A man dressed in all black, with a thick long coat, and a black mask, walked into the living room.
"This was almost too easy." He continued, standing in front of my father. "I mean I guess I can call it easy when I've been planning it for 12 years."
"You fucking bastard! How dare you come to my home, guns blazing?!" My father rasped, trying to hold on a face of bravery, but his face was so pale, he looked like he'd fall unconscious any second.
"Always such an aggressive animal." The man replied. "You'd think that a man like you would be lonely and miserable, maybe that way I'd understand why it was so easy to be the unforgiving cold devil that you are."
My father grinned. "So that's what this is? Now this is exactly why I never leave any survivors. Bastards like you always have a way of coming back to bite me in the ass."
The man didn't hesitate to punch my father in the face, sending him falling to the ground in fits of bloddy coughs. He stretched out his hands to one of the men who gave him a gun.
"You have some nerve saying something like that. I'm going to make you pay for everything you took from me." The man rasped, his voice in a controlled rage.
"I'm going to make sure you die an agonizing death, Gabriel. You might be a monster, but I know how much you love your family. Now let me tell you what I'm going to do, I'll kill your wife first, making sure you watch, and then every one of my men will fuck your daughter till her pussy rips apart, and then if she isn't already dead, I'll kill her myself." His voice lowered, and I could sense the smile in his tone. "Do you know what is going to be favourite part, letting you live for a couple of days so everything that will happen here tonight will haunt you, even in your after life."
I froze at his last words. I was….I was going to get raped? I glanced up at the men around me, they were up to ten of them. How could they….how could this man be so cruel?
I could see the fear in my father's eyes now. "Your business is with me. Leave my family out of it."
"But how would my revenge be complete if I don't hit you where it hurts the most?" He raised his gun, and pointed it at my father. "I'm making sure I'm going to take everything from you. Right now, all your Underbosses, your Capo, their Consinglieres, they are all dead! Every single one of them, at this exact moment. Your entire legacy is going to burn in one night."
He laughed maniacally, waving the gun in my father's face. "Don't look at me like that. You're at fault for having so many enemies. All it took was gathering those enemies, some expert planning, and of course, 12 years. I made sure everything was perfectly set up for this night to be a success."
"Now." He continued, turning his attention to my mother. "Let's get this over with."
"No!" I screamed, trying to break free, trying to get to my mother. But the guard's grip on my hair was too tight, and I could only struggle and watch in horror as the masked man pulled raised his gun.
"Mum, no!" I screamed again, my voice hoarse with desperation. My mother's eyes met mine, and I saw a flash of fear and sadness before the masked man pulled the trigger.
The sound of the gunshot was like a punch to the gut. I felt like all the air in my lungs had been sucked away as I stared at my mother's body, unable to process what had just happened.
She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. She was just…still
A wave of grief and rage washed over me, and almost immediately, I let out a soul ripping scream. "Mum!!"
I screamed and screamed, my voice echoing through the room. Without warning the guard yanked my hair again, forcing me to look away from my mother's lifeless body.
"Shut up!" He growled.
The masked man let out a chuckle. "There's nothing more satisfactory than screams of despair."
"How... how...mum." I stuttered, my eyes drifting to my father. His eyes were closed, but I saw it, the bloody tear that trickled down his cheek.
"Your mother's death should be the least of your concern." He nodded his head at the guard behind me. "Now."
Adrenaline spiked in my veins again as I thought about what was going to happen to me. I'd rather kill myself than let any of these brutes touch me.
The guard let go of my hair, and tried to grab my arm, but I was quick. I wiggled out of his grasp, and headed straight for the masked man, picking up the nearest vase I could get. But even I knew I wouldn't get anywhere close to him, because he pointed the gun at me, and again, with a cold precision,he pulled the trigger.
"Ahh." I yelled as my body jerked backwards.
I stared down at my stomach and watched as a tiny blood dot quickly spread into a large patch like wildfire.
