Chapter Six Jennifer
Chapter Six
Jennifer
As Daniel drives onto the mansion grounds, a wave of unease washes over me. The building is breathtaking, practically radiating wealth and power—but being here, trapped with him, makes my stomach twist in knots.
Of course, he took care of me, bought me breakfast, and even calmed me down when I felt like I was spiraling.
But I still don’t know if I can trust him. He claims he didn’t shoot that man, but how can I believe anything he says?
I don’t know him. I don’t know if trusting him will mean I’ll be protected like he said—or if it means I’m as good as dead. I don’t know who he is. I’ve seen his face before, I swear, but… I can’t tell where, exactly.
The news? Maybe he is a serial killer, after all. It wouldn’t exactly surprise me.
“Come on, pretty. It’ll be fine,” he says, glancing over at me. His voice sounds calm but there’s something just beneath it—like he’s trying to convince himself as much as me—before steering the car into a massive underground parking garage.
I nod weakly, trying to convince myself he’s right. But I’ve already decided—I won’t let my guard down until I see my daughter.
“It’ll be fine, right?” I mumble under my breath. My voice is so quiet, I doubt he even hears me. My trust in him is as thin as glass, ready to shatter at the slightest provocation.
He doesn’t respond this time. Instead, he parks the car, steps out, and walks around to open my door just as he did at the bakery.
The second I look up into his face, unlike last time, my breath catches in my throat. He leans against the car frame while observing every little detail of my face.
God, he looks far too good to be such a terrible human being. His dark curls frame his sharp features perfectly, and those intense eyes…
They track my every move, as if he’s silently reading my thoughts. If circumstances were different, I might even admit I’m attracted to him.
But the memory of this morning keeps my thoughts in check.
“Where exactly are we now? A secret hideout?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
He leans down slightly, locking his deep brown eyes with mine. The contrast—his dark, mine light—is oddly captivating.
“It’s my home, pretty. We’re near Lincoln Park, just so you’re aware. I’m not here to keep you locked behind bars, I’m here to help you,” he whispers, a soft smile playing on his lips.
His voice is deep, yet sweet. Intimidating, and yet so soft and comforting.
“Before we go inside, I need you to know something. There will be lots of people there who will intimidate you. Dangerous guys, you know. But as I said… You’re safe here. Nobody will touch you except me—and only if I need to. To keep you safe.”
There’s something unsettling about his words, but I nod anyway, trying to convince myself I’ll be fine.
Perhaps it’s the way he didn’t just say guys but added dangerous on top of it. Thanks, I’m guessing that’s very helpful, Daniel.
“Fine,” I say slowly, “but only if you promise me one thing—”
“Your daughter will be here as soon as her preschool ends,” he interrupts smoothly. God. He’s good at reading people.
“I’ll speak to my mother the second we get inside. She’ll take care of her and get her to you safely.”
My lips part, but no words come out.
His confidence in handling the situation leaves me unsure how to respond.
Should I feel anxious? Reassured? Is now the best moment to start panicking?
“I don’t know if I can believe you, Daniel,” I finally manage, my voice trembling slightly. Telling him the truth is the best option I can go for.
I notice a flicker in his eyes when I say his name—a brief sparkle, as if my doubt has sparked something within him.
“I understand,” he says, his tone soft but firm. “But give me a chance to prove myself. Don’t make this harder than it already is.”
“I simply said I’m doubting you. I didn’t exactly say I wouldn’t go with you, or be a hard case to handle,” I sigh, crossing my arms. “It’s not like I have any other choice, right?”
He nods, his expression is unreadable. “Trust me, I’d love to give you another answer. But you’re right—you don’t. I promise I’ll find a solution soon. Within days, even.”
For a moment, we just stand there in the garage, staring at each other.
The tension between us is palpable, so I force myself to look away before I get sucked into those eyes again. They’re… dangerous.
“Well then,” I mutter. “Show me this massive house of yours which’ll keep me safe. Maybe I’ll trust you.” My voice is filled with sarcasm, but even if he notices, he doesn’t say anything about it.
“It’s not just mine,” he replies, taking my hand gently in his. “It belongs to my family. It’s why the safety of this house is extremely important to me.”
I stiffen at the contact but don’t pull away. I know better than to try running—this man likely has connections everywhere.
Freedom, at this point, is an illusion I can’t afford to chase.
I don’t know how he’d react. I’d guess he wouldn’t get violent based on the way he’s been treating me, but seriously, I don’t want to rely on pure luck completely.
