert immediately tried to calm his son down who was shooting daggers at Xavier. Augustus huffed in frustration and immediately stood up from the chair. Giving Xavier a death glare, he stomped off the lounge. Xavier scoffed and looked away. He stood up and went to the bar counter.

"I apologise on behalf of my son, Mr. Knight", Albert spoke in a remorseful voice. Xavier shook his head as he started preparing drinks for the two of them.

"No need to. Just tell me are you ready to make a deal with me or not?", he spoke coldly while pouring vodka in the glass. Albert smirked.

"Alright then. I agree to give you six of my most advanced choppers but in return I want your friendship. I don't care if you consider me as your friend or not but I do. And you are right, there is a hidden motive behind this alliance.", he confessed.

"I knew it. So, what is it?", Xavier chuckled as he put two ice cubes in his glass. He offered a drink to Albert. Albert laughed and took the glass from his hands.

"I never knew you know how to make White Russian."

Xavier smirked. "Well, my maternal uncle was a bar chef. I lived with him for around five years and used to watch him making exotic drinks and cocktails.", he replied. Albert nodded.

"So? Who is the cause of your headache", Xavier asked him as he took a sip of his drink?

"Ashton Finn. Leader of Red Eagle."

No sooner Xavier heard that name, his actions froze. He looked at Albert in surprise.

"Ashton? But he is our-"

"I know that he is your new partner but Xavier do you even know that Ashton Finn is a sick deranged man? Moreover, is on a hunt for you." Albert immediately cut him off in midway. Xavier looked at him with wide eyes.

"What? But Sebastian knows him. He told me that Ashton is a very friendly guy and is too smart. Antonio had even made a deal of around fifty thousand machine guns and one million assault rifles with his company. After Antonio, Ashton's company is the best manufacturer of weapons in the world. They have been good trading partners since years. How come Antonio never told me about this?", he growled in a dark tone as he was completely baffled.

Albert chuckled." You may be the world's most powerful Mafia but I also wasn't born yesterday. That guy has been searching me like mad dogs for two years even when I don't even have any enmity with him. I was too puzzled when Ashton all of a sudden started targeting our bases and my gang. We also couldn't sit back and counterattack. Since then, we have been at daggers at drawn. Finally, when Augustus confronted Ashton and told him to stop this bloodshed, do you know what was the first thing he demanded?"

Xavier looked at him with raised brows.

"What?"

"Your head.", Albert spat. Xavier clenched his jaw.

"We were also bewildered like you. To save you, we told him that we told them that we don't have any relationships with your gang but Ashton didn't buy our lies. The Red Eagle had been troubling us for a long time. Moreover, that guy is an enigma. Antonio doesn't know about his evil side because Ashton has always kept his personal life a secret. I have heard that he was a highly intelligent and good man earlier but after his brother's mysterious death, he lost his mind.", Albert told him. Xavier furrowed his brows.

"Brother?"

"Yes, he had a younger brother who was murdered by someone. Ashton loved him too much and his sudden death left a huge impact on his mind. He was emotionally broken and that's how he came into the dark world. Do you know that Ashton Finn is famous as the Blood King in the underworld because he loves to shed blood of his enemies? He tortures his enemy in the most brutal and vicious way that anyone could ever imagine. He is a bloodthirsty beast but what I am worried about that why is he after you?", Albert told Xavier in a serious tone. Xavier frowned.

"I don't even know Ashton in the first place. Antonio was the one who told me about him. I also don't have anything to do with his brother's death then what could be the reason?"

Xavier's brows were creased together. He put pressure on his mind to think as to why that psychopath was after him. Albert looked at his anxious face. He placed a hand on his shoulder and was about to speak when Antonio suddenly barged in.

"XAVIER!!"

Albert jumped by his loud scream. Antonio looked at them, anxiety and dread was smeared all over his face. Xavier looked at him.

"What happened?", he asked him in his husky voice.

"R-Rosa. She is missing."

*****

Rosaline's P.O.V

"Ah!! my head"

A painful groan escaped my lips as my head throbbed in pain. It felt as if I had been hit over by a truck as I couldn't even move a muscle. I slowly tried to open my eyes but I wasn't able to as if tons of weight have been kept over them. After struggling for a while, I finally opened my eyes. I squinted them so as to get a proper view of my surroundings but all I could see was red everywhere. I felt something soft beneath me. It was comfy and I knew it was a bed.

I immediately tried to get up but I was pulled back by a strong force and pushed back on the bed. My face scrunched in pain. I looked back. My heart froze.

'I was chained!'

"NO!!"

I shrieked and tugged hard on those disgusting chains. I immediately scanned my surroundings only to find myself in a room which was illuminated by a single source of light which was a red bulb on the ceiling.

I quickly looked down. I was still in my clothes making me sigh in relief. Suddenly the past incidences started flashing in my mind like a cassette tape.

'Katherine was the one who took me here.'

My blood boiled in anger. That bitch. She got the fucking audacity to kidnap me and even left me here to die.

"HELP!! SOMEBODY HELP!!!"

