DamianoMy brows pinched together as I looked at his unmoving body on the ground. I stopped in front of him, nudging him with my foot before a groan came out of him. I watched him struggle to stand up, seeing just how badly he was beaten up. His face was covered in cuts, bruises, and blood. His arm was wrapped around his ribs. It was most likely broken just seeing the condition he was in.Michael winced as he slumped against the car, breathing heavily before he met my gaze.“What are you doing here?” I stared at him blankly, waiting for him to speak.“I… Shit - Althaia.”“You’re too late.” I scoffed.“I tried… to warn…” He kept groaning out in pain, on the verge of passing out.“You’re wasting my time. Get the fuck off my property.” Michael slumped to the ground again and I signaled for my men to get moving.“I know where they are.” Now, that got my attention and I turned to look back at him. He was struggling to keep his eyes open.“Do you believe he knows something?” Antonio came to
Althaia I felt like I was losing my sanity the longer we were locked up in this shit hole. My heart ached continually at the thought of Damiano not being alive. The image of him being shot was playing over and over in my head, and no matter how hard I tried, tears threatened to fall. I wrapped my arms around my knees, somehow trying to calm down my racing heart. Guilt was eating me alive. Maybe… if I had gone away, he would still be alive and he wouldn’t have had to deal with all those problems I carried along with me. He wanted to make life easier for me. To make me happy. And he did. But in return, I placed all the burden on his shoulders, causing his death. Was this how it really was going to end for us? For him? For me? To lose the people I loved so dearly in a blink of an eye? If he wasn’t here with me, then I wouldn’t want to live anymore. And maybe, just maybe, with a glimpse of hope still in my heart, I would be able to see him again in the next life. “We have to do so
Althaia I swung the door open, holding the hairpin tightly in my hand. I stopped at the doorway and just looked at them, feeling the tension between them. I couldn’t do anything since Cara was looking at Maso, not prepared, and Maso was keeping a sharp gaze at me. I wanted to shout at Cara for not being ready, and possibly wasting our only chance. I couldn’t do this on my own. “Turn around and put your hands on the wall.” “What, why?” I asked, my heart leaping to my throat and my hands started to get sweaty. Fuck, I’m going to get caught. “I said turn around -” “She can’t!” Cara finally snapped out of whatever was going on with her and came to my rescue. “I need help since I can’t really do anything in this big dress.” She continued and gestured to her dress. Maso’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. His eyes continued down, stopping by my hands where I had them both into fists. “Hands on the wall, now!” He snapped. I took a step back when he came closer to me, and I sent a pan
AlthaiaI felt my heart stop beating.I couldn’t believe it.I was afraid to even close my eyes to blink in case this was some kind of an illusion. A beautiful one that I would never get to see if I did.Did I die and we got reunited?With my shaky hand, I reached out and touched his face. He leaned into my touch and a sob escaped my lips, and tears welled in my eyes."Damiano…” I sobbed in a whisper.“I’m right here, baby.” He kissed the palm of my hand and pulled me into him. I couldn’t hold it in anymore and cried into his chest, wrapping my arms tightly around him. It was real. He was right here in front of me, holding me tightly in his strong arms as he buried his face into my neck.My husband is alive.Damiano wiped my tears away when I had calmed down, placing his hands on my cheeks, and leaning down until he captured my lips. The moment our lips touched washed away all the stress and anxiety that had built up in record time while being locked up. It gave me a sense of serenity
AlthaiaI landed on the ground and cried out when I landed painfully on my shoulder. It felt like I got shot. But the sounds of groans quickly caught my attention and I whipped my head in that direction.“Oh, God, Michael!” He was bleeding from his leg and I quickly crawled over to him, ignoring my own pain.“Why did you do that, you idiot?” Cara sat up and looked at him. He had pushed away and he let himself take the bullet.“Are you guys okay?” Michael panted out and tried to get up, but immediately held around his ribs and slumped down again.“We’re okay. I can’t believe you did that!” I looked around, seeing we were behind a machine and out of Carlos’ view. I pressed down on the wound while I tried to figure out what I could use to stop the bleeding.“Isn’t it cute? A traitor is helping the enemies.” Carlos’ voice rang out along with another gunshot firing. I threw myself down to cover, avoiding the bullet by a hair.“Stay down.” Michael put a hand on my back to keep me down as he
Althaia I ran as I shot after him, but I was too far away to hit him. Everything Damiano taught me about being steady and focused went straight down the drain. My heart was pounding and I was shaking. Shaking so much in rage that all I could think of was how desperately I wanted to get my hands on him and see the life painfully disappear from his eyes. Disgusting? The word kept echoing in my mind. Over and over again. I kept moving, running as fast as I could, taking cover wherever possible as I kept shooting in his direction. Carlos was desperate to land a shot on me. So much he, too, was unsteady and unfocused while I moved in between the concrete pillars to get closer to him. No matter what, I knew I wouldn’t be able to hit him. My aim wasn’t good enough but I wasn’t aiming to hit him. Just yet. He still had Cara, and I couldn’t risk accidentally shooting her. Instead, I was trying for him to empty his gun while I got closer. And at this moment, I was fucking thankful Damiano
Althaia“No, no, no, please wake up!” My tears fell down his face, and no matter how much I called out his name, he was still unresponsive.“Y-you can’t leave me… We-we haven’t had enough time… Please, come back to me.” But there was still nothing and his eyes remained shut. I sobbed as I cradled his head into my arms.This can’t be the end.“Come back to me, my love…” I whispered, refusing to accept I was holding my dead husband. I then frantically looked around his body to figure out what was happening to him.His gunshot wound!I quickly ripped his shirt up and unstrapped his vest, but nothing prepared me for the sight.Bad wouldn’t come close to describing what I was seeing.His wound was open and blood flowed out too fast. I immediately tried to stop the bleeding with my hands, watching the blood seep out between my fingers and covering my hands. I rapidly blinked away my tears to clear my sight but they continued to stream down my face as I tried to think how to help him.I shak
DamianoAlthaia was shocked.Shocked to the point her body gave up under her and collapsed to the ground. I grabbed her and pulled her into me, gritting my teeth as I ignored my own pain when I saw the state she was in. I didn’t give two shits about Alexei at this moment, only worrying about her. She looked numb, lost, as she tried to comprehend what I just said. For once, Alexei kept quiet and had his men stand by as he looked at Althaia.His daughter.He hadn’t expressed what he thought of the situation. About him having a daughter. But he was pissed at her mother for keeping away and not telling him. Twenty-five years had he lived on with his life without knowing he had a child out in the world. And to make it worse for him, his daughter thought Gaetano was her father.An Italian man who married his woman“Come on, breathe, Althaia… There you go… Breathe.” She gasped for air and I felt how her entire body was shaking against mine. I held her tightly, even though I was struggling to