This morning showed me that the pure luck I’ve been having these past few years hasn’t been nice to me today. I’m not challenging it for a second time.
“I’ll introduce you to my mother,” he continues as we approach a sleek door. “I think you’ll like her. Maybe this will comfort you a little, hm?”
I nod, but I’m not sure about that. I have no idea what type of woman his mother is, after all.
And this building… It doesn’t seem like a cozy place. The parking garage alone feels overwhelming.
The pristine floors, the spotless walls, the endless rows of luxury cars—it all screams wealth and power.
Daniel even has a personal charging dock for his Porsche. Unbelievable.
There were several security guards at the gate to the building, and even the inside of the parking garage has two men stationed. I don’t know what they’re monitoring. The safety of the people? Robbery? Perhaps both?
Wait. Do Mafias target safe houses?
Do they know he lives here? And the biggest question I have—how rich does someone have to be to live like this? It’s mesmerizing.
I stop my thoughts the second they drift to how he makes so much money. I don’t think I want to know more about the sketchy businesses he’s into.
Not more than I found out this morning, anyway. I gulp when my mind rudely reminds me of the views I’ve endured this morning.
Blood. The whole floor was drenched with it. The smell of iron was in the air. Even during the car ride, I swear, I could smell it everywhere.
And although I’m a nurse, and I’ve probably seen cases including many more body fluids, I’ve never lost a patient. It’s what truly made me panic.
It still does.
My gaze drifts to a bike parked next to his Porsche. I don’t bother asking. Vehicles like that don’t really interest me.
Sure, it’s impressive—especially considering the obscene amount of money it must’ve cost him—but still. Not my thing.
Daniel steps forward and lifts his hand toward a small screen beside the door.
“You need a card for that?” I mutter under my breath. He glances back at me with a smirk. “Fuck, no. That’d be a safety hazard.”
Without another word, he locks the door again, then unlocks it just to prove a point and show me how it works.
It makes me wonder why he talks about safety hazards at first but then shows an innocent woman how to open one of the main entrances to his safe house.
Daniel might seem smart, but God, this move? Absolutely stupid. A typical man.
Acting smart but then trusting women within a few minutes. It makes me wonder how fucked this whole group of people would be if their enemy would send a pretty woman to Daniel.
One wrong move and it’s over for them.
His ring finger moves toward the screen, pressing lightly. A faint chime sounds as the lock clicks open, and the door swings wide. My lips part in surprise.
“So… it’s the ring?” He shakes his head, still amused. God, I feel dumb now. And I judged him because of safety hazards. Wonderful.
“It’s my finger. A card or a ring would be too easy to steal. They’d have to cut my finger off to get in.”
He motions for me to go first, but I just stand there, blinking at him.
“Holy fuck. It’s in your finger?”
“Did I stutter?” he says, voice smooth as ever. “Go in. I don’t want the alarm to go off, pretty.” Then he places a hand gently on my lower back and nudges me through the door.
My breath catches as we step inside. The place is even more extravagant than I expected. The walls are lined with portraits—some clearly decades old, others more recent.
Every face staring back shares something with him. The same sharp features. The same eyes. The same quiet intensity.
We walk down a hallway that seems to stretch forever before he opens another door, revealing a breathtaking dining hall.
My eyes widen as I take it all in. The high ceilings, the intricate chandeliers, the long-polished table that looks like it can seat an entire army, everything about this room is immaculate.
“What do you use this room for?” I ask, still marveling at its grandeur.
His brows furrow slightly. “For… eating?”
“You’re telling me you don’t use this room for, like, dances or parties or anything?” I tease, the first hint of humor escaping me since this nightmare began.
A small smile tugs at his lips. “We don’t really do parties. We have another large hall like this in the basement, but that’s only used for storage purposes. We eat here or do like… I don’t know, maybe birthday parties. But nothing special.”
Sure. Nice. You own a huge mansion like this and don’t allow yourself to have fun? I simply nod in response, my curiosity piqued despite knowing he’s probably talking about storing fucked up things like drugs or weapons.
“Sit down, Jennifer,” he says, pulling out a chair for me. His tone shifts to something more serious.
“Before we discuss the important things, I want you to meet my mother. She’ll be the one picking up your daughter, so I figured you’d want to meet her first.”
Finally, a woman living here. Despite the obvious comfort I find in the gender which isn’t called male, I know one thing for sure.
If I have just the smallest bad feeling around this woman, I for sure will not let her step even near my daughter.