Page 16 of Their Reckless Thief (The Below #1)

CELESTE

The grilled cheese was perfect. Warm and crispy on the outside, cheese oozing with every bite.

The tomato soup was seasoned just right, comforting in a way I hadn’t expected.

I let myself enjoy it. For a brief second, I forgot where I was, forgot about the monsters who were keeping me here, playing their twisted games.

The food made me feel like I was back in my apartment with Vivian. Normal. Safe.

Human.

But then reality hit me. What the hell was I doing?

This place… these men… They weren’t my friends.

They weren’t caretakers offering me comfort.

They were mafia lords, murderers, and criminals.

Dorian’s smile, Vincenzo’s cold authority, Luca’s silent stare.

It was control. Manipulation. I was a prisoner, and no amount of grilled cheese or warmth would change that. They wanted to use me.

I swallowed the last bite, the taste now bitter in my mouth. I couldn’t stay here. Not like this. I couldn’t let myself be lulled into any sense of comfort, no matter how hungry or tired I was. This wasn’t safety. This was survival.

Dorian grabbed the dirty dishes and took them to the sink, whistling too cheerfully given the circumstances. My heart sped up. He was distracted.

This was it.

I glanced around, my eyes locking on the doorway. I had no idea where I was going, but anything was better than sitting around waiting for whatever they had planned for me. If I could slip out, find an exit...

My pulse raced as I stood slowly, slipping out the door and into the hallway.

I kept my steps light, ears tuned for any signs of movement.

The corridors were dimly lit, shadows stretching as I made my way toward what I hoped was the back of the mansion.

I had no idea how many guards were posted, but I was careful, pressing myself against the walls and pausing every few steps to listen.

Footsteps.

I froze. A guard was coming down the hallway from the other direction. I ducked behind a large decorative vase, heart pounding. He walked past without a glance, too bored or too cocky to notice me.

I let out a slow breath and continued.

The mansion was huge, every corner a maze of doors, hallways, and grand rooms. I passed through a small study, glancing at the ornate bookshelves and dark leather furniture. It smelled faintly of cigars and something like magic. The scent clung to the air with a sickly sweetness.

Finally, I spotted a door at the end of the corridor, the heavy kind that screamed “exit.” My heart raced with hope.

I pushed forward, my pace quickening. If I could just make it through that door, I’d have a chance.

I didn’t care if I had to run all night or hide in the streets of The Below; anything was better than being trapped in this hellhole with Vincenzo and his crew.

My fingers brushed against the metal, and then I felt the faint hum of magic. I tugged on the handle, but it didn’t budge. Not even a little.

“No, no, no…” I muttered, yanking harder.

It was sealed. Magically sealed.

Frustration boiled over, and I pounded my fists against the door, tears burning behind my eyes. I was so close. So damn close. Why did I even think this would work? Why did I let myself believe for one second that there was a way out?

“Come on,” I hissed, hitting the door again.

I fought back the tears, my breathing erratic. I wasn’t going to cry. Not here. Not like this.

I pressed my forehead against the cold wood, my mind spinning. How long before they noticed I was gone? How much time did I have left before?—

“Enjoying yourself?”

The voice sent a chill down my spine, and I froze in place. My heart dropped into my stomach as I slowly turned around.

Vincenzo stood in the shadows, leaning casually against the wall.

His dark eyes gleamed with amusement, but there was a dangerous edge to them.

Unbothered by the tension thickening the room, Vincenzo lifted the goblet he carried, the blood leaving a faint stain on his lips as he watched me with cool detachment.

“You’re not going anywhere, Celeste.” His voice was like ice, sending shivers down my back. “I’ve been watching you the whole time.”

My breath caught in my throat. He’d been watching me? The entire time? Gods, I wasn’t just a prisoner. I was a fucking puppet in his game, dancing to his tune, without even realizing it.

Vincenzo stepped forward out of the shadows. His intense, predatory gaze never wavered from mine. I was trapped, cornered like a rabbit in front of a wolf.

“You’re creative, I’ll give you that,” he said, his lips curling into a dark smirk. “But you’re too predictable. You can’t leave unless I allow it.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry as his words hit me. I wanted to scream, to fight, to claw my way out of this mansion, out of this nightmare. But Vincenzo was right. I wasn’t going anywhere.

