Angioletto's PovThere are five stages of grief. Denial and Isolation.Anger.Bargaining.Desperation.And lastly, Acceptance.In the last seventy two hours, I’ve been roped into, and have suffered with great intensity each stage of grief respectively.While I was in denial, I couldn’t believe that my beautiful, little Oceane had left me without as much a goodbye note. She stole all my money, stole my car, and left, and I sat there in my room, watching all of it unfold before my own eyes.And then denial morphed into anger. I was aggravated, Infuriated, irritated. I lost my mind the minute she walked out my door. I was roped into intense anger that I didn’t realize when I had begun ruining everything until my penthouse was turned upside down. That was before I began to physically harm myself. I needed to feel something other than anger. Hurting myself physically was my last resolve.I blamed myself for allowing my brother’s words get to me. I am no logical thinker. I have never been
Oceane's PovOne month later.It was a surprise, the turn of events when I had returned to my captor one month ago. While I contemplated returning and giving myself back to him, I thought he would be livid. I believed that I was going to be punished severely for running away, but that wasn’t the case.The brooding man hugged me. Embraced me.Soothed me.And then later declared that I could do what I’ve been desiring for the longest time. Go to school.I couldn’t believe it, and so, I continued to ask him if he was sure for days until the day I was finally enrolled.The experience and excitement I felt was out of this world and it took a lot of restraint for me not to throw myself into Gio’s arms and thank him.His kindness towards me only continued to grow like he was desperate to be in my good books. He perhaps felt bad for me after I lost my entire family the way I did.A few days after my enrollment, Gio had packed up a few things and left his penthouse.‘Hey baby girl, it’s quite
Oceane's PovIt is the soft meow of a cat that has me grumbling and turning in bed.There are no pets in the penthouse, not even Angioletto’s infamous dog. So, when the continuous meowing of a cat doesn’t stop, I’m suddenly thinking that I might be having a vivid dream.“Angioletto speaking.” I hear that ever so familiar deep voice. I’m definitely having a dream. A good kind. “I just returned to Italy a few minutes ago and you’re already calling over an issue as little as this?” It’s an angry growl of his voice.I slowly pry my eyes open with a sigh, screeching as I stretch, toss and turn.My lips stretch into a smile when I look out my window, enjoying the feel of the morning sun against the glass.But I’m startled when I hear a deep rumble of a hum. A hum I’ve become accustomed to. Then the meowing resumes.I’m definitely not dreaming.Too apprehensive, I wait without looking to my right where I can certainly hear continuous hums. The hums are low, low enough not to hear him but dee
Angioletto's PovGrowing up, life wasn’t very easy for me. No father figure, a drug addicted whore as a mother—the list of the difficulties I had faced very early on in life could go on and on.Those were the times when I had believed life to be extremely complicated.But when I joined La famiglia, I learnt that life is just as straightforward as it can get. It’s either this or that.Win or lose.Stay or go.Live or die.Succeed or fail.And the outcome of one’s life is solely dependent on choice, except of course the freedom to choose between life and death.I was a serial failure. I failed at a lot of things, a lot of times, because I had developed the mindset of a failure. I still wallowed in misery, blaming life and all of its elements for the pains and sufferings I had to endure.Mio padre and my brother’s were there for me in ways that I’d never forget.Most times, they would give me closure, reassurance and validation—hugs and all. And other times, they were fierce. They would
Angioletto's PovAn eventful morning it was. Watching my Oceane stir awake from sleep, having been graced by her first smile of the day after a month, sitting through an interesting and soul calming breakfast with her, and of course spending hours at the vet, getting tons and tons of items required to properly nurture her kitten.It was a good morning.And now, during the early hours of noon, I’m seated in the backseat of my car with my Oceane while my driver takes us back to my penthouse.The silence is quite comfortable, considering how I’m not a fan of talking and my Oceane doesn’t seem to be in the mood.“Gio?” Her tiny, sweet, melodious, delicate voice breathes out my name and God the feeling is amazing. So amazing that I have to shut my eyes and allow it settle in before humming in response.“Why are you nice to me?”Through the corner of my eyes, I stare at her, observing the downturn of her face. She’s not in a good mood and I can do nothing but wonder who would dare upset my
Angioletto's PovLife is always about choice. Of course God had made it in a way that fate would determine the outcome of people’s lives. But humans, as pitiful as we are, began making our own choices, and our choices stirred up anomalies in the original pattern.When I made the choice to keep Oceane with me, I knew my choice was going to stir up great trouble. I knew they’d be blood thirsty dogs, lurking in very dark corners and waiting for the perfect time to attack.I knew the consequences of my choice.Oceane’s father was, after all, an evil man who had betrayed a lot of very bad men and women in this shady business. And one thing that never goes overlooked in our line of business is betrayal.The single act of betrayal is gravely frowned upon.And when I was contracted as the Grim reaper of the underworld to wipe out the entire generation of Dumont Augustin, they meant every single person who was directly or indirectly affiliated to him.I failed. I failed because somehow, the un