"Fucking bitch!" The guard behind me yelled, and to send me in a more agonizing pain, he hit me hard on the back of my head with his gun.
I fell to the ground immediately, everything becoming blurry and disoriented.
"Stop!" My father groaned, his voice laced with pain. "Do what you came here to do, enough with the games."
"You won't ask me to spare your daughter?"
"I know you won't, so I'm not going to give you that satisfaction."
I tried to focus on their words, but my head was pounding, and my vision was fading. I was going to die. Why?
I still had film school to go to, What's going to happen to Jasmine? She couldn't afford the rent of our apartment alone. Mum, I wanted to see my mother again. I wanted to tell her I loved her, even though I didn't say it enough. I wanted to apologize for leaving and going so far away.
"Dad..." I whispered, barely audible for anyone to hear.
I had a view of him on the floor, the masked man standing in front of him.
"Don't die yet, Gabriel. I'm going to show you the last face that'd haunt you in hell."
He took off his mask, but his back was to me, so I couldn't see his face. But he must have been someone important, because my dad's eyes were wide in surprise.
"You.."
"Yes, Me." He pointed his gun at my father, and a loud bang filled the room.
My father's body jerked once, before going still. I couldn't scream, neither could I cry, and I could feel the darkness enveloping me in an agonizing pain. The last words I heard...
"Burn the house down."
…before everything went dark
I was burning. My entire body felt like it was on fire. I couldn't stop the screams. They were my screams, but I couldn't stop them. "Your entire legacy is gone!" The masked man screamed before pulling the trigger, killing both my parents. "No!" I jolted awake, my body screaming in so much pain. My stomach throbbed with a dull ache, like a burn that was eating me up from the inside. My body was too weak to move, and I glanced around the room, but something was off. Why was everywhere so dark? Trying to steady my breathing, I touched my face to be sure I was awake. I was sure I was, and I was sure my eyes were open, so why couldn't I see anything? "Hello?!" I called out, reaching forward to try to grab anything, but all I could feel were the sheets beneath me. "Is someone here?!"I heard the sound of a door opening, and a woman's soothing voice cut through the air. "You're okay." She said, her hand grasping mine.I turned my head towards the voice, desperate to see who was speaki
He came again. More times than I could count, and everytime he did, he always brought some kind of token. Flowers, junk food the hospital would never allow. It was almost like he was baiting me, trying to get me to lower my guard, trying to get me to trust him. But I couldn't, not him, not anyone, not ever.He never stayed too long either, thirty minutes at most. It was enough for me to get info that he let me gain. His name was Matteo Morandi, didn't sound like a name I've heard before, but I was never good with remembering. He owned properties, car stores, and my father had been an acquaintance with his father. He had lent him some money once when his business was going under. Since Matteo's father died, he placed it upon himself to pay my father back. He was a mysterious man, who kept things about himself vague."Why did you save me?" I asked. I didn't know how long it has been since I was here, and I didn't care either. I felt hollow, empty…"You keep asking me a question that I
"What the fuck are you doing, Carlos?!" Matteo's voice boomed. He let go of my hair, causing me to fall to the ground. "She attacked me, and then tried to run!"I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering, panicking, trying to push away the horrors."I told you not to hurt her!" Matteo yelled, his tone icy. "Why the fuck would you grab her like some doll?!""My head feels like shit, and I'm the one bleeding!" He protested.He hurried to my side, and I immediately flinched at his touch. "It's okay." He soothed, his voice a total contrast of what it was a second ago. "I'm not going to hurt you, Gabriella."I whimpered, tightening my arm around myself. I curled up into a ball, my hands clutching at my head, as if I could physically hold back the painful memories that were flooding my mind.Suddenly a warm weight settled around my shoulders. Matteo's suit jacket, I realized, as the scent of the cologne enveloped me. His hands closed around my wrists, gentle but firm, and he pulled me into
