A/N: I hope that you guys enjoy this! I will try posting once a week when I can find the time. Also, to address some of the comments about this story sounding familiar, it should. I initially removed this story in 2013 with the intention of editing it. Fast forward almost six years later and I'm only now getting back to it. For everyone who may have been familiar with the original story may notice some slight changes to it. It's also being updated to our current vernacular (hailing a cab vs ordering a Lyft etc.). I hope this clears up some questions, let me know your thoughts! xo

I stood rooted in my spot. My uncle walks quickly to me and wraps me in his arms.

"Can we go home?" I ask him, ignoring Danny completely.

"You will do no such thing," Danny interjects.

"Danny, relax, I think she's overwhelmed. You have to understand things from her perspective," uncle Berto tries to subdue the situation.

"Yes, but she can't run off like her father," he says, ignoring me completely. There's something definitely not right about him, I just can't figure it out.

"She won't," my uncle insists.

My usually snippy demeanour was replaced by the compliant girl I used to be, the one who was too afraid to speak up and let things just happen to her. I didn't know how to get out of this uncomfortable situation, but I needed to find one quick. Each passing moment felt like my life was slipping between from my fingers.

"I won't," I said quietly, trying to appease him. I know that's the only way to get out of this situation without alerting him, but the only other coherent idea going through my mind is getting as far away from here.

"I demand your respect, do you understand?" Danny barks at me. I've seen the real person underneath, cold, calculating, and manipulative. Family isn't what's important to him, but wealth and power.

I simply nod my head and start turning to leave, but before I could get away completely, I feel Danny's presence behind me. In an instant he had his hand curled tightly around my bicep and started yanking me backward. Out of instinct I curl my other hand in a fist and punch him square in the jaw. Once I made contact, my body was in complete shock … I just punched him. I can't believe I just did that; did I have a death wish? Danny and my uncle both look at me in shock, while Danny's face was laced with pure rage. I quickly try to walk away, but my foot gets caught on the carpet and I fall on the floor. Danny starts stomping towards me like a serial killer in a slasher flick, and like those dumb protagonists, I stupidly start to crawl backwards towards the door.

"You little brat," Danny seethes.

"I'm… I'm sorry," I whimper, when he grabs my leg to pull me back to him.

"Danny, let her go," my uncle yells.

"She will learn some respect," Danny replies as he stalks towards me, stands me up only to slap me across the face with the back of his hand. His hand felt like metal when it made impact with my cheek.

"STOP DANIEL, that is enough," my uncle interjects and pulls him off of me. "I will take her home, you need to keep calm."

"Teach her some respect then I might practice some restraint," he spat, straightening his suit. "We were going to be kind and let you think you had some sort of freedom, but you will see what it means to be in this family."

My uncle nods once and wraps his arm around me, and without another look back we exit the room. My head was spinning, but the only thing I could truly think about is getting out of this situation. All my money is their money and if any of my accounts were used, they could easily find me.

And even with my own meager personal accounts, who's to say that they couldn't find my banking info? I'm fucked. My family is fucked, I wish I never knew anything about them.

xx

My uncle is silent the entire way home. I dare not glance at the man who may or may not share the same feelings about my outburst.

"I'm sorry for that," I said to my uncle when we got back to the penthouse.

"It's okay, though, I don't condone you punching him in his face, what he did was uncalled for. And I suppose springing on you that you have to get married to someone of his choosing was probably not the opportune time," he sighs, loosening his tie.

"You could say that," I gave him a sad smile, "Do you think he'll do anything to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Will he have me killed?" I said nervously

He takes a moment, and then begins to laugh, "You're an important person in this family, they would never think of coming for you, especially while I'm around."

"Will I really have to get married?"

"Yes, to someone we see fit."

"Why? We're not the Tudors."

He laughs again, "It helps to keep our family close."

"So I'll have to marry my cousin," I arch a brow.

"No, of course not, plus you don't have any cousins, probably a distant relative." My eyes widen in shock, "Don't worry, I was only joking."

For a moment I found relief, but a part of me was not convinced, "We're in the twenty-first century."

"I am aware."

"What if I don't want to?"

"You must, there is no another way," he breathes in heavily.

