CHAPTER 5

ANALISE'S POV

I am sobbing. My eyes hurt but he doesn't care. He is enjoying my fear. I still remember the good times I and Liam spent together.

He was always the caring one. He was famous because he was rich. He helped me and my friends when we were having difficulty with our studies.

Now he is dead only because of me. He was young and had a good career ahead.

'Why I asked him for help?' I regret doing such a thing. If I had not asked him for help, he would have been alive.

The car stops in front of the mansion. He gets out and forcefully drags me with him inside the mansion.

"P-Please, I am sorry. Y-You are hurting me. Leave me." I hit his arm continuously but to no effect.

We enter his room and he throws me on the bed. I fall on my back. I try to get up but he jumps on me and slaps me. The sound resonated.

I stop and taste blood. My lip hurts. He grabs my jaw tightly and comes near my face. His lips are inches away from mine.

"Now Analise, tell me who was that boy? Was he your boyfriend?" Luciano asks menacingly.

I can't speak. My Mouth feels paralyzed due to fear. He increases the force on my jaw. His nails digging into my arm's skin.

"TELL ME!" he shouted. "Was he your boyfriend?"

"N-No" I stuttered while praying to God for help.

"Why do I have a feeling that you are lying? Huh!"

Leaving my face, he gets up and starts to pace around the room while pinching his nose.

Each passing second induces a new fear in me. I am trembling just by thinking what will he do with me.

He comes near me and tears my dress off me. Now I am only in my underwear. He takes his shirt off. I can't bear it again.

He takes his belt out of hooks. "Now you will face the consequences of disrespecting me." He says in a devilish voice. A ghost of a smile appears on his face.

He doesn't wait for a second and strikes me with the belt. I screamed. He doesn't stop. He hits me two more times. Every next hit is more powerful than the previous.

When he stops, it feels like forever. My body is numb.

"Have you learned your lesson?" He asks still looking at me angrily.

"Yes, p-please I am s-sorry. I will n-not do it a-again." I plead and try to control my sobs and fall into unconsciousness.

LUCIANO'S POV

She made me angry today. I tried to be soft with her. I wanted her to see this beautiful city in hope that maybe she will slowly start to accept this life.

My heart just wanted her to be happy.

But she just has to be stubborn. Due to her behavior, that boy died. I don't regret killing him. I know that he was not her boyfriend. She is a virgin.

She disrespected me that's why she is having punishment. Letting her insult, I and my feelings is something that I will not allow.

I had no plan to hit her but she said those words which triggered me. I pick her up in my arms and take her to the bathroom to clean her body.

She has marks over her body. I never thought I will hit the woman I love like this.

She is the only woman who can bring the best and worst in me. Heck! I was never soft with anyone before her. I never tried to impress or make any girl happy before her.

She just has to ruin everything. Why can't she just accept the simple fact of never leaving?

I put her in the bathtub and start the water but not before setting the normal temperature. The bathtub starts to fill.

When water hits her wounds, she hisses but doesn't wake up. I clean up her wounds. She is so beautiful.

Her pure mind and soul drive me crazy.

Looking at her gives me peace. When I see that she is clean I take a towel, pick her up, and takes her to bed.

I lay beside her and take her in my arms. Her lips look so tempting right now but I control myself.

I will put cream on her wounds tomorrow. I should think of any other way to remind her every day that she belongs to me. After a lot of thinking an idea comes to my mind.

I smile to myself. It will be perfect. With my angel in my arms, I also let sleep take over me.

ANALISE's POV

I wake up and hiss in pain. My body is screaming in pain. I look towards the clock to see it is 11: am. Oh! I woke up late.

I am naked on the bed with a thin sheet covering me. Fresh red bruises are like highlights on my body.

"You are finally awake. Good!" Luciano's voice startles me. Looking towards my side I see Luciano sitting on the couch and doing work with his laptop.

He looks up from his laptop and a new wave of dread washes over me. With no courage to look him in eye after what happened last night, I instantly lower my gaze.

Shutting his laptop, he walks over to me with predating steps and a serious face. He opens the side table and takes a cream out of it before sitting beside me.

He strokes my face with his rough fingers before asking, "You do realize what you did last night was a big mistake?"

"I do." I nod my head.

"OK, I hope you don't repeat it or next time I will not be so lenient."

He tries to take the sheet off of me but I stop him. "Leave the sheet so I can apply the cream on your wounds."

With some hesitation, I comply. He starts to apply the cream on my wounds and I flinch whenever he applies it on a new one.

When he is done applying it on my body he gets up and goes to wash it off from his hands. I cover my body again with the sheet. Now, these wounds are not hurting much. I think the cream worked well with numbing the pain.

He comes back when someone knocks on the door.

"Entra." He speaks loudly. (Come in.)

