CHAPTER TWO
AYA
Waking up slowly, I groaned softly at the light that seeped through my eyelids. Foolishly my groggy mind wondered why the sun could just not rise- just for one day. Snuggling into my pillow, I sunk into the soft comfort beneath me. Relishing these few peaceful minutes, I let myself wake up slowly to postpone the Hellish nightmare I called my life.
“Luciano, sai che non la lascerò stare qui se non ha alcuna utilità.” Hushed, low, the voice pulled me into consciousness violently. Snapping open, my eyelids crackled from the crust that had built over their seams. My lungs filled from a loud, gasping breath, body shooting up even as my memories made seeing impossible.
Cradling my head in my trembling hands, I squeezed my temples as images of Trevor’s body hitting the floor rang in my ears. Whimpers slithered up from my dry throat, and under a silk sheet my toes curled as the muscles in my legs became spastic. Taking great, heaving gulps of air, my body struggled as my mind failed to find a distraction.
“Don’t give me that look. If she’s not useful, she doesn’t stay. I’m not running a house for abused women here, Luciano.” Even muffled by a wall, the words reached me clearly. Squeezing my eyelids shut, I forced my memories back to how Trevor had gotten shot- back to why he’d gotten shot.
Shivering at the monstrous man that had burst into the apartment, I sniffled hard. Dragging down to my neck, my fingers kneaded the tender area only to stiffen.
It doesn’t hurt… My brows came together, questions swirling in my mind in an endless loop. He’d choked me; he made me black out.
“Per cazzo, Luciano! Trovarla un posto e mandarlo lì o metterò una pallottola nel suo cervello.” Slipping into my hair, my fingers balled into fists at the thick, foreign language that breached my ear drums. Rocking slightly, I panted shallow breaths as my heart beat in overdrive. “Look at her- she’s pathetic. You should just put her out of her misery now, my friend. It’ll be easier for everyone that way.”
Thick, callused digits wrapped around my face, and a cry broke through my shivering lips. My bruised side flared with pain, throbbing from my jaw up to my hairline and ear. Tilting my chin, the hand loosened while tears obstructed my vision.
“Luciano-” Blinking hard, it took me a moment to realize the fingers had slipped from my cheeks. Scooting back to the head of the bed, I shakily wiped my eyes before they settled on the hulking, brutish man that stood at the side.
“Sylvi.” That one, harsh word held so much weight it threatened to crush me, and I held my breath. Luciano’s hands balled into fists, his bare arms straining as his muscles tensed under his tanned skin.
He doesn’t even need a gun to kill someone in an instant. The notion made the blood drain from my face, and I shielded my eyes with my palms.
“Fine, but only because you’re my anima fratello. Basta ricordare che ci sono conseguenze per ogni decisione, non importa quanto piccola.” A door shut as soon as the warning settled heavily on my skin. Blood rushed in my ears from a heart that beat too fast, and my gasping pants echoed in such silence. My mind screamed at me to be quiet; hopefully the menacing male would just forget I was here.
Just like everyone else had forgotten me.
“Aya.” Stiffening at the low, growling call, my body seized and my heart jumped into my throat. Those fingers I was becoming familiar with wrapped around my wrists, their grip so tight it drew a whimper from my dry mouth. Prying my hands away, Luciano anchored them to the headboard to search my face with dark, violent eyes. Holding my breath, a surge of panic filled my lungs instead when he scowled.
“Tell me why.” The steel edge of Luciano’s voice licked my skin as if it were an actual, physical knife. Wincing, I sucked in a shallow, heavy breath only to choke as it tried to pass my blocked throat. Squeezing my wrists, he leaned in until his nose touched mine, a sneer replacing his scowl when my hacking coughs plastered along his chin. “Tell me.”
“I- I… I-” Within the confines of my skull my brain tried desperately to come up with words. Gulping harshly, my throat burned as Luciano grunted low. “I- I’m… M-my parents d- died… OD… and T- Trevor… col- c-…”
A harsh, deep rumbling sound cut off my shaking explanation, and a scared mewl breached my open lips. Shuttering my eyelids, I turned my face away to hover up air that smelled like blood and sweat. Luciano’s grasp on one of my wrists loosened, trailing down my arm roughly until he reached my face.
