ELIO The phone rang in my hand, tipping it down in the early hours of the morning. I could not help but stare at my torn skin, the wound having clotted. This time I had taken it too far, I admitted to myself. A whole month raining nothing but hell. I shook my head, feeling more like a monster than a human. All that was left to shed my skin from my body so I could be the beast I truly was deep inside. I was ashamed. If Lethu could see the man I was, she would see why I left. I stopped myself just as I was about to count the days without her. Everything was dark. All I felt was anger, hate, and pain. “Speak,” I spoke into the phone, bloody eyes on the driver who was speeding through the dark empty road to my house. The panic could be heard even before Lethu’s guard spoke up. I sat up in my seat, already knowing something was terribly wrong. “Sir…” I did not have time for such stupidity. I cut the call fast, moving to check surveillance in the house and yes, Lethu was not in her be
The phone was still clutched in my hand. I sat quietly as I thought over how I would tear Rendal from the inside out. I would make sure his heart bled first before I shred his skin from his screaming self. I slowly ran my eyes down to the phone in hand as it rang for the forth time. This was it. There was a thin line and I did not want him to cross it. I did not want to push him to the point where my Lethu would suffer. My face was stone cold, my heart a black stallion with skin pale. I was not ready for this. I was not sure I wanted to hear her screams. I was not sure I wanted to see her being struck over and over. I knew they would not take it easy on me and it killed me. My heart clenched painfully at all I had put Lethu through. Surely, I was a curse to her. Taking interest in her was the worst decision I had ever made in my life because I had also opened her up to a world of danger. I swiped the screen and put the call on loudspeaker. “Do you think we are playing?! She will pa
LETHU I stirred back into consciousness and it was like déjà vu yet this time I was hanging from a beam in a brightly lit room. My eyes fluttered close from the assault of the light. In that second, the pain rained over my body like summer rain. It was too intense I could not even cry out. My whole face was on fire, my arms and legs aching deep from the bone because of the position I was hanging in. I could feel what was left of my dress twisted and turned around my body. My mouth tasted of blood and burned. The tears bleed out, glazing down my burning cheek as I sniffled. The cloud slowly slipped away with it settling on me what had happened. I shot my eyes out wide as more tears flooded out. My heart ran its own race as I shook so much it had me slightly swing in the position I was in. The fear, such fear, it was consuming. Not again. I kept thinking, shaking even harder until I thought I would faint. I could recall how hard the boot had come on my face. I was afraid they had
ELIO I always prided myself on my patience and that day it was truly tested. We hopped on the jeeps, taking off to soon be jerking around as we took ways unconventional to many. The car was dead silent even with the six men sitting in with me. A convoy of black G wagons jerked through the rugged terrain. The sun was hidden away by the tall trees. It was hot in the car but no one dared crack even a window. I was in my thoughts and I did not want to be disturbed. Lethu’s images danced in my head, her smile keeping me bolted down as I made the way up the mountain until we stopped and took camp. We would proceed by foot when the time was right. The beta team checked in, having also reached their destination. I rolled my sleeves up, undoing my button as the other men changed into the appropriate gear. I had no time to change nor the patience. With binoculars in hand, I checked the security around the targeted compound. We would wait till dark. The darkness did not change anything but
LETHU I drifted in and out of consciousness. I could have been dreaming the whole thing; my body pulled down, boots hitting the ground with such emergence and car tires screeching. I knew I had been dreaming it all. I knew nothing but pain waited for me when I finally woke up. I dreaded it with every cell in my body. My body itself seemed to be in the roaring fires of hell with how hard it ached and burned. I felt my tears slip even in my unconscious state. I felt the painful purr pull from me with each jerk of my body. I felt hands on me, and I wanted to fight but I was stuck in the state I was in. I felt the hands grip and pull me which had me wince so hard. I was pushed up, arms carrying me. It was cold and I was fading slowly but surely yet the tension could be felt. My eyes fluttered and closed, darkness all around with the silence dreadful. Was this it? Were they there to bury me alive? Was more torture coming my way? Whoever was carrying me was walking and soon they stood.
