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And then, as suddenly as a storm breaking, Salvatore’s frantic movements ceased. He turned to face me, his eyes locking onto mine with a desperate intensity. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and he focused on me with a clarity that sent shivers down my spine. His voice, though trembling, carried a semblance of coherence as he spoke.
“We need to get out of here,” he said, his words slow and deliberate as if each syllable was weighed down by the weight of his thoughts. “We can’t stay in this city, Audrey. They’re closing in on me, and I can’t—I won’t let them take me down.”
The room seemed to hold its breath as I finally found my voice, my words emerging as a fragile whisper. “S-Salvatore, what are you talking about?” I asked, the question carrying the full weight of my uncertainty and longing.
My heart raced within the cage of my chest as Salvatore drew closer, his presence looming over me like a gathering storm. I shifted back instinctively, the constraints of my bindings digging into my skin as I sought to create a physical distance between us. His eyes bore into mine, a piercing intensity that seemed to penetrate the very core of my being.
His movements were deliberate, almost predatory, as he bent down and his hand brushed against my cheek. Salvatore’s lips parted, as if he were on the cusp of revealing a closely guarded secret. His voice, when it finally emerged, was a hushed whisper that carried the weight of revelation. “Audrey,” he began and then, the words spilled forth, a revelation that shattered the fragile semblance of reality that had clung to me.
“I’m in love with you,” he confessed, his voice laden with a raw vulnerability that cut through the tension like a knife. “I always have been.”
The words hung in the air, suspended between us like a confession etched in the stars.
I blinked, stunned into silence by the weight of his admission. The room seemed to pulse around us, the walls closing in as his declaration echoed within the chamber of my mind. I had suspected it but the absurdity of the situation collided with the surreal reality of my captivity, leaving me grasping for words that seemed to have abandoned me.
A surreal numbness spread through my limbs as I absorbed the weight of his declaration. My eyes remained fixed on the floor; I was unable to meet his gaze, afraid of what I might find there.
“B-but you know I’m—I’m engaged, Salvatore,” I stammered, my voice barely audible. His expression had compelled in me a need to explain, to make him understand the complex web of commitments that bound me. But even as the words left my lips, I realized the futility of my attempts.
Without warning, Salvatore reacted; it was a swift storm of emotions that unraveled before me. He shot up from his seat, his rage palpable, and every word that followed cut through the air like a razor-sharp blade.
“When you first told me that, I respected it, but when I learned it was to that bastard Ivan, I couldn’t allow that. I won’t allow it.” His voice trembled with an unwavering determination, and I felt a shiver race down my spine. “Not to that monster who killed my father. You’ll come with me, Audrey.”
A pang of vexation twisted within me at his words. It was a familiar sensation, one that had haunted me for far too long—the suffocating feeling of men asserting their dominance, dictating the course of my life as if I were a mere pawn in their game, completely negating my autonomy.
My frustration threatened to erupt, to claw its way out of my chest and confront Salvatore’s volatile passion head-on.My fists clenched tightly in anger but before I could unleash the words burning on my tongue, his phone rang, a jarring interruption that left me breathless. Time seemed to hang suspended as he answered the call, his voice taking on a calmer, detached tone.
“Yeah, I’m with her now. So, we’ll meet in an hour then? You’re sure Ivan is none the wiser about it?”
Salvatore’s words sent a chill down my spine, and my heart pounded in my chest as I strained to catch any hint of the conversation on the other end. The nameless, faceless caller, shrouded in mystery, seemed to hold the key to my uncertain fate.
Much more than that, the person seemed affiliated with the Bratva and I wondered if it was the same character who had led Josephine to her death. The realization struck me like a lightning bolt—there was something much larger at play, something that reached far beyond Salvatore’s overpowering emotions.
As I sat tied to the chair, the world around me seemed to blur, the edges of reality merging into a hazy backdrop for the storm of emotions raging within me. Salvatore’s attention remained focused on the call, leaving me alone with my thoughts. In the stillness of the night, bound by the constraints of reality, I resolved to stand my ground and not give in to his whims and desires. It was the only way to rebel against the web that ensnared me.
Salvatore came to my side and spoke of escape, of fleeing this city that had become a labyrinth of danger and uncertainty. I watched him, fear gripping my heart, as he outlined a plan that hinged on the arrival of his enigmatic “friend.”
“I can’t go anywhere with you,” I blurted out, my voice trembling. “I can’t just leave everything behind.” I searched his face for understanding, for a glimmer of empathy.
“Audrey,” he murmured, his hand now cradling the back of my head, “You’re confused, and that’s alright. You’re in shock, and I’m here to help you through this. I love you and I know you love me too. I could see it in your eyes during those days we spent together. I just need to guide you back to those feelings.” His words danced like a delicate melody, but the dissonance between his demeanor and the circumstances sent shivers down my spine.
The dam of my suppressed emotions burst forth, fueled by the intensity of the situation. “Love you? I don't love you, Salvatore! I hate you for what you did to Diego and the rest of the staff!” I cried out, my voice laced with anger and desperation. “You’re a monster, Salvatore. Ivan is the only one I love.” The words flowed like a torrent, raw and unfiltered.
A stunned silence hung in the air, broken only by Salvatore’s faltering response. “I was willing to give up everything,” he confessed, his words heavy with regret. His voice was fragile, exposing the cracks in the façade he had worn for so long. “The Mafia, my family, the darkness that shrouds my existence. All of it, for someone who could remind me of the goodness in this world.”
I watched him, my chest tightening with pity and sorrow. His words held an unexpected weight, a vulnerability that forced me to see him in a new light. He reminded me of Ivan a bit. Yet my heart remained steadfast, its loyalty unwavering. “Ivan is that person for me,” I said, my voice firm, though sorrowful.
His tone shifted, his voice taking on an edge that sent shivers coursing through me. “You hate me, Audrey, but I’m not so different from this Ivan you’re so obsessed with,” he declared, his words ringing in the cold air.
His voice grew louder, echoing through the room as he peeled back the layers of his own torment. “He’s done things just as vile, if not worse.”
My heart raced, a cacophony of emotions swirling within me. I watched as he rose from his seat, a chilling intensity in his eyes. He picked up his gun, the metal cold and unforgiving against his palm. My breath caught in my throat as his gaze fixed upon me, his hand steady despite the storm that raged within.
Tears blurred my vision as I begged, my voice a desperate plea that fell upon deaf ears. His eyes, once alive with emotion, were now vacant, as though he had been consumed by the darkness he had fought so hard to escape. The room seemed to close in around me, the air growing thick and suffocating. I closed my eyes, unable to bear the weight of his gaze.
A gunshot shattered the silence, the sound ringing in my ears like a death knell. Time seemed to stand still, suspended in a moment of agonizing anticipation.
My body tensed, every nerve on high alert, as I waited for the impact that never came. The air grew still, and I cautiously opened my eyes, disbelief coursing through me.
