by Aria Ford
Taking a deep, hard drag, I took the smoke down into the bowels of my lungs. Carefully Aya took the four-inch-long cancerous stick, and I held my breath as I turned onto the main road. My body greedily absorbed the toxic chemicals, giving me the calmness I needed to open my mouth.
“I want answers. The safe was a dead end.” Smoke billowed from my nose and mouth with each word, and I let out the rest of my breath harshly. “Trevor had you for a reason.”
“Oh.” Aya’s soft noise was almost lost in the air that rushed past me, and I glanced over with narrowed eyes. Her features were pinched, body tight as she clutched her seatbelt with one hand. She held my cigarette like a normal person would, and I reached to snatch it from her.
They were already expensive as fuck, and I wasn’t going to pay for two bad habits.
“Do you mean we’re going to the law firm?” Grunting in acknowledgment, I sucked on the butt of my cigarette before she spoke up again. “Okay… b- but… what about Sylvi?”
Pursing my lips together, I exhaled slowly out of my nose and stepped harder on the gas pedal. Speeding towards downtown, the scenery disappeared as soon as we came up on it. My mind churned, knowing full well that Aya’s fear of Sylvi’s power was real. He’d fucked with her head, and she didn’t have any defenses against it. There were going to be times when I couldn’t bring her with me, but Sylvi could always find someone willing to terrorize to gain favor.
“Don’t worry about Sylvi anymore, mia Aya. He’ll be dealt with when we get back.” Taking another long drag, my gaze flickered between Aya and the road as she swiped back some of her long, wavy hair. “… He shouldn’t have been able to get that close.”
The nibbling of guilt was becoming increasingly, irritatingly familiar, and I squeezed the wheel tightly enough to make the leather groan. In my peripheral Aya went still, her mouth parting, and the muscles in my legs bunched up in discomfort. Easing off the gas, I held my breath as we slowed to the speed limit. Blood pounded against my ear drums, but after a few long, heavy seconds the beat was broken by a quiet click.
Slamming my foot on the brakes, I ground my molars together as the tires squealed and burned in protest. The car was moving too slow to do any damage, but Aya was still thrown off balance. Her body hit the dash with a soft thump, and my hands reached for her on their own as her squeal rattled my skull.
Before I could get a single word out Aya threw her arms around my shoulders to hold tight, and I tensed. All thought left my mind, focusing instead of her soft lips against the base of my neck- of her eyelashes tickling my jugular. Huddling in my lap, her body didn’t tremble like I expected; she deflated in a heavy, warm sigh that tightened my chest until I couldn’t breathe.
Slowly, arduously, I slid my palms over her until I could keep her firmly against me. Each movement I made was stiff, robotic, and Aya tightened her grip on me. Her short, thin fingernails dug into my suit. Against my skin her lips curved into a smile that caused my throat to tighten.
So this is what a hug feels like…? The singular thought was all that could withstand the wasteland of my mind, and I squeezed Aya’s form. I had never noticed before how much weight she’d gained since first coming to Sylvi’s mansion. Releasing my lungful in a gust, I cupped her head to bury my nose in her hair.
“I don’t care. I don’t care about anything- because I have you, Luciano.” At Aya’s wisp of a declaration my heart stopped before all the tension of the past days melted away. Taking a deep breath of her, I closed my eyes to savor her nearness- the feel of her. My gut stopped twisting, and what felt like a thousand pounds was lifted from my shoulders. Cotton clung to the roof of my mouth, and pressure built behind my eyes.
A new kind of pain- a good kind of pain- tore at my soul, and I welcomed it with every fiber of my being.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
AYA
“… I didn’t believe him. I would never, ever betray you. I- I would… I would die first… I would-”. Conviction seared my chest, but callused fingertips halted my words to rub my lips. Sucking in a sharp breath, I closed my eyes as Luciano tightened his grip on my outer thigh. His heart beat under my ear was unstable, hard, but I knew mine wasn’t any better.