Matteo's povWhat the fuck was I doing? Saving the daughter of Gabriel Russo, faking her death, and then taking her with me to my home in Los Angeles. All of these are like ingredients to a disaster that was going to blow up in my face in the future. I looked over at her, and saw she was already sound asleep. Her brows were furrowed together as if she was having a bad nightmare. I'm not surprised, because things like what happened to her, stays in your mind forever. There was no fixing it. My eyes trailed to the burn scars on her neck, and I felt the ripple of rage run through me. The time spent with Gabriella, made me realize she wasn't a bad person, she was the direct opposite of Gabriel, but yet she still had to suffer for his sins. "Great." I muttered as I looked away. "You had one mission, Matteo, but instead you had to save the girl."I leaned back in my seat, and sighed. I was already too deep in this to turn back now. Gabriella stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked
Gabriella's povI was safe. I was safe. I was safe. It was what I tried to tell myself even though I was so unhappy. It's been fourteen days since I've arrived in Los Angeles, and it felt like eternity since I felt I had any form of control over my life. It felt just like the hospital, but worse. Since I wasn't familiar with my surroundings, I couldn't move around as I pleased. I had a monotonous routine : wake up, eat, get ushered to the garden by the maid, Gretta, eat again, then sleep. I felt locked up.Matteo on the other hand was like a ghost. It was almost like I had made him up these past few months, and now my reality was struggling to keep up with my fantasy.I hardly slept, because my nightmares kept me up. The darkness was oppressive, like a physical weight that pressed down on me at all times. But what difference did it make? Day or Night, it was all the same to me. This left me filled with so much panic and anxiety, that I began to create scenarios in my head. I thought
Matteo's povI couldn't believe she tried to escape, couldn't believe she even hurt herself in the process. She felt so light in my arms. and I couldn't help but notice how fragile she seemed. Her cheeks looked hollow, and her skin was pale. "When Gretta told me you were skipping meals, I didn't think you'd actually loose this much weight in a short period of time."She looked away from me, her brows furrowed in the defiance. "Where did you go to?" As I walked into the house, Gretta's eyes widened as she noticed who was in my arms. "Sir, I swear…I…I don't…""You're dismissed for the night, Gretta." I said, my tone sharp. "I'm sorry sir." She said quietly, before scurrying off. I knew it wasn't her fault that Gabriella hurt herself, but it was her silence that caused her to make this decision. I wasn't even supposed to be back this early. But then she had called last night complaining about Gabriella's refusal to eat and how worried she was. Looking down at the fragile woman in my
Gabriella's pov Matteo kept to his promises about me being able to leave the house, and I was ecstatic about it. Even though I couldn't see the places I visited, I could feel them like he said I would. The scents, music, people, the heat, I could feel it all, and it felt entirely different . It was like I was in my own world, a world that I created, deciding which colours I wanted my sky, and the appearance of people around me. I let down the car window, and let the warmth of the sun kiss my face. It didn't feel like screened rays from the sunroom of the house, or the filtered breeze from the open windows, but real warmth. The kind that made you soul lift your soul just a little.I didn't say anything as he car pulled up to a quiet street. I didn't need to. One of the guards opened the door, and I stepped outside, cane in hand, shoes crunching over the pavements. Matteo had insisted I get a cane to assist me in walking, without totally relying on anyone. I took in a deep breath, in
Matteo's pov "What do you really do?" Gabriella asked. We were sitted in the garden, just enjoying the evening. I never would have thought that in all my years, I would sit down in a garden and relax, especially with someone like Gabriella. "I've told you not to ask me about this." I said, keeping my tone even."But I am asking, because I want to know." she insisted, lifting her chin stubbornly. "You want me to trust you, but how can I when I don't even know who you are?""You do know who I am. I'm Matteo." I replied, my tone light. "I have told you some things about myself." "Specific things that can't even hint at the kind of man you really are. I can't trust you, if you don't even trust me enough to be honest with me.""Gabriella," I said, and reached for her hand, but she must have sensed that because she flinched away immediately."I don't trust you." she repeated quietly. I set my cup down careful, ignoring the sting that came with her words, and actions."Gabriella, I've n
