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Chapter 40
Last Updated:
2025-01-27 23:54:59
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Into the darkness Chapter 41
Arianna POV: I knew the toll of taking down my father would be a large one, and I knew some people I had grown to care about would leave us. I guess I had hoped it would take a little bit before that happened, or if I’m being honest…I had hoped we could all walk away unscathed, we were the good guys after all. That wasn’t the case, but I should feel lucky that it was only goodbye for a little while. Becca was refusing to go, but when I asked her to leave so that I knew she was safe, she didn’t have much of a choice. I could still picture her flying through the air, and the grin on my father's face. I hope the satisfaction he felt was worth it, worth every penny he lost when Giovanni stormed into his manufacturing plant, mowing down any lost soul that had wandered in. I wanted to see the fire in his eyes, hear the glasses thrown against the wall, and watch him start to undo the seemly man who controlled everyone's lives. The way they had left that day I had felt a deep pit in my s
Last Updated : 2025-01-30Into the darkness Chapter 42
Giovanni POV: We had been driving ourselves crazy. I had been stretching every resource I had, calling in every favor. I was trying to keep people safe and protect us but none of it felt like enough. I was working hard to keep on top of him while he was in custody. Somehow our small victory had turned into a triumph, we had to keep the momentum. Watching her pace back and forth crouching in on herself as she stared at him, doing what she could but only going so far. I knew I had to get her out of there, it might be for the best too. Instead of sitting ducks, we were on the move, taking any threat out of the city. My men were protecting the house still and watching over any targets we thought Domenico might go after. If people had any brains they would get out of the city until this blew over, but most of them couldn’t. Kept barely surviving under the heel of a mad man most of them were still struggling to get by. I was taking her back to the coast, perhaps taking my mind off the wo
Last Updated : 2025-01-31Into the darkness Chapter 43
Arianna POV: Giovanni left in such a rush, with no goodbye or promise to return. I felt fear seep into my bones thinking of whatever was so dire it pulled him away instantly. If it was that serious I could only picture him covered in blood, punctured full of bullet wounds. I crawled up into my bed trying to drink some tea and watch something. Nothing pulled me away from the tales my head my head was spinning. Whether he was gunned down in the street, lit on fire in a car bomb, or tortured for his misdeeds. Each one worse than the last, gruesome and bloody details strangling me from any form of sanity. I spent the night staring at the ceiling wondering what was going on. Why hadn’t he called me yet The hours dragged on and with every passing second, I became increasingly certain that something had gone wrong. I was undone by the time I saw the sun creeping in through my curtains, I decided I might as well go get something to eat. I made my way downstairs feeling as lonely as I ha
Last Updated : 2025-02-05Into the darkness Chapter 44
Arianna POV: They had shuffled me over to a car and into the back seat roughly shoving me in the door as I vainly attempted to wriggle free. They laughed as I tried to turn my wrists in their hands and hauled me into the car. I thought to my phone tossed into my purse as I had moronically been dreaming about Giovanni. I looked around the car trying to figure out a way to freedom. They got in and one pointed a gun at me. “You try anything and you’re gonna regret it,” I slumped back in my seat frustrated, not just at my situation but mainly at myself. I hadn’t paid attention at all, I had disregarded the situation we were in and put my head in the clouds. If I had been focusing I would have noticed Luca wasn’t there, and instead of feeling lonely, I would have been on alert. Now here I was in the back of a gross car with two old pigs snorting about the pride they took in taking a young girl hostage. I looked at the gun sitting on the console, and how easy it would be to grab it. The
Last Updated : 2025-02-10Into the darkness Chapter 45
Giovanni POV: If we hadn’t come in armed to the teeth, we would be dead, we got wind of a new shipment of drugs, ones with his name on them. I hadn’t even taken a moment to stop, we left that instant. I didn’t stop to say goodbye to her, I was so thirsty for the end of this. I had run off into the night, leaving her unguarded and rushing off to some random warehouse hours away. I had waited to see any movement, and with only minimal activity, my brain had started working again. It was hesitant to go in, so we waited, inching close, slowly watching them. They had many guns for those who were unsuspecting. Their movements were rehearsed, marching around like toy soldiers. I felt sure we were headed for a trap, what better way to know than to spring it?Sure enough, one step too close, and they all started shooting in our direction, chasing us down with as much firepower as they had. Like I said, Luca and I came armed heavily ourselves, we threw what we had back at them as we made our
Last Updated : 2025-02-12Into the darkness Chapter 46
Giovanni POV: Pulling up to the house, I hurried her inside more men than I could count now lined our walls, Luca pulled up and hurried in after us. I had never once felt the need to question my men, but now I looked over their faces and wondered if any of them sought to hurt her. I guided her past every one of them, and she held onto me tightly, she always could feel safe with me, the thing I took all my pride in. Now, she was unsure of who else was going to hand her over. I would have to see to it that loyalty was an absolute, if I couldn’t rely on them, this was all going to fall apart. She turned her face into my chest as we passed through the foyer, a large group of them discussing defense. At the very least, she didn’t have any doubt in me, I’m sure now that it would break me if she did. I nodded to Luca as I got her up to the bedroom, and he turned, heading back downstairs, no doubt already starting to find out if there were any other rats on the ship. If there was one man i