“You’re not doing jack shit, Aya. I’ll handle Sylvi. When I’m done with him his whores will be sympathetic. Nessuno può farti del male.” Smiling at Luciano’s foreign tongue, I lifted my head to look at him. My eyes widened at the slight upturn of his lips, and I reached to trace the delicate curve. Taking hold of my wrist, he squeezed gently before his faint smile disappeared and a frown took its place. “But don’t ever unbuckle again.”
Blinking slowly, red seeped into my cheeks as Luciano’s eyes narrowed into fine points.
“S- sorry. But… you apolog-“ Cut off by a palm against my mouth, blood rushed to my face at his scowl. Squeezing my body in warning, he pushed me off him and over the center console. Even under the warmth of the midday sun couldn’t compare to him, and goosebumps washed my chest and arms. Slowly reaching for my seat belt, I nibbled my bottom lip before he groaned softly. Peeking over, my eyes narrowed as he swiped his hand down his freshly shaven face.
“Don’t fucking do it again.” Growling out the command, Luciano waited stiffly for me to buckle before the car jerked forward. His pack of cigarettes landed in my lap, and butterflies erupted in my belly as I fiddled with the box.
The drive downtown was listless, and I tapped my fingers together in my lap as I watched the scenery become more human and less nature. The transition was gradual, but with each turn my stomach churned more violently. My fingertips tingled, sweat gathering against my upper lip as we came closer and closer to the law firm my father had once been head of.
My father… Closing my eyes to the city streets, I tried to picture him in my mind. He had red hair, I knew; even people we didn’t know would comment on it when I was little.
But the rest of him was draped in shadow, and I cracked my eyelids apart with a soft sigh.
“… You shouldn’t torture yourself trying to remember them, Aya.” Gruff and low, Luciano’s voice sounded strong and sure from the driver’s seat. Glancing over, my gaze scanned his tight features. His nostrils flared, shoulders tense as the veins in his hands bulged from under his taut skin.
“I’m not. I just… don’t know. Trevor- he had me for a year and a half and no one ever looked for me. And now… no one is still looking for me. What if it’s better this way?” Tearing my eyes from him, I pursed my lips together tightly; I wasn’t sure I’d ever spoken to him so much about myself. Next to me, Luciano sighed heavily to send a plume of smoke into the car. My mind whirled through the past few days, and I laced my fingers against my thighs.
No one looked for me when my parents went spiraling down, and no one bothered to find me with Trevor. Luciano was the only one that wanted me safe- that cared about me when we weren’t together.
That has to mean something.
“The woman that offered to get you out knew about you before posing as a prostitute. She had to have found out somehow. There had to be people that knew where you were.” Biting down on my bottom lip, my chest tightened as Luciano stopped at a red light. “No one needs to look for you if they already know where you are.”
“But why? I’m not famous like my parents- I don’t even have the money they left me.” Frustration swirled behind my ribs, and I reached to rub my face roughly. None of this made sense. Everything was confusing, and I just wanted it to end. Sinking into the leather seat, I turned to Luciano as he frowned, his brows cradling deep creases and a look of concentration on his face. A shrill ringing sounded before he could reply, and I held back a sigh as he reached for his cell phone.
“What, Tyler?” Setting the device on the center console, Luciano gripped the wheel tightly to send the car forward. A soft crackling emanated from the speaker, and I stared at the screen while my gut tied into knots.
“Aya’s father took some big cases before he died, so I looked into
them. They’re all mobster defense cases- for us. Trent Hildon- Jackson Mayers- even Luccia. When he died, the firm went legit, but I did some serious digging and Alex Young is still receiving payments from a woman named Christa de Martinia. She’s a frequent at Soleil du Italia, and she’s there right now on assignment from Italy. She’s a scout for Georgio. My only guess as to why she’s still paying after all this time is that she wanted Aya, but Trevor got to her first. He didn’t touch her because he was going to ransom her. Christa must know that Alex Young is holding the $10million and Aya might come back for it, so she’s paying him to keep him on lookout.”
“Send her picture. I’m heading there.” Speeding up, Luciano didn’t bother to end the call as he let out a growl. The sound reverberated through me, sending a shiver down my spine.