Matteo's pov "What do you really do?" Gabriella asked. We were sitted in the garden, just enjoying the evening. I never would have thought that in all my years, I would sit down in a garden and relax, especially with someone like Gabriella. "I've told you not to ask me about this." I said, keeping my tone even."But I am asking, because I want to know." she insisted, lifting her chin stubbornly. "You want me to trust you, but how can I when I don't even know who you are?""You do know who I am. I'm Matteo." I replied, my tone light. "I have told you some things about myself." "Specific things that can't even hint at the kind of man you really are. I can't trust you, if you don't even trust me enough to be honest with me.""Gabriella," I said, and reached for her hand, but she must have sensed that because she flinched away immediately."I don't trust you." she repeated quietly. I set my cup down careful, ignoring the sting that came with her words, and actions."Gabriella, I've n
Gabriella's pov Matteo kept to his promises about me being able to leave the house, and I was ecstatic about it. Even though I couldn't see the places I visited, I could feel them like he said I would. The scents, music, people, the heat, I could feel it all, and it felt entirely different . It was like I was in my own world, a world that I created, deciding which colours I wanted my sky, and the appearance of people around me. I let down the car window, and let the warmth of the sun kiss my face. It didn't feel like screened rays from the sunroom of the house, or the filtered breeze from the open windows, but real warmth. The kind that made you soul lift your soul just a little.I didn't say anything as he car pulled up to a quiet street. I didn't need to. One of the guards opened the door, and I stepped outside, cane in hand, shoes crunching over the pavements. Matteo had insisted I get a cane to assist me in walking, without totally relying on anyone. I took in a deep breath, in
Matteo's povI couldn't believe she tried to escape, couldn't believe she even hurt herself in the process. She felt so light in my arms. and I couldn't help but notice how fragile she seemed. Her cheeks looked hollow, and her skin was pale. "When Gretta told me you were skipping meals, I didn't think you'd actually loose this much weight in a short period of time."She looked away from me, her brows furrowed in the defiance. "Where did you go to?" As I walked into the house, Gretta's eyes widened as she noticed who was in my arms. "Sir, I swear…I…I don't…""You're dismissed for the night, Gretta." I said, my tone sharp. "I'm sorry sir." She said quietly, before scurrying off. I knew it wasn't her fault that Gabriella hurt herself, but it was her silence that caused her to make this decision. I wasn't even supposed to be back this early. But then she had called last night complaining about Gabriella's refusal to eat and how worried she was. Looking down at the fragile woman in my
Gabriella's povI was safe. I was safe. I was safe. It was what I tried to tell myself even though I was so unhappy. It's been fourteen days since I've arrived in Los Angeles, and it felt like eternity since I felt I had any form of control over my life. It felt just like the hospital, but worse. Since I wasn't familiar with my surroundings, I couldn't move around as I pleased. I had a monotonous routine : wake up, eat, get ushered to the garden by the maid, Gretta, eat again, then sleep. I felt locked up.Matteo on the other hand was like a ghost. It was almost like I had made him up these past few months, and now my reality was struggling to keep up with my fantasy.I hardly slept, because my nightmares kept me up. The darkness was oppressive, like a physical weight that pressed down on me at all times. But what difference did it make? Day or Night, it was all the same to me. This left me filled with so much panic and anxiety, that I began to create scenarios in my head. I thought
