CHAPTER SIX
AYA
“Tell me what Johann said to you, Aya.” The hoarse demand made me jump, and the seat belt rubbed harshly against my neck. Glancing across the center console, I licked my lips at Luciano’s glower.
“He- he said you never lose… that he can’t find good fighters anymore because you scare them. And… and… that…” My throat tightened as Johann’s words echoed between my ears, and I gulped when Luciano shot me a hard glare. “That you… you never brought a- a sl- slave… before.”
Choking slightly on the word, I forced my gaze to my lap as Luciano slammed his foot on the brakes. The smell of burning rubber instantly invaded the car, and a shriek bubbled up from inside me as the car skid sideways. Holding onto my seat belt with white knuckle tightness, I couldn’t even feel my heart beat as the car squealed across the concrete.
“What the fuck!” Panting hard as his growl reverberated through the car, I didn’t try to stop the tears that welled in my eyes. The sun had been rising on my side, but now it was blinding me as it glared through the windshield. Blinking hard, my eyelids were the canvas for the bright flashing of the sun as we whirled in a circle from the forceful stop.
“Quel dannato cazzo di merda di puttana…” Through wide, tearful eyes I watched Luciano hit his steering wheel with the butt of his hand. The horn sounded, cutting off the harsh muttering that dropped from his lips. His face was red, eyes blazing, and lips curled into a snarl. Sinking into my seat, against the door, I wished the leather would swallow me as he hit the wheel again and again.
Twisting to me, Luciano’s hand shot out to wrap around my neck and jaw; his fingers were so long they went from ear to ear. His expression warped, and the first of my tears started to fall as he leaned over the center console. My body trembled; I couldn’t help but imagine this was what Trevor felt like staring down the barrel of that gun. Whimpers slipped from between my lips, and my abdomen tensed as fear took hold of my insides.
Squeezing my face, Luciano breathed hard against my cheek before the scent of burning rubber was replaced.
With urine.
Those pitch black orbs widened, veering from my face to trail down. My thighs were warm, liquid pooling underneath me to drench the end of my borrowed shirt. Luciano’s jaw ticked, his brows coming together as he stared at the puddle in his passenger seat. Slowly, so slowly, he released my neck, and his eyes flickered back to mine.
“Aya…” My name floated the near nonexistent space between us on a harsh breath, and I tensed. “I wouldn’t go through all of this fucking trouble for you just to hurt you.”
Shaking my head sharply, I panted hard as my mouth dried and my throat closed. Luciano was too close, his heat scorching my face even as my tears blurred his expression beyond recognition. Pressing against the door, my body shook as I tried to bottle my sobs.
“Non piangere. Non ti punirò. Non hai fatto nulla di sbagliato.” Softly Luciano stroked my cheek, and the gentleness of his foreign tongue was my undoing. My heart beat a rapid staccato in my chest, banging against my ribs hard enough to make them ache. Snot dribbled from my nose, and my sobs burst out of me as harsh, skull splintering cries.
“Stop crying, Aya.” Tapping my cheek hard, Luciano pulled back as the shock of his mid slap rippled across my face. Those few inches between us made it easier to breathe, and I sucked in acrid, hiccuping breaths. My eyelids ached, glued together by tears and the dampness that filled the car.
“I will never hurt you, Aya, no matter how rough I am with you.” Conviction colored Luciano’s declaration, and a half sob tore from my throat. His shuffling scratched against my ear drums, but it only took a moment for him to grab my borrowed shirt. My teeth chattered, and the muscles in my abdomen bunched up as he curled his fists in the fabric.
Ripping my shirt at the seam, Luciano grunted harshly. Staying as still as possible, I pulled my lips between my teeth as he tugged the material down. Fabric pooled at my waist, soaking up the liquid puddle beneath me. Once again he took hold of my chin, and a shaky breath surged out of my mouth.
“I- I’m sor-r-r-y…” Sputtering the apology, I winced as my own hoarse voice caused my brain to pound. Luciano’s fingers slipped down my neck and between my breasts, and I tensed at the feathery sensation.
“Just stop crying, Aya.”
Luciano rolled down the windows, and I sucked in the air greedily as he righted his car. Each breath loosened the tightness in my chest, and my back slowly started to slouch. Leaning against the door, I stared through blurry, puffy eyes at the sun as it cast a golden, purple hue along the landscape.