Last Updated : 2025-02-12Into the darkness Chapter 47
Arianna POV: That morning, I was awoken to the sunlight and a warmth cocooning me, keeping me slightly under the effects of the sandman. It all didn’t feel real, the previous day had been the most eventful one in my life to date, getting kidnapped, then escaping even if by design, being rescued and returned to Gio, and for us to…When I came out of the shower last night, I thought it would end up in the usual routine: he would make his excuses to go work or see to the defense of the house, or perhaps we would find ourselves down in the kitchen like we normally did and play house. Instead, he sat up and looked at me, his mind made up I felt fearful for a moment he would send me away, ship me off to Italy with Becca. Before my fears could consume me, he kissed me, holding me tightly to him, pulling me up, and I wrapped my legs around him. We tumbled onto the bed, and in an unleashing of desire, we found ourselves covered in sweat, heat, and passion. He was exactly as you’d expect him
Last Updated : 2025-02-14Into the darkness Chapter 48
Arianna POV: They didn’t want to waste any time, so after breakfast, we all got ready to head out. I couldn’t explain the reason why, but I was so nervous to return home. I hadn’t been back there since I had fled that day with Luca, running into the sanctuary of Giovanni’s house. Now, With Gio’s hand in mine, I was coming back after learning the truth about her death, starting to challenge my father's rule, and almost being kidnapped. It seemed impossible to drive back there, to the small town where nothing strange had ever occurred, where I had grown up. I felt my heart clench as we pulled down the perfectly average streets in our SUVs like police at a crime scene. It was just as I had left it on the outside, her bushes dusted with frost, the windmill by the front door. I could almost pretend for a moment we were heading inside to see her. A hard lump sat in my throat, and I turned away from it for a second, unable to bear the sight of it in my new world. I wanted it to stay as pe
Last Updated : 2025-02-14
Latest chapter
Into the darkness Chapter 59
Arianna POV: “We need to use this now!” Mosley insisted. “He has more chance to get out of this if he knows it’s coming,” “No, I don’t want to move until Blake checks back in. If she’s out there or god forbid is captured, she’s in danger if we move,” I insisted, Gio rubbed my back as I stood my ground. Even though we had found the file, Blake was determined to find the new account. She was worried the past charge was too easy for him to wriggle out of. She wanted more, so she had gone out to find it tracking him just like she had before. It had been three days since she was supposed to check in and there was radio silence on her end. My father didn’t like getting caught twice, if he knew who Blake was from before I had no doubt he had gotten information on her. He may know how she operates and have people watching for her, he may have realized we reached out to her. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe Blake could survive him, it was that I knew the resentment my father felt for her.
Into the darkness Chapter 58
Arianna POV: The whirlwind that was Ryan Blake had flung into our lives and decidedly flung out rather quickly, I honestly hadn’t expected her to turn up again for months at the latest but after running out of the house the night before she strolled back in with a cup of black coffee and some pastries. “Okay,” she mumbled, her mouth full of croissant, “I went to your mom's house there was nothing there,” I could barely understand her as she spoke putting her boots up on the coffee table in the den. “You weren’t kidding,” she chuckled to herself. “They tore that place apart,” A wicked grin spread on her face. I felt my heart pang when I remembered the state of the home I had grown up in. Giovanni must have seen it cross my face as he set his cappuccino down and bit out, “The home your friend built being torn to shreds amuses you?” Blake didn’t miss a beat she took another sip of her coffee and with all seriousness explained. “Yes, the thought of Domenico going crazy looking for the
Into the darkness Chapter 57
*12 years ago* Ryan’s POV: It was late and I was getting nowhere on this hit-and-run case. I stared up at my bulletin board my mind numb from the hours I had spent trying to get this guy. The guy was a total creep but he had enough connections it would be hard to get a conviction. I didn’t like leaving this family high and dry though I’d find some dirt soon enough. A knock came at the office door behind me, hurried repetitive knocks, the only ones I ever got. I had tried the quiet life after retirement, but it made my skin itch seeing all the assholes get away with their dirty dealings, so I became a P.I. Sure my old comrades made fun of me, but while they protected freedom I protected the little guy. I walked over to the door slowly and the knocking continued all the way there. I opened up to see a fairly young woman standing there holding papers and her eyes were red. Her fist still raised she sniffled. “Hello my name is Vanessa Zeni,” she began her voice was hard and fierce. I
Into the darkness Chapter 56