Matteo's povWhat the fuck was I doing? Saving the daughter of Gabriel Russo, faking her death, and then taking her with me to my home in Los Angeles. All of these are like ingredients to a disaster that was going to blow up in my face in the future. I looked over at her, and saw she was already sound asleep. Her brows were furrowed together as if she was having a bad nightmare. I'm not surprised, because things like what happened to her, stays in your mind forever. There was no fixing it. My eyes trailed to the burn scars on her neck, and I felt the ripple of rage run through me. The time spent with Gabriella, made me realize she wasn't a bad person, she was the direct opposite of Gabriel, but yet she still had to suffer for his sins. "Great." I muttered as I looked away. "You had one mission, Matteo, but instead you had to save the girl."I leaned back in my seat, and sighed. I was already too deep in this to turn back now. Gabriella stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked
"What the fuck are you doing, Carlos?!" Matteo's voice boomed. He let go of my hair, causing me to fall to the ground. "She attacked me, and then tried to run!"I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering, panicking, trying to push away the horrors."I told you not to hurt her!" Matteo yelled, his tone icy. "Why the fuck would you grab her like some doll?!""My head feels like shit, and I'm the one bleeding!" He protested.He hurried to my side, and I immediately flinched at his touch. "It's okay." He soothed, his voice a total contrast of what it was a second ago. "I'm not going to hurt you, Gabriella."I whimpered, tightening my arm around myself. I curled up into a ball, my hands clutching at my head, as if I could physically hold back the painful memories that were flooding my mind.Suddenly a warm weight settled around my shoulders. Matteo's suit jacket, I realized, as the scent of the cologne enveloped me. His hands closed around my wrists, gentle but firm, and he pulled me into
He came again. More times than I could count, and everytime he did, he always brought some kind of token. Flowers, junk food the hospital would never allow. It was almost like he was baiting me, trying to get me to lower my guard, trying to get me to trust him. But I couldn't, not him, not anyone, not ever.He never stayed too long either, thirty minutes at most. It was enough for me to get info that he let me gain. His name was Matteo Morandi, didn't sound like a name I've heard before, but I was never good with remembering. He owned properties, car stores, and my father had been an acquaintance with his father. He had lent him some money once when his business was going under. Since Matteo's father died, he placed it upon himself to pay my father back. He was a mysterious man, who kept things about himself vague."Why did you save me?" I asked. I didn't know how long it has been since I was here, and I didn't care either. I felt hollow, empty…"You keep asking me a question that I
I was burning. My entire body felt like it was on fire. I couldn't stop the screams. They were my screams, but I couldn't stop them. "Your entire legacy is gone!" The masked man screamed before pulling the trigger, killing both my parents. "No!" I jolted awake, my body screaming in so much pain. My stomach throbbed with a dull ache, like a burn that was eating me up from the inside. My body was too weak to move, and I glanced around the room, but something was off. Why was everywhere so dark? Trying to steady my breathing, I touched my face to be sure I was awake. I was sure I was, and I was sure my eyes were open, so why couldn't I see anything? "Hello?!" I called out, reaching forward to try to grab anything, but all I could feel were the sheets beneath me. "Is someone here?!"I heard the sound of a door opening, and a woman's soothing voice cut through the air. "You're okay." She said, her hand grasping mine.I turned my head towards the voice, desperate to see who was speaki
A man dressed in all black, with a thick long coat, and a black mask, walked into the living room. "This was almost too easy." He continued, standing in front of my father. "I mean I guess I can call it easy when I've been planning it for 12 years." "You fucking bastard! How dare you come to my home, guns blazing?!" My father rasped, trying to hold on a face of bravery, but his face was so pale, he looked like he'd fall unconscious any second. "Always such an aggressive animal." The man replied. "You'd think that a man like you would be lonely and miserable, maybe that way I'd understand why it was so easy to be the unforgiving cold devil that you are."My father grinned. "So that's what this is? Now this is exactly why I never leave any survivors. Bastards like you always have a way of coming back to bite me in the ass."The man didn't hesitate to punch my father in the face, sending him falling to the ground in fits of bloddy coughs. He stretched out his hands to one of the men w