Not unless he let me.

His presence was suffocating and overwhelming, taking up all the space in the hallway. Every instinct in me screamed to run, but I was frozen in place.

He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel his breath against my skin. His eyes raked over me, taking in the desperation, the fear, and the frustration I knew was written all over my face. He reveled in it. I could see it in the way his smirk deepened, in the cruel glint in his eyes.

“Try this again,” Vincenzo whispered, his voice dripping with a lethal promise, “and you’ll wish I’d left you in that cell.”

I could barely breathe, let alone respond. His gaze held mine, unrelenting.

Before I could say anything, footsteps echoed from behind us. Dorian appeared at the far end of the corridor, wiping his hands clean on a dish towel.

“Found her, did you?” he called out.

Vincenzo didn’t take his eyes off me, his smirk fading into a hard, unyielding expression. “Keep your pet on a leash, Dorian. Or she’s going back to the cell.”

Dorian’s easygoing demeanor slipped for a second. He gave a short nod, meeting Vincenzo’s gaze as he stepped closer. “Noted.”

Vincenzo shot me one last icy look before turning on his heel and walking away.

I stood there, my pulse still hammering in my ears, my body shaking from the confrontation. Dorian moved closer, his gaze softening as he took my arm.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you back before you piss him off even more.”

I let him lead me back down the hallway, my mind whirling with confusion, fear, and anger. Vincenzo’s words echoed in my head.

You can’t leave unless I allow it.

I had to get out.

Dorian threw his arm around my shoulders with casual ease, like we were old friends.

“You know, Celeste, based on the way you ran from me in the kitchen, I’m starting to doubt your feelings for me.

” His voice was light, teasing, and that grin was so effortlessly charming it made my stomach flip in the most irritating way.

Butterflies.

Fucking butterflies.

I hated myself for it.

Why did they have to be so damn hot? If they were ugly, this would all be so much easier. But no, they had to be built like gods, all muscle and sharp jawlines, and they had to walk around acting like this whole thing was just a game.

I gave Dorian a sideways glance, doing my best to keep my voice neutral. “Yeah, I’m heartbroken over you doubting my affections for you, Dorian. It’s really keeping me up at night.”

He chuckled, the sound low and rich, which only made the butterflies worse. I hated that he could get under my skin so easily. It wasn’t fair.

“I’m hitting the gym,” he said, as if my heart hadn’t just leaped into my throat.

“After that, I have a meeting with Vincenzo, then I’m heading out to one of my bars.

Gotta keep up appearances, you know? Boss man stuff.

You wanna tag along to all of that, or would you prefer being locked in a room somewhere? ”

I could tell by the glint in his eye that he wasn’t actually giving me a choice. The alternative was a locked room, and I wasn’t about to willingly walk into another cell.

“Guess I’ll tag along,” I muttered. If I played my cards right, I might learn something. Maybe even find another opportunity to escape or at least a weak spot in their setup.

Dorian grinned, clearly pleased with my decision. “Good choice, love. Hope you’re ready for a show. A gun show, that is.”

I rolled my eyes at him. I might have made a mistake agreeing to follow him around all day. Still, better to be with him and out in the open than locked away, right?

He led me down a series of hallways. The mansion was like an elaborate maze of luxury and darkness.

Every room we passed oozed wealth—expensive artwork, grand chandeliers, and furniture that probably cost more than my entire apartment building.

The place was a fortress of sin and power, and no matter how much I pretended not to care, it got under my skin.

Eventually, we got to a training area. The term gym didn’t really fit the massive room lined with mirrored walls, reflecting every piece of high-end equipment you could imagine.

Free weights, punching bags, treadmills, mats for sparring, and a boxing ring in the middle of the room.

It was a full-on training facility, not some rich guy’s vanity gym.

“Welcome to our personal torture chamber,” Dorian said with a smirk as he dropped his arm from my shoulders. He walked over to the dumbbells like he owned the place. “Feel free to admire me while I work out. It’s quite a sight to behold, or so I’ve been told.”

I rolled my eyes again but couldn’t help the tiny smirk that tugged at my lips.

Cocky bastard.

“Torture chamber, huh? Didn’t peg you for a masochist.”

He laughed. “Depends on the day.”