I need to get the fuck out of dodge and quick. I simply nod at him and walk into my room; I need to make a plan to get out of this situation. I can't trust my uncle; therefore, I can't trust my family. My only family.

I look at my face in the mirror and an angry bruise already on my cheek. I know if I use any of my personal accounts, I will only inform them of my whereabouts, how far does this even go? Do I need a new identity? A new name? As I rub my eyes trying to get the strain out of them.

I couldn't find any sleep and at around 4:30 am I decided I couldn't stay in bed thinking about how to best runaway. I shower quickly, got dressed, and then quietly walked out of my room. I can withdraw whatever cash is in my accounts and get out of the city as fast as I can.

I slowly walk through the great room but was slowly blocked by a big wall that shouldn't be there. I look up to see one of my uncle's many security guards.

Fuck.

"Hi," I say dumbly.

"Sorry, Miss Luciano, you are not permitted to leave the house at this time," he says sternly.

"What?" I ask incredulous.

"You are not permitted."

"No, I got that," I said annoyed, "but why can't I?"

"Under your uncles' orders."

"Well that's too bad isn't it," I said angrily.

"You must return to your room," he said. Like a prisoner?

"That will never happen," I scoff as I side step him. He grabs me by my arms and picks me up, I begin to but that asshole had me in a vice grip. "You fucking asshole, let me go."

"Sorry, miss, I'm under strict orders."

"I don't give a fuck who told you, I'm a grown woman."

"It's not safe for you outside."

"I think you mean the opposite," I spit out, as he sits me on my bed. "So I'm not allowed to leave my room?"

"No, Miss, just your home."

"This is not a home, this is a prison," I yell.

He nods at me and walks out. I tuck my feet close to my chest and close my eyes; I don't know what I'm going to do now. Who can I turn to?

xx

The next few days my uncle was nowhere to be found, but my "protectors" have still successfully imprisoned me. Everything that I had wanted was sent up or fetched by the numerous men at my uncle's disposal. I spent a lot of time on my balcony, it was the only time I could actually be outside. There was nowhere but over the balcony I could go, the door and the elevator are always guarded. I doubt that I could scale down from this high up.

Why did I have to be so nosy and demanded to know everything? Now that I know, I'm imprisoned under my family's order and groomed to be someone's wife. A fucking wife to a stranger.

My phone rang, checking the I.D. it was still a blocked. I groan and walk into my room with my phone in hand, but once it stopped ringing feel one single vibration. Voicemail. That's different.

Placing it in my back pocket I go into the kitchen to get some lunch, the guard positioned there was standing like a statue. Sitting at the breakfast bar, I start eating my sandwich while flipping through my phone. The red circle over the phone app kept calling me to look at it, but every time I tried touching the button I would hesitate. I really want to know who the fuck this is. Biting the bullet, I finally checked it.

"Hello, beautiful, I know what's been happening, I want to help you," the velvet voiced filled my ear and my body warmed. "In an hour, a package will be delivered that you have to sign for, and when it comes please don't panic. You will understand soon."

Christian.

I replayed his message over and over again, when did he call? 1:05 pm. So at 2:05 he'll be here? What does he plan on doing? I quickly busied myself, packing what would fit in a backpack: laptop, chargers, some clothes, and my lone book.

Immediately after I had finished, I sat in the kitchen pretending to read as I waited for the elevator to ping. I couldn't focus on anything, so I began to pace in the kitchen trying to busy myself. I know I can't really trust Christian, but honestly, I don't have any other choice at this point.

Finally, the elevator doors ping and my heartbeat starts to quicken. I could barely hear the conversation happening in the foyer. It was muffled, so I couldn't hear their words, but I was quickly alerted by a loud gunshot that rang through the entire house. I sat stiff in my chair as the other guard takes out his gun and runs into the direction of the sound, and then another gunshot. After a few minutes no one came into the great room, the deliveryman must be dead, he probably didn't know about the two men guarding me. I get up from my seat tentatively and make my way through the great room through the foyer.

"Hello miss," the man in the UPS uniform greeted me.

"Uh, hi," I reply sheepishly. On the ground were the two men guarding me. Why was that so simple? Just one shot each.

"Sorry, about the mess," he winks at me.

"That's okay," I said quietly… that's okay? Really, Ana, the man just shot two men in the foyer of your home and you say that's okay?