I started screaming my lungs out. I was beyond terrified. My day couldn't get more worse than this. Firstly, the encounter with that mysterious shadow who claimed himself as my bully, secondly receiving those threatening messages, thirdly the scuffle with Katherine and finally getting kidnapped.

"XAVIER!!! JENNIFER!! EMILY!!! ANTONIO!!!"

I yelled as tears started collecting in my eyes. My senses had stopped working now and my mind was only able to fabricate deadly, scary possibilities that made my blood churn in trepidation.

'What if he is really Michael? What if he takes advantage of me? I am chained like an animal, I won't be able to save myself. What should I do?'

A lone tear escaped my eyes. But I immediately shook my head.

"No Rosa. Stay strong. You have to get out of here at any cost. Do something. Don't give up. Do something."

I frantically nodded my head and started looking here and there to find something which I can use as a weapon. I quickly checked my legs. I sighed in relief as my legs were free. I pressed my right elbow on the mattress and put all my weight on it. I twisted my body and turned to my right. Although that fucking drug had numbed my muscles but I forced myself to lay down on my front. I grabbed the bedpost and with its help I pulled myself upwards. I sat on my knees and started pulling on the chains with full force.

"URGG!!!"

I shouted and kept pulling the chains. The only sound that could be heard in the room were my loud screams and the clanking of those rusty iron chains. The terrifying part was that my wrists were restrained with shackles which made it more difficult for me to free myself. I tried, cried, struggled but all my efforts turned vain. I know it was a totally useless and absurd move but I can't just sit here and wait for my kidnapper to kill me. My wrists were completely bruised by now. My skin also got torn from certain places and blood started oozing from them.

The creaking of door grabbed my attention. My breath hitched. I immediately turned back.

'He's here'

I squinted my eyes and blinked them multiple times. Everything was too dark but I could make out a silhouette of a man in the dark. And I knew he was watching me which made my insides churn in fear.

"I didn't bring you here so that you can hurt yourself."

His thick and rich accent was too frightening. I could feel my body shaking but I balled my fingers into a tight fist, digging my nails in my flesh.

"I brought you here so that I can hurt you."

He rasped in a dark tone.

'Oh My God!'

My heart nearly stopped beating after hearing his menacing words. But I need to keep my head as my reckless actions will only lead to my downfall.

Soon the squeaking of his boots echoed in the room. I kept looking his way.

'Click'

'He locked the door.'

That freak then started walking towards me. I could make it out by the sounds of his footsteps which slowly became louder and louder. He was approaching me. By now I could feel my heart thudding in my throat. My palms turned clammy. I pressed my back on the bed firmly and maintained eye contact. I can't show him my scared side. I need to be strong.

His face soon came in my view. He was wearing a black cap; his mouth was covered with a black mask but a soft gasp escaped my lips when my eyes met with his icy cold green orbs which was staring me ferociously.

'Keep calm Rosaline, keep calm.'

Tears pooled in my eyes but I blinked them away. He slowly raised his left hand in air. He took off his cap and threw it across the room. I flinched hard making him scoff.

"I've been waiting for you since so many years.", he snickered and ran a hand through his hair. I gulped.

"Finally, my torture ended today.", he chuckled and pulled off his mask. I tried to look at his face but it was too dark. I wanted to know whether he was really Michael or a creep. I startled and shrivelled back when suddenly he raised his left knee in air and put it on the bed. The mattress dipped down making my heart sank.

"And finally, I will be able to quench the thirst of my revenge.", he gritted. My body turned stiff.

I was barefoot which was disadvantageous for me or else I would have poked his eyes with my heels. He started crawling towards me making me shiver in fear.

"Who are you?"

I tried to sound confident and fortunately I didn't stutter. My words made him halt in his steps. He stayed rooted on his spot and his green orbs stared me with sheer anger. I clenched my jaw as I couldn't make myself to look in his menacing orbs anymore.

We had a good staring competition of around two minutes. Neither he backed away nor me, neither he blinked nor me. I don't know from where I got this courage but right now it was only me who can save myself. His eyes slowly started turning red because of staring for a long time. He then broke the eye contact and looked down. I felt him fisting the bed sheet tightly as if he was trying hard to control his temper. His body was literally shaking in anger while his deep, loud breaths resonated inside that closed room. I looked at him with horror-filled eyes as I heard the sound of his teeth chattering.

'He's not normal. He is insane.'

'I am stuck with a psychopath. Lord, please help me.'

Soon he calmed down. I heaved a deep sigh of relief and thanked the Lord. Slowly that monster looked up and that's how his whole face finally came in my view. My gaze hardened as I took in his features.

"How can't you remember me Puppy? I am your Michael", he chuckled and looked at me with a mocking smile.

I scoffed.

"Oh really? But I think you forgot something on my legs, Mr. Kidnapper"

My sarcastic words were enough to wipe off the disgusting smile from his face. He lowered his head and looked down.

"Really? What is it?", he mumbled with a frown. I chuckled.

"YOUR FUCKING LENS!!"

And with that I raised my legs in air and kicked him off the bed.

~~~💗~~~