Oceane's PovConfusion.A state of not knowing. A state of uncertainty about the events taking place. A state of bewilderment.Mr. Angioletto Luoni has successfully left me in a state of confusion from the moment he took me from my home.I have no idea where I stand with him.I hate you, I like you.Come close, stay away.You’re beautiful, you’re ugly.You’re my favorite person, you’re an enemy.You’re free, you’re my hostage.Day after day, those have been my predicament in the hands of my captor. Angioletto has unfailingly roped me into a state of confusion, and has left me there to suffer great emotional turbulence. I can’t yet determine why he’s the way he is or why he does the things he does, but with him, I’m neither here nor there. And it has become a struggle for me to keep up with his constant need to push me around.Last night, I had cried myself to sleep. Cried myself to sleep because once again, Angioletto decided to play with my head. He bought me a kitten, took me for b
Angioletto's PovShe hugged me.She fucking hugged me and instead of pushing her away, I froze and have remained frozen ever since.Fuck!Fuck!Here’s the thing, the life I had at a very young age was a difficult one. It was a hassle, waking up in a rat hole with my overdosed mother sprawled out naked on the floor with whichever man she had picked up for pleasure the previous night.Sometimes, I’d feign ignorance and go about my day, but sometimes when I’d attempt waking her, it would always amount to her getting irritated and her irritation meant my pain.Before I became a Luoni, I never enjoyed the luxury of surviving through twenty four hours without getting hit more than a few times—and getting hit for me wasn’t just a few slaps or spanks, it was more intense than that.Either different sharp objects were being carved into my skin, or my mother’s numerous boyfriends were using me as an object for putting out their cigarettes.The torture I had faced by the hands of the woman who b
Angioletto's PovWhen I return to the penthouse a little after noon, the soft laughter of my Oceane is the first sound that graces my ears.I stand by the door, watching her in awe while she plays around with her kitten.“Angel, you’re so hyperactive.” She coos, scooping the purring kitten into her arms.How can anyone accuse this innocent girl of a crime as grave as murder?How can anyone look at that angelic face and think evil of it?It’s all but a wonder in my mind.A smile pulling at the corners of my lips, I make a move to approach her. Two steps into the room and my feet force me to a stop when Oceane’s head cranes backwards, her eyes meeting mine.My brows pull into a furrow, my eyes moving around her delicate, yet, dented features. Regret pulls at the strings of my heart. My marks—the effects of my fist are still visible against her skin, leaving a part of her face swollen and her neck reddened.My lips pull apart, a sharp exhale escaping through the space as I give my head a
Angioletto's PovForty eight hours later.The calendar says Friday, the time reads 9:30 post meridiem. The birds and beasts of the night are at their loudest tonight, but the loudness of the organ in my chest is incomparable.I know tonight will be a long night.Whistling, I walk into the cell, a huge grin stretched across my lips when my eyes land on my newest victim. A friend. A brother. Rodrigo.I tsk. “Look who’s wide awake. Have you been anticipating my visit, my dear brother?”“Why’re you doing this to me, Angel?” Rodrigo sneers, “why aren’t you torturing me? Kill me already! Hit me if that’s what it’ll take! Do something!”“And what fun will that be?”A furrow pulls his brows, his lips sliding apart slightly. “Angel. . .”“Do you recall when you and I were so obsessed with the art of reading cards?” I ask, smiling a downturned smile. “Well, I pulled two cards today. The fool, and the wheel. Now Rodrigo, I wouldn’t want to call it the wheel of fortune just yet. Because whether i
Angioletto's PovReluctantly walking into my penthouse, my roaming eyes land on Oceane, standing at the foot of the stairs, a smile etched at the corners of her lips, her eyes filled with so much unexplained happiness.What has got her so happy? The demon in my head whispers. The demon who has done nothing but whisper and awake evil in me, blaming Oceane for the recent disrespect and betrayal I’ve had to face from my most trusted man.The demon who hates to see Oceane happy.The demon which controls my life’s actions.“Good morning, Gio.” Oceane beams. I hum a response while throwing my key on the kitchen island.She clears her throat and begins motioning toward me in slow, sultry steps. “Have you had something to eat? I joined the cook to make breakfast this morning and I’m certain you’ll like it.”Amusement. My heart flutters in amusement, yet, I conceal it with a stoic expression. I look down at her, and our eyes connect for a brief second before I’m scanning her head to toe.Tha