"Do you have things that you want to take with you?"

"Uh, yeah, they're in my room, let me get them," I reply.

"Please get it quickly, we need to get out of here," he says, I give him a nod and head to my room.

When I finally get back to him, he takes it from me and leads me to the elevators where he presses P1.

"Are you okay?" he asks, as he escorts me into an awaiting car.

"Yes," I reply.

"You must be special," he muses.

"Sorry?" I reply as we begin to drive away. I look around me and notice that everything was blacked out.

"He went through a lot of trouble to get you out of there," he observes.

"Yeah, I guess, why do you think that is?"

"Who knows, but he's never been the type to pursue anyone, so that means that you're probably very special." I take his words in and sit quietly in the back seat. After a few minutes we reach a parking lot where he finally stops the car. "This is you," he smiles at me.

"What do you mean?"

"That car over there," he motions outside, "will get you to your destination."

"Hello, miss," he says in an Italian accent. I nod at him as he opens the door for me to get in, once situated he drives away quickly past the other car.

After a nearly three-hour drive we arrive in Round Hill in Greenwich, Connecticut. The large iron gates opened to a driveway that led to a large Victorian style house, it was beautiful. Every shrub, flower, and tree was perfectly groomed.

Despite this neighbourhood reminding me a lot of Wisteria lane, where everyone knew everyone's business, where affairs were a common thing… bored housewives, it was seemingly perfect. It seemed almost peaceful.

"Where is Christian?" I ask, getting a bit nervous. I didn't get any weird vibes from him, but really who can I trust at this point

"He will be out soon, miss," he answers once he helped me out of the car.

"Ana," Christian exclaims, my head whips up and a large smile immediately filled my face, but I quickly wiped it away. Poker face, Ana.

"What is that?" he asks me. Brows furrowing as he looks me up and down.

"What?" I ask, he quickly strode up to me and held my face in his hands.

"This," he growls.

"It's just a bruise," I shrug, "it's okay."

"Fuck, did he do this?" he grits.

"Christian, it's okay, it's healing."

"NO, this should have never fucking happened," he says tightly.

"It's healing," I reassure him. He closes his eyes and takes long breaths.

He finally opens his eyes and then motions to the man who escorted me here to take my bag inside.

"I'm sorry for my outburst," he finally replies. He grabs my hand and pulls me into his side. "How are you?" he asks in my ear.

"I'm okay," I confess, "really good actually. I've been kept indoors for more than three days."

"I know," he gives me a small smile.

"How?" I ask.

"I'll tell you at dinner," he promises, "you're safe here."

"I know," I said quietly.

"How could you be so sure," he smirks.

I quirk my eyebrow at him, "Just have a feeling," I shrug.

"Here, let me lead you to your room to get freshened up and then meet me back here?"

"Okay," I reply. He walks me up the grand staircase and into a large room overlooking the backyard that looked over a lake with a dock. It was so serene, almost like a painting.

"See you soon."

I give him a small distracted smile, while I turn back to watch the dock. I open the window and breathe in the fresh air, despite the crazy thoughts running through my mind, I had this little piece of perfection.

I grabbed a change of clothes, then laid on the bed, my phone has been vibrating off the hook, my uncle. I turned it off and crushed it by giving it a whack with the metal statue on my side table. When I finally got up from the bed, I went downstairs to find Christian sitting in the dining room reading the paper.

"Knock, knock," I say.

"Hello, Ana," he replies.

"Thank you for this," I say as I take a seat across from him.

"Only doing what feels right."

"And what's that?"

"To help you."

"What makes you think that?" I ask, he laughs and crosses his leg.

"Well you were held captive," he says nonchalantly.

"How did you know that exactly?"

"I have my sources," he smiles, joke on me.

"Okay, Christian, I need you to be honest with me, why do you want to help me?"

"I feel the need to."

"Why?"

"If I knew, I would tell you," he smiles, "you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever had the pleasure of looking into."

I roll my eyes him, "How did you know?"

"A little bird told me," he shrugs, I quirk my eyebrow at him, "alright, I may have someone in your family who I talk to openly."

"You have a mole?"

"No, not at all, just a family friend who may or may not work for your uncle."

"KATHERINE!"

He gives me a cocky smile.