I was clean and warm. I was in a large black sweater which I kept pulling on its sleeves. Elio changed my bandages and I had held onto him for dear life, not wanting to see the open wounds on my skin that burned with no remorse. I sat with legs crossed on the chair in the closet. No words had been spoken since the shower. So much had to be said yet both of us afraid to open the channel. It had wrecked me so much seeing Elio in tears and I swore I would bury anyone alive that left him in tears again in this life. I would burn the world for him just as he would for me. My eyes followed him with every step he took. Something in me had exploded in that shower. A layer had been shed with a different one worn on me. I felt so protective, this hardcore feeling overpowering. His pain became my pain and it killed me seeing him that deep in his mind. The man was far from fine. He worked on autopilot, cleaning the room until it was pee free. His bare feet tapped on the floor. My head turned
My legs and arms held on as Elio made his way around the room. He bent down to pick a paper bag with my eyes going wide. “Are those mine?” I questioned with a corked brow, staring into his face. He chuckled because he knew me and pills did not mix. I swallowed hard. I had barely survived the ones I took a month ago. “Yes.” Elio answered as I sighed in defeat. I stared all around me as we walked out of the bedroom. We were in a penthouse with the view stunning as we stepped out into the living room connected to the open kitchen. It was a simple and plain but expensively stunning apartment. Glass was all that kept the birds from flying in. We were looking down on all the surrounding buildings and it felt like we were Gods looking down on humanity. Fresh air blew in from the opened glass door, the city sounds heard and I loved it. I couldn’t wait to sit out in the balcony and just stare at the world. I was pushed up, my body carefully lowered on the counter and next to me my pills w
“Smells so good.” I said, grinning like a five-year-old and it took everything in me not to clap my hands in anticipation. The hunger let itself be known, wanting to taste anything else than the bitter taste in my mouth. Elio put the lid on the pot, walking to the sink then he turned back to me. My eyes ran to the full glass of water. I frowned then it hit me and I could not help but shift back. Each movement of my body sent a whole explosion of pain. “Don’t shift Lethu.” Elio warned but I couldn’t help it. I was already shaking my head over and over again with my gut wrecked. The glass was placed right next to me and I stared as if he had just planted a gun. I did not dare take my eyes off him. Elio pulled the sac of pills and a cry nearly pulled from me. “Shouldn’t I eat first?” I tried to prolong the horror. “These need to be taken thirty minutes before eating.” My eyes widening even more because he pulled out more than five packets of pills and a huge bottle. I huffed out in
I felt the lights then saw them. I felt as we walked through the house. I ran my hands into Elio’s hair, pulling him to me as if I wanted to infuse myself into him. His hands ran up to my waist and when he pulled back I kissed his jaw and lower to his neck. Soft music suddenly filled the house and water soon sprayed on our naked bodies. A deep shiver ran down yet not even it would tear me from my heaven. We were no longer just kissing because it felt like we were devouring each other. I felt as if he was kissing me deep into my heart. His hands tightened on my waist and I did not protest as he lifted me off. I found my footing while buried deep in his essence. He turned me around, kissing my jaw down to my neck as I leaned my head back on his shoulder. A moan pulled from the deepest hole in my core. I arched my back to him as his hand grabbed and mold my breast with such hunger. His other slid down my belly. I spread my legs for him, his dick pressed hard on my back. His hand ran dow
“Husband.” I coaxed, the car flying off the road. Wind blew through the thrown-back roof. I felt free, felt unbound, and cosmic. Elio’s groan and warning look had me giggling. I pushed off the seat, my hands moving up my thighs. I felt Elio’s eyes which made me turn my head to stare at him. His eyes couldn’t even budge as I pulled the underwear I wore down. He turned to the road for a second then back. My white lace underwear was unhooked from my feet, bringing it to my face to sniff. “Lethu bella tentatrice, per favore, ferma il mio amore.” Lethu beautiful temptress, please stop my love. He begged, pressing on the gas. The white lace flew to his lap and I watched as he pulled it up to his face, sniffing it. His eyes closed and when they opened I knew I was in for it. The car took a swerve fifteen minutes later and we were down and near the beach. I could hear the water crush. I could smell them and I could feel them already kissing my skin. We drove up a narrow tropical driveway th
I changed to my reception dress and I danced what seemed like hours with Elio. He spun me around the dance square with my smile so bright my jaw nearly dislocated. After him I danced with Salvatore. It was three full songs of him just waltzing me in his arms. “What do I call you? Sal? Big Bro? Volturi? Oohh, I like that one.” I chirped up as he spun me away only for my body to spin back into his arms. His face fell into a frown. “Do I even want to know what that is?” He questioned as I giggled. “You should watch the twilight movie and the breaking dawn movies. I promise you will like them.” I grinned, him corking a brow but then relaxed. I knew he would watch them and I wished I could see his reaction. I would pay money for it. My insides melted for the hundredth time. He picked me up, my palms on his with my whole weight on him as we turned around. As sad as it had been back then, the wedding being postponed was a blessing because there I was, dancing like a princess with the men