Arianna POV: “I heard you were looking for me,” a woman called in our bedroom I turned on the lights looking between Giovanni and the woman. The two in a standoff my head rushing with adrenaline, the sound of a heartbeat pounding like a base in the back of my brain. Then it all went clear she hesitated looking over at me inquisitively. “Vanessa?” My mother's name floated from her lips and I stopped standing straight up. “How do you know my mom?” The woman put her gun away and put up her hands. “I’m Ryan Blake?” she gave her name and Giovanni put the gun down with a thump and turned to the woman with his eyes lit with fire. “We have a front door most people tend to just knock,” He scoffed going over and putting a shirt on. She eyed him with a mischievous grin. “Yeah, and most people haven’t been tailed by FBI agents or had their tax records pulled in the last 48 hours, not to mention the relentless calling,” she turned her attention back toward me. “Nice by the way my friends ha
Into the darkness Chapter 55
Domenico POV: “I don’t care if the cops aren’t on our side anymore get it done!” I shouted slamming the door behind me. The whole pack of fools had begun to question me ever since I released them on this city. I had given them what they wanted let them settle whatever small petty grudges they held with the insignificant ants on the street, and they had the audacity to say we had gone too far. For so many years, I had left them chomping at the bit and now, now that they’ve had their chance they feel the pressure of their actions. Perhaps there was a reason then why I didn’t let them do whatever they wanted. To be fair my risk hadn’t paid off in the way I wanted, my daughter for some reason concerned herself with the lives of those scraps. She wished them all to be fruitful and successful in their own right. Most of them didn’t have the wherewithal for that, not enough ambition is many men’s great folly. I had wreaked havoc upon the city to show her how meaningless it is to care, th
Into the darkness Chapter 54
Giovanni POV: After our one night into the world of normalcy, we were pulled back to our daily duties. Looking for cracks in her father's foundations, and plastering over our own. I had to hand it to her, she was a remarkable strategist explaining where she believed he might go, giving clever and devious answers as to why. She would be heartbroken if I ever told her but I understood why Domenico wanted her to take over. If anybody here knew how he thought it was her, her own mind ticked in the same way, her saving grace was that she had a conscience. We sat at our desks and worked over the problems that could arise, seeing what we could find on her father. It wasn’t the blood she had originally wanted but I think life in prison was still satisfying. The most grueling task of the day came when we called the Detective he would sit there and tell us how he had nothing more than we did, and still hadn’t found that P.I.If I didn’t know any better I’d say he was useless. “I have made so
Into the darkness Chapter 53
Giovanni POV: I hadn’t any idea what just happened, one moment we were discussing plans with the Detective and the next she had gone cold, in a way she’d never done with me. She was rigid and firm, her voice trembled with fear. I wanted to grab her and hold her, ask her what had made her so upset, but the look in her eyes strayed my hand. She went off without another word, it wasn’t my intention to ever see her in that state. We hadn’t told her about Marco simply for his protection, we didn’t know who could be listening in so it was only ever discussed in my home, in my room which was swept for bugs daily. I didn’t dare mention it at the office where anybody could walk inside. I waited in my office unsure of whether to follow her, part of me screamed that I should run after her and apologize even though I didn’t know what I had done wrong. The other part of me stayed put, hoping she would calm down and speak to me rationally. I went over and poured myself a drink as Luca walked in
Into the darkness Chapter 52
Arianna POV: With the detective on our side, he became an everyday occurrence in our lives much to Giovanni's irritation. He was convinced the detective had a thing for me, which I couldn’t see at all. I tried to remind him that I was with him, but all he said was. No man likes another to covet the thing he holds most dear. We had returned to the city a week after that horrible night, I hadn’t told Gio, but I could still hear their screams the glass shattering. It was some atrocious demon repeating itself to me over and over. I tried to push it from my mind and focus on what we were doing but every day I found it clawing at my ears, drawing up the images from that night whenever I closed my eyes. There was only one reason for my father to have made such a reckless move. He was furious I had gotten away from him, and he wanted me to know that those innocents I held over his life, over Guilia’s, they were the ones who would pay the price. You had to hand it to him, he was ever the tac
Into the darkness Chapter 51
Giovanni POV: We got out of the city and headed west, away from the coast. Most of the night, she was staring out of the window, haunted by what she had seen. I don’t regret taking her out of there, away from those horrors, but I do hope it won’t weigh on her. She was too good a soul to come from such a psychopath. I doubt the reality of what he had done even entered his mind. I wouldn’t take her back there for a while, it was too dangerous, not only for her body but her mind. He would no doubt continue to play these mind games until she cracked and came back to him. The only issue with his plan was me. I refused to lose this fight. It was ironic how he had brought Arianna into the fold in an attempt to distract me, but instead, he gave me the greatest motivation I had ever experienced. Every breath was for her, and every choice I made now was to ensure her survival. I made sure that I was updated on the damage done that night, I wanted personal accounts of every single deed. I h