The door opens and income, Chiara. "Signore La colazione è pronta. Devo mandarlo nella tua stanza o ti piacerebbe venire al piano di sotto." She says with respect. (Sir the breakfast is ready. Shall I send it to your room or will you like to come downstairs.)

"Porta la colazione qui e anche alcune compresse per intorpidire il dolore" (Bring the breakfast here and also some tablets to numb the pain.)

Chiara bows and leave the room. After some time she brings the breakfast and we eat in silence. Luciano looks at me but I don't meet his gaze. I continue to eat my breakfast. Afterward, Luciano leaves the room.

I wash and brush my teeth before selecting a dress for today. I walk into the closet and start opening all drawers to find something good. I want to wear something comfy and don't rub it against my body too much.

I open a drawer and am surprised to see it stacked with cash. There is a lot of cash in it along with some cards and papers.

I close it quickly so that someone may not find me here. I select a dress. It is a beautiful half sleeve dress and reaches till my mid-thigh.

I go and sit on a chair in the garden. Although it pains me I cannot do anything about it. It is not too cold today. The weather is moderate with a cool breeze blowing. I start thinking of an escape.

I have to leave this place before the wedding or I will be bound forever. I will take his cash with me. Taking his credit cards will be too risky.

'Will he find some of his money missing?' No of course, no. There is too much in there.

But what if it is a trap? Can it be? I don't think so.

When I will have a perfect chance to escape then I will take some money to reach Milan.

It is obvious I need money to reach Milan then why not take his.

'But when will a good chance come?' I ask myself.

I feel someone tap on my shoulder but I ignore it. Why is everyone disturbing me? So, I was thinking I will take a train to live with Alice for some time.

'Will she recognize me?' Maybe she will.

Someone taps again on my shoulder and this time I look behind me with a glare but quickly looks forward again.

"What were you thinking so hard, Tesoro? Luciano asks with a smile before sitting in a chair in front of me.

"Nothing." Comes my low voice.

"How about a tattoo?" I look at him confused. Tattoo? If he wants a tattoo then why he is asking me.

"Everyone in mafia has a tattoo to symbolize them. My gang has one too. Here, look!" he explains unbuttons half of his shirt.

His torso has scars and lots of tattoos but he points to a particular one on his chest. It is like a hawk, a wild one with his wings stretched. It is like catching prey.

"I want you to have one tattoo but of my name so everyone can see that you belong to me." His words shocked me. Now he wants to brand me with his name.

Is he even hearing himself?

"I don't want one." Despite me being scared I say bravely.

"That doesn't matter. If I want a tattoo on your body then you will have it. It is your choice if you want to take it willingly or by force." His words are the end of the discussion.

I lean back on my chair and close my eyes hoping to be somewhere else. I don't want to get another beating again. I feel his eyes on me for some time before he gets up and leaves with a peck on my lips.

After some time I am back in my room looking outside the window on deep trees.

Chiara came with lunch and I ate some. The door opens and in walks a woman in her early thirties.

"Ciao, piacere di conoscerti." I ignore her because I don't understand her. (Hi nice to meet you.)

"Ana! She is here to give you a tattoo." Luciano says after walking behind her. I look at him bewildered. He takes my hand and makes me sit on the bed.

I began crying because it is too early. I am afraid of needles. I didn't tell him earlier because I thought he would forget.

He begins to stand up but I grab him hard with my both hands tightly. "Please don't do this. I am afraid of needles. A-Anything but not this. I will do anything. " I beg while crying.

His eyes become soft. "Don't be afraid Tesoro. It will not hurt." He tries to free his hand but I grip it tighter.

"No, you are not getting it. I-It hurts I know. Please not this." I am sobbing hard. I clutch his hand tightly.

He nods at the woman and she comes towards me. I try to understand what is happening when I feel light pain in my arm and see a syringe piercing me. My head spins.

"Dalle quello che abbiamo deciso sul suo osso del colletto." This was the last thing I heard before losing my hold on his hand and falling on the bed. (Give her the one we decided but on her collar bone.)

I open my eyes slowly to see it is dark outside. Why is my neck and skin below it is itching and is in light pain?

I get up and stand in front of the mirror to see my skin above the breast and below my neck covered with bandages. Why is it bandaged? Where is my shirt?

I take the bandage off and a sob escapes my mouth. A tattoo of a wild flower with the initials 'LK' is covering my collarbone.

Now I remember everything. He was making me have a tattoo when I fainted.

I try to scratch it with my nails but Luciano out of nowhere grabs my hand. "What are you doing? You will ruin it." He says astonished.

"Leave me. You ruined my body. You branded it." I scream while crying. He carries me and takes me to bed.

He lay beside me and let me cry on his chest. My tears soaking his shirt. I have to leave him. He will ruin me.

He stokes my hair and soon I am asleep because I just want this day to be over.

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