I knew there were over a thousand guests scattered on both sides but I could only see blurs. I heard the buzz, so many drones capturing the whole moment. I heard the weeps, the guests even more emotional. My eyes fixed further down the alter where I was going and I could not help but gasp as my vision cleared. I had last seen Elio the morning before when Salvatore and all the men took him away for a day and night to remember. He stood in his black tux looking so good. His eyes were on me, never faltering. His leg shook and I knew he was holding everything back from just weeping as I was. I was full-on crying and it was so embarrassing. By the time we reached the end I was not even sure I could stand on my own. “Who gives her away?” The officiate asked. “I do.” Mom spoke, pulling her arm from me. Elio descended down and held out his hand. Mom put my hand in his before he kissed my cheek then Elio’s. “I love you both.” She whispered and it nearly left me scattered on the floor lik
Two Months Later “Champagne?” My fifteen-year-old sister gestured, the glass filled with the sparkling liquid held out for me. I narrowed my eyes at her. “Hold it for me sis.” She turned around and I watched as she scoured the room for mother’s eyes before she quickly took a sip. It was why she took the champagne glass in the first place. I chuckled, shaking my head. About seven people ran around me, picking a certain part of the dress, pinning, or dusting something off. They were all in panic which hid my own panic. Eyes from the girls were on me as they dived in the delicates offered in the room. I folded my moist hands, eyes moving around the large room again with red the only thing I saw. Elio took it upon himself to make sure I woke up with every part of our room filled with dahlia flowers. There were boxes on boxes of red, pink and white dahlias. I blushed and nearly giggled while recalling the smell that had hit my nostrils as I came alive from dream land. My head had tu
Giving Elio his sponge bath was the highlight of my days as the week progressed along with spending some time with my mother. It was the only time where no one else occupied the room, leaving me with Elio to take care of him. It brought some light back in me. If anyone walked in they would label me crazy because the whole process was spent with me just talking his ear off or singing to him, hoping my terrible singing would wake him up. I realized just then that he was my best friend and not being able to hear his voice over the days tore me apart. I refrained from telling him about my mother and siblings because I wanted to do it when I could stare in his eyes and see him excited for me. In a span of three days I had learned so much about my mother’s life and culture. She taught me so many things and I could not wait to have cooking dates with her which we put a pin on because she and my siblings were leaving in a day. It saddened me but surely Elio and I would visit whenever we coul
Death. You can dream about it. You can talk about it. You can prepare for it but when it hits, it breaks everything in you and shows you that you can never be ready for it. Silence. A great abyss of silence. I saw them talk. I saw them walk. I saw them stand before me, eyes staring and lips moving but all I heard was silence. I curled myself in the chair, feet on the suede. A fleece blanket covered me, not sure when it was draped over but it brought me warmth. Head on my knees with my left hand holding on, afraid to let go because I was afraid that if I did then they would snatch Elio away. Internal bleeding, fractured ribs, torn muscles, ruptured spline. The list went on and on. The doctor’s words came and went as they had in the three days of my grief. A hand fell on my shoulder, my body jerking in fright, my eyes turning—red and burning. Brown eyes stared at me, never leaving. I could see the sadness, the heartache, reflecting pain I could not describe. For long minutes I jus
Mamma led us to the dining table where food lay in abundance. It seemed they had prepared a feast for Elio’s return. Mamma pulled Elio’s chair and he pulled mine back. We sat down, smiling and thanking as Mamma fussed over him, asking how he was, touching his face, kissing his cheeks, and plating his food. I took my own plate, just filing it because I was dead hungry. The few house staff stood by the door, watching and listening. Other family members, far many than those I left, took their seats. Dario stared at Elio intensely and as my eyes drifted around, Salvatore was nowhere to be seen. Irya sat on her chair, no one next to her. Three new people walked through the doors and I nearly splattered apart right there and then. My eyes went wide. Brown eyes stared back at me as if they had been waiting a lifetime to connect to mine. My world shook and crumbled all around me. I did not know if to cry, shout, jump, or just run. I felt like running, running from the truth staring right at
I don’t know when I fell asleep but I do recall hearing screams somewhere. I heard the crash of glass and I shrunk into myself before darkness engulfed me. In my dreams more trauma waited. In my dream I had been late and when I got to Eduardo he told me it was too late, that Elio had passed. The grief rocked me so hard I could feel myself shiver hard even in sleep. I tried shifting around the sheets to find warmth but none was provided. At a point I cried, weeping for my lost love and the feeling haunted me even as my eyes peeled open. My chest was so sore I couldn’t stop rubbing it. My body ached as if I had been thrown into a hurricane. The sheets were all twisted around me, some hanging to the floor. A trickle of sweat ran down my spine and instead of feeling rested, I felt as if someone murdered then brought me back to life. Movement caught my eye and that was when I saw Elio, his back turned to me. He was buttoning up his clean navy shirt, his hair combed back to perfection. Th