“What? What does that mean? Luciano, I don’t-” My throat tightened, cutting off my frantic words before he reached for his phone. With just a few taps he got where he needed to go, and I jumped when he tossed the device at me.
“Is that the woman that tried to help you?” Looking down at the picture, my eyes widened at the face that stared back, and I nodded wordlessly. Hitting the wheel, Luciano groaned harshly before snatching his phone back. “She wants to give you to Georgio. Trevor took you before she could and planned to sell you back. If that didn’t work, he could’ve sold you to the Russians. He was going to keep the $10 million in the safe in case shit went against him. The law firm was a backup if she couldn’t find you because she knew anyone that knew about the money would go there with you.”
“Exactly-” A loud squeal burst from my mouth when Tyler’s voice filtered through the phone speaker, and I clutched my chest to stop my heart from breaking through. “She found you were with Trevor and tried to trick you into coming with her, but you said ‘no’. Not long after that is when we found out Trevor was two timing us. She must’ve told Georgio to come to the States under the guise of checking on Sylvi, when really he was coming to collect Aya. Which means he knew about you and your money long before we did. It also means he could still be trying to get to her- she’s still a virgin and you know how much he likes those, Luciano.”
Luciano only grunted in acknowledgment, and I gnawed on my inner cheek diligently. Rubbing the area over my heart, my hand trembled from the anxiety heating my blood. My eyes ached, and behind them memories of the screaming invaded my mind. Long, thick fingers caressed my cheek, and I let out a shaky breath before Luciano’s gruff voice chased the cries away.
“Don’t be scared, mia Aya.” Leaning into his touch, I closed my eyes until Tyler cleared his throat into the phone. The sudden slow down of my heart sent a throb through me, and I rolled my lips between my teeth.
“I’ll send Marco to the resort. You should get there around the same time.” Tyler barely got the words out before Luciano hung up, leaving the phone on the center console. The atmosphere was tense, bearing down on me to push short, shallow pants from my lungs instead of real breaths.
Turning to Luciano, I watched his jaw tick while his hands clench and release around the wheel. He looked ready to kill someone, and my breath caught in my throat. His was the same look he wore at the fight club; it was the same expression that masked his face when he watched Sylvi at lunch.
He really was going to kill for me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
LUCIANO
Dragging a reluctant Aya through the large, solid oak double doors of Soleil du Italia, I nearly choked on the smell of air freshener that curled the hairs in my nostrils. The marble floors were polished to shine, creating an echo with each heavy step I took. Passing the front desk, my stiff strides were purposeful as they carried me towards the luncheon area in the middle of the resort.
Soleil du Italia boasted a small winery, golf courses, pools, and luxury dining, but I ignored it all.
Because someone was going to fucking pay for making me go through this much trouble.
I glanced back at Aya’s pale, sunken cheeks with a sneer twisting my lips. Releasing her arm, I clenched and released my hands even as Marco appeared in my narrowed scope of view. Eyes were on us, curious and making no attempt to be subtle. Pin needles pierced my skin where attention bore into me, and my gaze flicked to my brother as he stood close to my woman.
My woman. My Aya. My blood set fire at the thought, and I whirled around to stalk towards a door. A clean, shiny, brass plaque was mounted, an elegant script informing people that beyond was women only.
Pushing open the barrier, I took a shallow breath before scanning the room. Women in grand day dresses were lounging in chairs, sitting around tables, and standing by the large picture windows to stare at the immaculately kept grounds. Narrowing on the one I wanted, I took in Christa’s alarmed expression so much like every other woman around her.
Deep brown eyes would’ve lured many, and they widened as I shuffled my way towards her. In those depths her mind worked, trying to figure out desperately what was going on.
Adrenaline surged through me with each stride, and my knuckles ached to connect with Christa’s pretty, doll like face. I couldn’t wait to hear her screams, and I gnashed my teeth when she hurried to stand. Holding her hands out, as if that’d stop me, she started to back up until I reached to tangle my fingers in her long, brown hair.
