CHAPTER FIVE

VALENTINA’S POV

I tried to open my eyes but all I could see was darkness, then the last events that happened before I passed out came flooding to my mind and I gasped.

Was I dead? I asked myself inwardly and wanted to try to lift my hands but found out that I was restrained. I began to struggle to free myself then I heard a voice.

“If you move one more time I'll kill you before we even get to meet the boss, don't test my patience young lady,“ A deep masculine voice said with warning.

“Who are you and where are you taking me?“ I asked not minding what the man said.

“Shut up,“ The masculine voice said again and tied my mouth while I struggled for him not to, but it was all to no avail because he was stronger than I was.

“Drive faster Rocco,“ The masculine voice said, and only then did I realize I was in transit.

Where the hell were they taking me to, I thought to myself as fear instantly enveloped me.

I decided not to struggle anymore since I knew that they were dangerous and remained silent throughout the ride.

The car came to a stop and I heard the car door open and close but they didn't take me down. I couldn't feel the presence of the man who was seated beside me anymore.

A few minutes after he got down, the car door opened and two pairs of hands roughly took me out of the car, dragging me to a place only they knew about.

They took me into a room and immediately we entered the stench of blood filled my nostril. I instantly hoped that these people weren't going to kill me.

I felt tense as they tied me to a chair and removed the blindfold from my eye. I squinted my eyes trying to adjust my sight to the dim and red nature of the room.

When I could see well, the first person I made eye contact with was someone strikingly familiar and my eyes widened in realization as I remembered he was the man I saved from the bridge.

“Mr?“ I said since I didn't even know his name.

The look on his face showed that he recognized me too. There were bloodstains on his clothes and hands, when I saw dead men lying on the floor with their brains out I couldn't help but gasp.

He just stood there with an expressionless face but through his eyes, I could see he was distressed. He asked me if I was my uncle's relative and I answered wondering what business my uncle had to do with this kind of person.

At least I was expecting him to order his men to release me since I after all was the one who saved his life but no, instead he just stood there and said nothing about releasing me.

When I asked on the verge of crying if that was how he would repay my kindness, he didn't answer me instead he left with his men following suit.

The door was shut and they left me with the dead men in the room. I just sat down and cried my eyes out. These people were surely a mafia gang and Mr whatever his name was, seemed to be their leader.

***********************

Thirty minutes later a blondie with a lot of piercings on her nose, lips, ears, and belly button entered and she also had the same tattoo as the others.

She wore a crop top and ripped jeans, her long purple hair moved in sync with her steps as she walked to me welding a modified AK-47 rifle.

She stood directly in front of me as she chewed bubble gum noisily and gave me a disdainful look.

Great, another enemy, this lady looked like she hated me more than she should all.

“Untie her but don't lose the bonds on her hands. Be quick,“ She ordered the ladies who came in with her who were also holding modified AK-47 rifles.

The ladies roughly untied me from the chair not minding if they hurt me in the process of doing so. The blondie jacked my left arm while another jacked my right as they pushed me out of the room.

“I hope the boss kills this one quickly, I hate her already,“ The blondie said and they tugged me forward to start walking.

This place seemed to be an estate, a beautiful one; it didn't even look like a place where killings took place at all. I must confess they were good at hiding their wrongdoings.

Far ahead I could see men at the gate of the estate, one party was outside talking and pointing their guns at the man I saved and his group, who were inside the estate and heavily armed too as they pointed their guns at the people outside. The gate was made of an expensive barricade.

Argh! Why do I have a very bad feeling about this? I asked myself inwardly.

It was when we reached there and the man I saved gently grabbed me and took me closer that I found out that it was Diego Dicaprio, my supposed fiancè, and some men that were the ones outside the gate.

Chills ran down my spine as I digested what I was seeing. Was this the kind of person my uncle wanted me to get married to?

I could see that Diego had so many tattoos on the exposed part of his body which I didn't notice during the dinner because he was wearing a tuxedo.

“There is no way I'm not going to have anything to do with him,“ I mumbled hoping no one heard.

“Ricardo D’Arezzo how dare you have the nerve to kidnap my fiancèe,“ Diego yelled.

“Oh shut up, I haven't even had a real conversation with you yet,“ I wanted to say to Diego and roll my eyes but decided against doing so.

Wait, did I just hear Diego call the man I saved Ricardo D’Arezzo? Like the Ricardo that was rumored to be the Mafia King?

I gasped as I turned to look at Ricardo whose attention was fixed on Diego.

“Let's ask the captive if she’s indeed your fiancèe and if she's willing to go with you then I'll free her. Deal?'' Ricardo asked Diego with a smirk on his face.

“Whether she agrees or not she is mine. She belongs to me!! and I'm not leaving here without her,“ Diego yelled with his nose flaring.

“Valentina. Is this your fiancè? And are you willing to go with him? Be sincere, don't be scared. I will let you go if that's what you truly want. Consider it as a thank you for saving my life,“ Ricardo said to me softly.

I quickly decided not to go with Diego, then if Diego is gone I'll use the opportunity to ask Ricardo to set me free instead as my reward for saving him.

“I don't know this man and I am not engaged to anyone, therefore, I can't go with him,“ I said as I turned to look Diego directly in the eyes while I said so with a straight face.

I didn't miss seeing the look of satisfaction on Ricardo’s face, while Diego looked astounded. Even though I felt Ricardo was an asshole, I couldn't help but notice how dashingly handsome he was.

“ You heard her Diego, now fuck off, “ Ricardo thundered.

“Val, let's go home your Uncle is waiting for us. He is really worried. How would you say you don't know me,“ Diego said as he took a step closer but stopped when he saw Ricardo's men corked their guns ready to shoot.

“Mr, I think you got me mixed up with someone else,“ I answered Diego with a serious face and pretended not to know him.

“You can leave now,“ Ricardo said to Diego with finality.

“Not without a fight,“ Diego said after which he immediately signaled his men and they began to shoot into the estate.

Everyone took cover and looked for a place or object to shield them.

Ricardo grabbed my hands and held me close as he and his gang shot at Diego's gang.

A bullet pierced into Ricardo’s shoulders and he yelled in pain, but after a few seconds, a menacing look made its way to his face.

“Run Valentina, go and hide at that corner over there,“ Ricardo said and pointed at a small room that looked like the gatekeeper's room.

I immediately ran to hide at the side of the room building. I watched as both gangs shot at each other. I was baffled as to how Ricardo still had strength even though he was shot in the shoulders.

“This is the perfect time to escape, “ I said inwardly before I peeped to check again if anyone’s attention was on me.

I couldn't wait any longer for Ricardo to free me because I wasn't sure if he would truly release me, so I decided to just use the opportunity to sneak out silently.

When I was sure that it was safe, I turned my back to sneak out, but two hands grabbed my neck and began to strangle me.

Then I looked to see who it was as I struggled to set myself free.