CHAPTER 8

ANALISE's POV

Another day went by. Alice has just arrived from Cafe. I pour some tea for her and myself and move towards Alice's room which is beside mine.
Her room is like mine but a little big. She has decorated it with paintings and pictures. Some pictures also have my mom in them. The one I like most is their graduation.

"My child, you shouldn't have done the chores. You just enjoy yourself in Italy as you have come here for the first time." She says with so much affection that I can sense my mom within her.
"No Alice. I like to do the chores besides I don't have anything special to do except this or going to Library."
I say to her after handing her the cup and sitting beside her in front of a small fire hearth to keep the room warm.

"How is work going in Cafe?"
"Work is fine. Customers are increasing but thanks to God I have Brian with me. He is such a hardworking child." She tells me.
"I wish I could help you there," I say sadly. I want to help her in the cafe.

"You make the best tea. So, how was your day at Library? Did you find new books to read?" She asks after taking a sip and ignoring my words.
"Thanks. Well, the day was good. Library mostly contains Italian books and finding some in English is hard but I got one whose name is "Beauty of Italy". It is in English. I am sure I will learn good things about Italy."
"Very well."
I was telling her about the book when suddenly the ringing of the bell interrupts me.

I start to get up but she stops me. "Let me open the door."
The bell rings again. Whoever is at the door must be in hurry.
Five minutes have passed but she has not returned. I decide to see who is at the door. Must be some neighbor.
"Alice! Who is it at door?" I ask while moving down the steps.

I reach the bottom of the stairs but my feet halt when I see who is sitting in front of me on the couch.
'No. This can't be possible.' Fear spreads its wings in my whole being. He has found me.
The moment I was dreading the most has arrived but I never thought it would be so early.
Luciano is sitting comfortably on the couch with a sinister smile on his face. The dark aura can be easily sensed around him.

Niccolo and two other guards with guns are standing behind him. I look towards Alice to see her shaking with fear and tears in her eyes.
Luciano's gaze lands on me and then at Alice before saying, "Lei." (She)
Alice looks towards him horrified. She moves forward and says, "Lei? Signore se ti ha offeso, allora mi dispiace per lei, ma per favore non ferirti." (She? Sir if she has offended you then I am sorry for her but please don't hurt her.)

"She ran from me despite knowing that she belongs to me." Luciano says standing up.
Alice gasps. "Sir please leave her. She is so pure to be in your world-" She starts to beg when a gun being pointed at her head stops her.
"Where is your ring, Tesoro?" Luciano asks me calmly or should I say he states. I know he is anything but calm. I left the ring on my vanity when I escaped. He must have found it.

"My precious Tesoro. You disrespected me by running from me when our marriage was two days later. You will pay for it soon but what about this lady who helped you in hiding?" Luciano asks walking towards me.
His rough fingers with light touch caress my face. I want to move my head but I can't because of the extreme dread I am feeling.
"I think she should be killed. That way you will never hide from me." He says pretending that he is thinking.

I look towards Alice to see her trembling while Niccolo is holding a gun on her head.
His face is emotionless and cold with no sign of Niccolo who became my friend.
Suddenly the gun fired. I shrieked covering my ears and closing my eyes. By this time tears are already wetting my cheeks.
When I heard no sound other than faint cries, I look up to see that Niccolo fired at the wall behind us. I stand there in shock.

Alice is safe. Luciano leans forward and says, "Tell me tesoro! What should I do with her?"
I look towards him and practically start begging him for Alice's life. She has nothing to do with it. I can't let her die.
"Please, don't kill her. She has done nothing. I beg you, please."
My words do not affect him as he is looking ahead towards Alice hardly. Niccolo loads the gun again and my breathing almost stops.

While hysterically crying I hold Luciano's big hand in my small ones and plea with my all being,
"P-Please don't kill her. S-She is the only one I have left with i-in this world. Don't k-kill her. I will do anything but please don't kill her."
My words were a jumbled mess due to my crying. I am still crying and holding his hand with the hope that he will not take her life.
"Lasciala." Luciano says to Niccolo and he lowers the gun. I breathe a sigh of relief and run to Alice before hugging her. (Leave her)
She is clutching me tightly in her arms.

"As you can see Tesoro I have spared her life but I will not have this same mercy again. Now let's head back to where you belong."
Luciano said taking my hand and leading me towards the exit. I look back at Alice to see her walking towards me but Niccolo comes in front of her.
Luciano heads out of the house with me crying behind him. Almost four cars are parked outside Alice's house. We move towards the second one.
He opens the car door and forcefully throws me inside it.

He also gets inside the car and the car starts to move. I scoot away from him as much as I can. I look outside the window to see Alice standing there with tears in her eyes.
I look towards her house to memorize everything about it. The house becomes distant and soon it disappears from my vision.
Only me and Luciano are seated inside the car along with the driver. I look towards Luciano to see a devilish smile on his face which makes me sob harder.
Only the sound of my cries can be heard. I know something bad is going to happen to me. I look to him and ask in a low voice in hiccups.

"A-Are you g-going to k-kill me now?"
After hearing me a smirk can be seen on his face. He answers me with darkness lurking behind his voice.
"No Tesoro. I am not going to kill you but I will not return you your previous New York life either."
After hearing him I look towards the window sobbing. His words were enough to make a point that he is not going to let me go.

We reach the mansion and Luciano drags me out of the car and into his room. He throws me on the floor and closes the door behind him.
I was getting up from the floor with my hands when he strides towards me and slapped me hard on the face. I again fall on the floor due to impact.
My cheek stings. He grabs my hair and moves some tendrils from my eyes. With his other hand, he grabs my neck tightly but not too much tight to choke me.
"How dare you ran from me? Huh? How the fucked you dared to remove my ring from your finger? ANSWER ME!" He yells.

I was going to answer him when he slaps me again but this time, I didn't fall on the floor due to his strong grip on my hair.
I am crying harder. "Please, I am s-sorry. Forgive me."
He pushes me hard towards the wall and my head bangs on it. My hands move towards my head to minimize the pain but not helping.
"You cannot be forgiven so easily. Can't you get this inside your thick head that there is no escape from me?"

He asks while twisting my arm and pressing my body against the wall. I scream because it pains me. He is going to break it. He is going to break my arm.
"Please. I will not r-run again. I p-promise." I plead.
My eyes are becoming heavy due to pain. He leaves my arm and I fall on the floor.
It feels like someone has walked on it. He crouches next to me and slides something on my finger. I look towards it and see that it is a ring.

It is the same ring I left that day. My vision is blurry due to pain in my head and tears in my eyes.
"I have not hurt you tonight because tomorrow is our wedding. I don't want a bruised wife walking towards me in church. I have spared you tonight but not forgiven you." He says picking me up and puts me to bed.
With my almost unconscious body I see him filling something in the syringe. Before I can protest, a syringe pierced the skin on my arm.

"Sleep Tesoro. Tomorrow you will be mine officially."
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