Christa’s pained cry of shock was cut off by my fist, and I grunted with the effort I exerted. Letting her crumple to the floor, I ignored the speckle of red on the ornamented carpet to shove my shoe into her broken cheek. Her groans and whimpers were loud amongst the fake, horrified gasps that sounded around me. Grinding her face into the floor, I relished the light crunching of her frail bones.
Carefully pulling out my gun, I aimed for Christa’s exposed calf before squeezing the trigger. Her scream was loud, gut wrenching, but it set my body alive as blood stained her nude stockings. No one moved; no one breathed; no one tried to stop me.
Because I’ll fucking kill them too.
The bang that rattled the room sent my heart racing, and I aimed for Christa’s left leg. Blood rushed in my ears, quelling only for the sound of her screams. Putting more weight on her head, I put a third bullet into her hip while her shrieks turned hoarse and choking.
Groaning at the metallic smell that enveloped me, I slowly lifted my foot to kick this bitch onto her front. Christa’s eyes were closed, face pale from loss of blood, and I crouched down to stare at the agony written across her delicate features.
My gun kissed her temple, firing one last bullet into her brain. Blood splattered onto my suit and shoes, and the sudden silence created a ringing in my ears. Standing up straight, I tucked my gun back into its holster to take a deep breath. The smell of Christa’s blood tainted the otherwise floral scent, and I held it in my lungs for a few seconds before letting it out in a gust.
“Luciano…” Marco’s call cleared some of the red haze that’d settled over my mind, and I twisted to look past all the stunned faces. He held Aya by the shoulders, and my eyes narrowed on the connection before I stalked over to her. Grabbing her wrist, I pulled her back out of the room while my brother hung back.
She struggled to keep up with my pace, and I made it halfway down the short hallway before tugging her in front of me. Her face was flushed, chest heaving and eyes wide under their dropped lids. Goosebumps coated her arms, and her fingers twitched under my grasp as she stared up at me through thick eyelashes.
Reaching to brush her pinked cheek, I pursed my lips together as a sharp throb seized my cock. Behind the safety of my dress pants my rod stirred, hardening as Aya’s expression only turned a deeper shade.
“Did you like watching that, mia Aya?” My hands were steady as they cupped her hot face, and Aya nodded wordlessly. Her response only fueled the desire that was slowly overtaking me, replacing the adrenaline of killing someone.
No- of protecting her. Protecting my Aya.
“Ucciderò ogni persona cercando di farti del male. Tutti sapranno che sei tuo. Anche Geo
rgio non osava guardare nella tua direzione.” Aya’s wide eyes became watery even though she couldn’t understand me, and she didn’t step away when I crowded her against the marbled wall. “Mia Aya… my Aya… Non mi lasciare mai…”
It felt so uplifting to murmur those words, and Aya nodded shakily a second time before her small tears dripped onto my fingers. The droplets scorched my skin, but I didn’t brush them away. My mind started to churn slowly, and I rested my forehead against hers to breathe in her fine scent. Her smell alone was enough to relieve the tightness in my chest, and her fingers wrapped around my wrists.
She was the one I could give my all to. The one that would rather die than betray me. The one that needed me more than she needed air to breathe.
And I would obliterate anyone and everyone that tried to fuck with her.
“What do you want to do now, fratello?” Behind me, Marco’s question pulled me violently from the serenity I’d found. Straightening, I glanced over my shoulder as my brain worked. Without Christa, the law firm was a trip that could be put on hold. Indefinitely.
Staring down at Aya, I squeezed her face to draw her gasp into my ears. Sylvi can be left to his thoughts. For now.
“Meet me at the flat.” Grinding out the words, I took hold of Aya’s arm once again to start down the hallway. No security guards rushed past to see what I had done, and no one stopped me as I made my way through the lobby. The air was still, the smells stale, and I relished the feeling of anxiety that thrummed from the secretaries.
Aya scrambled into her seat once we reached my car, but she was too far away for my liking. Jumping into the driver’s seat, I stopped her shaking hands from pulling out her belt. Her big eyes searched mine for answers, and I pulled her across the center console and into my lap.