"Tell me who you are.” Stroking my bruised, aching cheek, Luciano bit out the demand; his warm breath swept down to settle against my collar bone. Taking another shallow inhale, I fought the panic that rose up inside me as he probed my injury.
“A- Aya… Aya Wal- W- Walt-ers… Twe- twen-n-ty th-… two… 0- 0… 09- 77-… 6- 69..24…” Stuttering, my words barely made sense even to me, but Luciano simply grunted. My mind wailed, silently berating me for answering so thoroughly.
“You’re lucky, Aya- lucky that fucking pea brain piece of shit decided to play both sides. You’re lucky I was the one that got to you instead of those cunts, the Russians. You’re lucky Sylvi is my brother, or he would’ve shot your brains out of your pretty head along with that traitor’s.” Through my teeth chattering I heard a faint accent, and Luciano grabbed my chin in an iron grip. Forcing my head straight, he brought his other hand down around my neck, but my own didn’t fall. “Look at me.”
The command violently pulled at me, and I cracked open one eye as my breath caught against his hand. Luciano’s face was so close it was distorted; only a few centimeters and his light beard would scratch my skin. Carefully opening my eye on my injured side, I watched his almost black gaze swirl like endless pits.
“Be grateful.” Widening, my eyes took in this man that never asked for anything, instead always demanding. His brows were thick, coming together over a long nose littered with bumps and crevices where it’d been broken. There were thin, almost unnoticeable white lines under his eyes where he’d been punched and the skin had broken.
All of it framed orbs that looked blacker than the deepest part of Hell, holding a murderous turbulence that made goosebumps rise on my skin.
Slowly, oh so carefully, I leaned the tiny space between us, and Luciano did nothing to stop me. His palm was firm around my neck but didn’t push against my airway. My tongue sneaked out to pat my lips, but it did nothing to help the dry, crackling flesh. Tilting my head, I trembled as he cupped my discolored flesh as if I was made of glass; it was so gentle I almost couldn’t feel it.
My lips pressed against Luciano’s nose, the split edges catching on the roughness of his skin. Underneath, the point where his bone had broken and healed were distinct. For a long, heavy moment I kissed that spot, but it couldn’t have been over soon enough. Pulling away, I held my breath as he pushed me back against the headboard. His gaze never dropped mine, the darkness causing my insides to twist and knot.
“Strip. Use the shower in there-” Jerking his chin to the right, Luciano squeezed my neck as his rough voice bore down on me. “Don’t do anything stupid- like try to leave. You won’t like the outcome.”
Releasing me, Luciano stood to his full height only to turn on his heel and leave. His jeans rustled as he sauntered, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from his form. Even covered in a wife beater the muscles on his back were pronounced. Slamming the door behind him, he left me alone; the only sound in the room was the echo of his stomping footfall.
For the first time I noticed the space around me, and I nibbled diligently on my bottom lip. The bed was topped in rumpled, cream colored fabric, and the pillow I was sitting on had small, thin ruffles along the edges. Against my back the headboard’s decorative filigree dug into my flesh, and I winced as my sweaty, dirty skin peeled from the finished surface. Taking a long, slow, stabilizing breath, I closed my eyes and willed my heart to start a regular rhythm.
Glancing over the side of the bed, my eyes widened at the pristine, fluffy, salt and pepper carpet that coated the floor. Underneath me my feet flexed, calves quivering with the ache to dig my toes deep into the ocean of gray. Pulling my leg out, I clutched the comforter as it caressed my skin.
Dripping my toe into the half inch long strands, I gasped at the shock that shot up my leg. My shoulders jerked in a shudder, and I groaned softly as I pushed the pad of my foot into the carpet.
It was so soft, so very soft. The strands slipped between my toes as they flexed and curled.