Angioletto's PovDarkness is still paramount, and yet, I am awake—wide eyed awake.The calendar says Wednesday, the time reads 5am, the birds sing a beautiful morning song, and my heart sings a bloody song.Torture is my forte.I say I have no heart, and yet, when I’m tasked with the duty to torture offenders, I feel that dead organ of mine palpitating ridiculously.I love the thrill, and the mess.And in this moment, when I walk into the holding cell and my eyes land on the soldier who’s restrained to an iron chair, I feel a rush of blood in my veins.I am finally breathing.Walking to the end of the large room, I pull another iron chair with me, the legs scraping across the roughly plastered floor. And when I’m in front of the restrained soldier, I finally stop, throwing myself on the seat with a sigh.We stay silent—the soldier and I. It’s in
Angioletto's PovSilence is power.In silence, I hide the ultimate violence that brews within me, letting it mature in a place of solitary. My silence is a sound so unique.My silence are unsaid words that can only be felt—sometimes, felt rightly. Sometimes, felt wrongly. A language of the soul.Sitting in the silence of my living room, my mind drifts back to the time when I was sworn in as a made man. The time when my identity as Angioletto Luoni, the grim reaper—a specially trained assassin of the Luoni crime family was revealed.Although built like a huge, thick wall, it was my silence that unnerved people the most. With my eyes, clouded by darkness, my lips pursed in contemplation, and my brows quirked in wonder, soldiers who trained under my command, and other made men—women included—began to fear me.My silence brought about confusion.With confusion came the need for clarity—to seek out answers. And when those answers remained a mystery, fear creeped in. The fear of not knowing
Angioletto's PovI’m silent. I’m still startled by both her outburst and her declaration.It’s true. I’ve always known the unmistakable fiery rage that brews within Oceane, a rage that might swallow her hole, a rage that is beginning to swallow her hole. But I never thought even for a split second that her rage will manifest merely because of my absence.She likes me.My lips almost tip up at the corners from amusement. Satisfaction. Almost because I’m supposed to be aggravated with her. I’m supposed to be devising ways to punish her for bringing harm to one of my men—no one dares lay a finger on my men except me. Except I permit it.But, here I am, ready to forgive her, ready to praise her for her heartlessness. My devotion to Oceane is deadly.She likes me.Perhaps I like her too. But not in the cute way she’s picturing it. I like her so much that all I want to do is curl my fingers around her neck and choke her until she’s passed out.I like her so much that I want to prickle her
Oceane's PovOne week later.It has been a week since I last saw Angioletto, since the events of that night.He promised never to leave, he said he’d be by my side by the time I woke up. It was all a lie. A manipulation tactic perhaps.He wasn’t there.And he’s still not here.On the first day, I had woken up too early, excitement dancing in my bloodstreams as all I could think of was to be graced with the sight of Angioletto before I had to prepare for school. He didn’t come.I waited an hour. Then two. Then three. But no one was entering my room.I had taken the initiative and gone to his room myself. Many times, I banged on the door, but still, there wasn’t any reply.“Boss left very early this morning, he has urgent business to take care of.” One of the guards had informed me after I had bruised my knuckles from knocking on the door.My spirit had weakened but I stayed hopeful. Putting a smile on my face, I dressed up and went to school.Soon after, I forgot about Angioletto’s exi
Angioletto's Pov“Teach me.” Oceane suddenly declares, causing me to drag in a sharp intake of breath.“You should learn to stay away from men like me, munchkin .”“I’m so tired of being naive. I’m so tired of being a nineteen year old girl who’s just as innocent and dumb as a newly born baby. Please Gio, teach me.”I whip my head to the side to take a peek at my Oceane. Her pleading, glossy eyes meet mine and my resolve to stay away from this woman melts away.One tight nod is all I offer her as I swagger into her room and plop down on the cushion.Minutes pass before she quietly walks into the room with her head lowered as though ashamed of what is to happen.I’m not going to touch you, Oceane, do not worry about that.I want to tell her but instead, the words are swallowed. I want to play with her mind, drive her crazy with anticipation then leave her wondering why she’s so unworthy.And then, she’ll desperately desire to prove a point to me—she’ll do whatever it takes to be seen
Angioletto's PovAnger.I feel it so deep in my bones and my bloodstreams. I feel it so deep the glare of my eyes could slice through a skin.I feel it so deep my words could cut so deep, and my temperature so high it could burn the entire world.Rage, anger, joy, happiness, jealousy, envy, confusion—these emotions have had little or no impact on me for years until her. Until Oceane. It’s like she came in and stirred up a great eruption in me.I began to feel all those unneeded emotions with great intensity. Today especially.God, the way my blood boiled when that boy’s name was mentioned—the same boy who dared put his hands on my Oceane.My innocent, innocent girl.And he dared attempt to take away her innocence. Forcefully.I didn’t know what to think when I ran into that VIP room. I had absolutely no thoughts. All I saw was red. All I saw was darkness. And all I witnessed were my monsters basking in their glory at my inability to tame my anger. Another failure.The boy didn’t deser