CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
AYA
Holding my breath, I stood close to Marco near the door on stiff legs peppered in goosebumps. Luciano’s stomping rattled the entire house as he searched for Sylvi, and fire thinned my blood. Big hands rested on my shoulders, and a shiver lodged between my shoulder blades when one of them slipped from its perch.
“I’m going to video this and savor it for years to come, ragazza di coniglio.” The air rushed from my lungs, and Marco shuffled for his phone behind me. His body was hot even through his clothes, and I bit down on my inner cheek as his mumble floated over the crest of my ear. “A man is never as vulnerable as when he’s got his dick out, you know. I’m sure Sylvi didn’t bother to get someone to stand guard for him while he tortures some poor slut.”
Tilting my head, my eyes widened at the wide, almost maniacal grin that spread across Marco’s face. Glancing down at me, he shrugged a shoulder as he fiddled with his cell phone before speaking up again.
“It’s a fundamental rule, ragazza di coniglio. Always have someone you trust to make sure no one interrupts… even if it is only 10 minutes.” My heart jumped into my throat when Marco carefully pushed back my hair, his eyes sparkling with desire and something darker. “I’m jealous of my brother. I always have been. But at least I can sleep well knowing that if he could find you, then so can I. This life- it does terrible things to people. The only respite is finding your ignorante angela… and death, of course.”
“You don’t have someone that loves you?” Marco’s eyes narrowed at my question, slowly shaking his head as I pursed my lips into a thin line. Above us the stomping was rhythmic, and I tore my gaze from his to stare at the stairs.
“One day, maybe.” Murmuring, Marco grunted softly before an ear-splitting crack echoed through the house. Jumping at the sound, I backed up into his chest as he tightened his grip on my shoulder. Beating hard against my ribs, my heart squeezed, and my nails dug into my palms at the shrill shout that followed the sound of wood splintering. “Show time.”
Luciano stalked towards the staircase from the second floor, dragging a struggling, half naked Sylvi behind him. My gaze followed the pair as they quietly made their way, but the muted atmosphere didn’t last long.
Tossing Sylvi down the stairs, Luciano followed closely behind as the rough banging assaulted my ears. Cringing at the groans and grunts that wrenched from Sylvi, I hugged myself as tremors assaulted my spine. The hairs on my body stood up straight, blood rushing to the thin sinew that wrapped around my bones.
Landing in a heap at the bottom of the staircase, Sylvi pushed himself onto his hands and knees and shook his head wildly. The slap of skin on skin pulled a gasp from my throat as Luciano grabbed his boss by the back. He was so calm even as his thin, sharp nails dug into Sylvi’s flesh, and a small smile picked up my lips at the look of concentration on his face.
The thick ropes of muscle that planed Luciano’s chest rippled as he hauled Sylvi off the floor, and the smaller man didn’t try to stop him. He knew- he knew there was no escaping; the thought caused my smile to grow.
No one could escape Luciano, and pride ripped through my chest.
With a sickening crunch Luciano slammed his fist into Sylvi’s collar bone, and heat rushed through me at the sound of his scream. Stumbling back, Sylvi nearly fell over the leg of an end table, clutching his broken bone. Grabbing Sylvi by the jaw, Luciano pulled his gun out from his jeans to aim low.
Just like with the woman, the only sound that bounced off the walls was the gunshot and shrill, pained shrieking. Sylvi crumpled like paper, his kneecap shattered and blood pouring to stain his pants.
Another shot- a second bullet hole tearing through Sylvi’s left leg. And I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene as Luciano drew his face close.
“If you ever look at Aya, I’ll gauge out your eyes. If you try to touch her, I’ll cut your dick off and feed it to you. And if you try to kill her, no one will save you. Not Georgio- not your replacement. I will fucking kill you.” Luciano’s promises were loud in the otherwise quiet room, and Sylvi nodded shakily. The small man didn’t speak, only emitting pathetic whimpers under the powerful, firm declaration of the man that had shot him. Lifting in a snarl, Luciano’s lips twitched to reveal sharp, white teeth as he aimed his gun against Sylvi’s opposite collar bone.
“Good that you understand.” One, final, bang echoed through the living room, and Luciano dropped Sylvi to watch him sob and writhe on the floor. Blood stained the hardwood, it invaded the air, and I stared with wide eyes as the monster in him began to recede. Releasing my shoulder, Marco stepped around me to put his phone camera close to Sylvi’s face. Capturing this moment of agony, his smirk threatened to tear his cheeks.
“I thought you wanted to break his face, fratello. Got impatient, didn’t you?” Thick and jovial, Marco’s words only pulled a grunt from his brother. Taking the space between us, Luciano pulled me to his chest in a crushing hug. Wrapping my arms around his blood splattered chest, I took a deep breath of his heavy smell as his gun pressed against my back.
Safety- I had never felt so safe before even as my tormenter lay only feet away.
“There were too many ways… but he isn’t worth my fists.” Luciano’s voice was gruff, gravelly, and I hummed as his heart pounded against my cheek. Squeezing the air from my lungs, he pulled back to tuck his gun away before grabbing my arm. His eyes were hard, the same pitch black they had been when we met, but my heart swelled knowing it wasn’t directed at me. Tugging me towards the stairs, he gave one last look at Sylvi only to snort in disgust as Marco played with his pale, pain riddled face.
“Call Tretet. Make sure he doesn’t die.” Marco only waved Luciano off, a sick, gleeful expression painting his face as he poked and prodded. Tearing my gaze away, I followed Luciano silently up the stairs and down the hall.
In the safety of my room, the haze that had spread through my mind cleared. It was just us- Luciano and I. Releasing my arm, he made his way silently to the bathroom, and I pulled my lips between my teeth. The muscles on his back rippled dangerously before they disappeared, but he didn’t bother to shut the door. Water pelting tile filled the room, and for a moment I stood near my bed.
“Aya!” Luciano’s booming call made me jump, and my legs carried me with no thought from my head. My heart pounded harder as I crossed the threshold into the bathroom. His jeans were on the floor, gun on the vanity, and I gulped down the cotton that settled against the roof of my mouth.
Blood rushed to my cheeks at the sight of Luciano’s nakedness, his rod standing proud and hard against his abdomen. Inching forward, I could clearly see the line where his pants had kept Sylvi’s blood from touching him. Flexing my fingers, I reached to smear the red, warm liquid before he reached for the hem of my borrowed shirt.
“Get in, mia Aya.” Sucking in the warm, moist air through my teeth, I lifted my arms for Luciano’s small tenderness. Carefully stepping into the shower, hot water splattered against my ankles and rushed my feet. Closing my eyes, I relished the feeling before Luciano entered to position himself under the burning spray.
My hands had minds of their own as they crept up his back, gently rubbing his taut skin. Just as he had at the gym, he braced his palms against the tile under the shower head. Water tickled my face in tiny droplets, and I reached for the hand towel that hung beside us. The sense of déjà vu was almost overwhelming, and Luciano groaned softly as I wiped away the blood that clung to his side.
“I love you.” Speaking softly, I almost wished Luciano hadn’t heard me; to risk shattering this beautiful moment. Even the water hitting the tiles wasn’t enough to drown out my declaration, and under my hands he stiffened.
My mind was clear- there was nothing behind me fueling my words.
Slowly turning, Luciano stared down at me as I carefully removed the evidence of the day from him. There were two people’s blood still staining his clothes, but he would be free. Free of Sylvi. Free of Georgio.
Free of everything. For me.
Luciano cupped my face, tilting my head up to press a soft, innocent kiss on my lips. His earlier fierceness was gone, replaced with a determined delicateness that said what he couldn’t put into words.