Three: Sicily, Italy.

Natalia’s POV:

  

It’s all my fault… I caused this… 

Why didn’t I follow them? Instead, I thought I could outsmart them and I was wrong. So terribly wrong. 

Tears blurred my vision as every fight I had in me melted away. I turned to Carlo, the devil in human form. “I’ll come with you,” I said in a soft plea. “I’ll do anything! Please.”

My eyes turned back to where Ava stood in front of the black van, tears streaming down her cheeks as her brown gaze locked with mine. A man stood behind her, his left hand closed her mouth, muffling her screams while his right held a dagger against her neck. 

How could they do that to a child?! 

I yanked my arm from his hold and dropped to my knees, clasping my hands in front of me. “Please, don’t do this… please!”

His gray-blue eyes studied me, they were expressionless and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. With each second that passed, my anxiety heightened. 

Carlo made eye contact with the man holding Ava and he let her go. 

Like lightning, Ava dashed toward me and I hugged her tightly as we both let out broken sobs. My body still trembled from how scared I’d been. I didn’t know if I should feel relieved or wary. One thing I knew for sure was that they were taking the both of us to Italy. 

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, kissing her all over as I wiped her little cheeks. I could only imagine how she was feeling, I was the older one here, and my mind was still reeling over how drastically our lives changed in one day–

BANG!!! BANG!!!

My heart skipped so fast it physically hurt. Ava clung to me, her sobs grew louder from the shocking sound. It took my brain several seconds to realize that those sounds were from gunshots…

No…no…

Fear crawled up my spine. With trembling hands, I pulled away from Ava’s embrace and got to my feet. Bile rose to my throat as I turned around. 

“Oh God!” A scream escaped me as I ran blindly to dad’s still form on the floor. “No, no, no! Dad… please…” I pushed my hands against his wounds trying to stop the bleeding but it was useless. 

“Dad!” Ava called from beside me. 

Blood flowed from his mouth and where he'd been shot twice. His eyes seemed to struggle to stay open as if he was hanging on for dear life. “I-I… I’m so-rry…” His head lolled to the side and he went completely still. 

“Dad, please wake up,” Ava cried out as she tugged on his arm. 

Fresh hot tears wet my cheeks. Dad was dead. My chest physically hurts.  He'd abused me, starved me, and caused me a lot of trouble but he was still my father, the only parent I knew, the only family I had besides Ava.

And she’d just watched our father die in his pool of blood.

“Have someone take care of this mess.” I heard Carlo say and I saw red.

Without thinking, I moved swiftly, grabbing Carlo by his collar. “You monster! I already agreed to come with you, you said you wouldn't kill him if I did!” 

“Take her away,” Carlo said coldly, staring over my head. His eyes were void of any emotion. 

“How could you?” I rasped. 

Hands grabbed me roughly, pulling me into the van and I let them. When I woke up today, the last thing I'd thought would happen was meeting the devil, but here I am with the devil himself. 

A sharp prick in the back of my neck was followed by a cold rush in my veins. 

And the world went black.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dad, wake up! 

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to scream but the words couldn't come out. Everything seemed slow like an out-of-body experience. It felt like I was watching from the outside as blood flowed profusely from the holes in his chest. His body felt cold, his lips were blue…

He was dying.

“No!” 

I jerked awake, my heart raced wildly like I'd just done a marathon. I wiped at my sweaty forehead as I took in my surroundings.  

It was a small room, like those you see in movies where captives are kept.

Slowly, I recalled the horror that had happened the previous day. 

Ava… Where was Ava? 

On high alert, I jumped to my feet and reached for the door. 

Locked. 

“Who’s out there? Let me out of here!” I banged my fists on the wooden door over and over. Negative thoughts swarmed my head with each passing second.

What if she was sold to someone else?

Left behind?

Worse…killed?

Fear gripped me and I doubled my effort, I banged on the sturdy door until my hands hurt. “If anyone fucking hurts my sister, I swear—”

The door swung open and I almost fell nose flat on the floor but strong arms caught me.

Carlo. 

I could recognize his scent and it stirred something in me, making me feel warm. I jerked away from his arms like I’d been burnt, feeling disgusted with myself.

Carlo’s cold eyes met mine. “You’re being a nuisance, Natalia.” 

Is he serious right now?

Anger and pain warred inside me. “Why should I give a fuck if I am being a nuisance? You ruined my family, you drugged me. You…you killed my father, asshole.” My voice broke and I hated the fact that he could sense my pain and suffering. 

“Women don’t use foul language around me,” he said sternly. 

I glared at him and tried to burn holes in his skin with my eyes. “Go to hell! Where’s my fucking sister?” My body shook more from fear than anger, I shouldn't rile him up but I needed to see Ava, I needed to know she was safe. 

His brows shot up at my defiance. “You both will be separated until you're ready to be obedient.”

“You can't do that! She knows no one here, she’s just a child, one who you rendered fatherless right before her eyes!”

Carlo’s eyes hardened. 

“She’ll live,” he stated simply, his voice lacked sympathy, just cold and hard like his cruel heart. 

He turned to live but paused and pinned me with a dark stare that scared me down to my toes. “My son will be introduced to you tonight and until then, don't try anything stupid, I’d hate to put a bullet hole through that pretty head of yours.”

The glint in his eyes showed how serious he was and I shrank back in fear, this monster could kill me. If I died what would happen to Ava? My eyes stung with tears. “I…I just want to see my sister,” I whispered and I hoped he'd understand. 

But Carlo took one last look at me and then he left. The door clicked shut behind him.

A choked sob tore from my throat, and I let it out—everything I had been holding in. I yelled in frustration as I grabbed the nearest thing—my duffel bag—and hurled it across the room. It slammed against the door with a loud thud, its contents spilled out. I tossed the pillows and ripped at the bedsheets, anything to release the hurt and anger clawing at my insides. 

Why me? 

Why do I always have to struggle for happiness?

Exhausted, I dropped to the floor beside the door and that was when my eyes caught something strange amidst the mess on the floor. Slowly, I picked up the brown envelope that slid out from where my bag landed. 

It wasn't mine. I hadn't put an envelope when I packed my bag, at least I didn't remember putting it in there. 

My heart rate picked up as every instinct told me not to open the strange envelope. But my fingers moved, tearing the seal off…

I should have listened.