When the asphalt of the road was replaced with bright gravel I tore my gaze from the scenery to look at Luciano. His expression was loose, arm hanging out the window, and shoulders relaxed. Pursing my lips together, I held breath as his jaw swerved; he didn’t even seem to realize he was grinding his teeth.
Luciano came to a stop at the front end of a curve in front of a massive house. The sun was beaming directly on it, causing the windows to sparkle and the paint to shine. Gutters that lined the porch glistened with dew, and the stained deck looked warm as it soaked up golden rays. Wrapping around the front of the house, the low porch was surrounded by a sea of green; there wasn’t a single flower bed in sight.
“Let’s go.” Yanking open my door, Luciano’s gruff command sent a gasp flying from between my teeth. He didn’t wait, gripping my arm in his powerful hand to pull me from my seat. Large pieces of gravel dug into the soles of my feet, and a whimper lodged in my throat. Glancing around, my eyes landed on a man that emerged from the house. A casual suit hung off his frame, his jacket thrown over one shoulder and his free hand shoved into his pocket. Pausing when he caught sight of us, he frowned deeply as his gaze scanned me.
“Luciano, what the fuck are you doing?” Automatically my feet brought me closer to the giant that held my arm. Luciano didn’t even bother replying, taking the single step up and dragging me across the wide porch. “You better hope he doesn’t find out about this, man.”
“Piss off, Tyler.” My heart thudded in my chest as Luciano snarled over his shoulder.
The inside of the house whirled past me in a blur of whites and beige, only pausing when Luciano stopped in front of a door at the end of a hallway. We were on the third floor, and I glanced behind me to find a railing instead of a wall. Peeking over the light chestnut banister, my eyes widened at the sheer drop that awaited me. At the bottom was nothing but shiny hardwood; there was nothing to break a fall.
Whimpering as the height made me dizzy, I backed up just as the floor below started to swirl and warp.
“You’re afraid of heights, Aya…” The low rumble almost sounded like a question, and I whirled around to find Luciano towering over me. Nodding hastily, I inched toward him as he glowered. “Right.”
Following Luciano through the open door, my legs weakened at the familiarity that encased me. My body trembled, threatening to drop onto the soft carpet that slipped between my toes. Twisting to shut the barrier behind us, Luciano jerked me roughly in the direction of the bathroom. His grunt echoed around the otherwise silent room, and his fingernails scraped against my skin as his hand fell from my arm.
“Go shower.” Staggering forward, my body was washed in cold as the entire morning hit me. My skin crawled, and I cringed from the sticky layer that coated my thighs and butt. Disgust tightened my lungs, making it hard to breathe.
Glancing down, I couldn’t remember a time when I felt so gross.
Slipping beyond the frosted glass pane that separated the shower from the rest of the bathroom, I shivered violently. Cold water gushed down on me, soaking my hair instantly only to run harsh, raging rivers down my chest and back. Keeping my eyes closed, I reached blindly for the loofah that hung on a hook under the shower head.
Gradually the water warmed, washing the soap from my skin as I scrubbed away the events of the morning. Standing under the pounding spray, I took a shallow, wet breath tinged in lavender. Exhaling slowly, steadily, I groaned softly before forcing my eyes open.
Questions plagued me, but the loudest voice in my head wanted to know why Luciano didn’t just kill me. He didn’t lack chances, but he never took them. It would’ve been so easy to just raise his already loaded, cocked gun at Trevor’s apartment. Instead, he just did nothing.
My unfocused gaze was glued to the wall, and steam swirled around me as I reached to touch the thick, dark bruise on my cheek. Maybe that’s why, and when I’m better- when I had a taste of something good- he’ll kill me.
Jumping into my throat, my heart throbbed and palpitated at that rationale. Memories floated into my mind’s eye of Sylvi, and his words floated into my ears on waves of steam. “If she’s not useful, she doesn’t stay. I’m not running a house for abused women here, Luciano.” Pursing my lips together, I tensed at the quake that lodged between my shoulders. He’d sounded so serious, so annoyed. Even in the heat of my shower my body went a little cold.
And the screaming… Luciano said she got what she deserved for being a whore. My lungs jerked in a hiccup as realization dawned on me.
I was at his mercy; this man that was the opposite of lenient controlled my life, and there was no way I could sway him.