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“From the moment I fucking met you, I should have run the other way.” He looked down at me hurt, granted he had no idea how we met and when he first saw me but still, he looked hurt.
“Then leave” he hissed, still holding on to my writs. I looked up at him with glossy eyes not expecting that reaction.
“What?” I whispered taken back.
“Leave” he spoke up in a rather aggressive low tone. He let go of my wrists and stepped back, tears threatening to fall I stayed looking at him. “Is that what you want?” I asked, he shook his head frustrated “Isabella isn't that what you wished for? To never have met me?” he yelled clearly agitated by my choice of words.
“If that's your desire you can leave me but know this. The feeling of my hands on your body, the feeling of my breath on your neck. The goosebumps you get when we are close, the way your soul feels safe with mine. Those feelings... they'll never leave you” a tear escaped my eye hearing him speak, I bit my lower lip looking up at the roof. “So go on, leave. If that's what you want, you can go. Live your life free of me, free of the thousands of shadows that follow. Just don't be surprised if you see a shadow lurking behind you.” I look at him not saying a word, I shake my head taking in a deep breath. That shadow lurking behind me was his shadow, the one shadow that even if given a choice I wouldn't shine a light on for it to go.
He stood in front of his mirror, the exact same broken mirror that has taken a fair share of the blunts of our relationship, over the years. I stood behind him staring at him through the broken reflection smiling ever so slightly, a million emotions rushed through anger, sadness but somehow power. I felt powerful knowing that a simple sentence could send Vincenzo spiralling. It made me powerful to know that I had the same effect he did on me, maybe even more than him.
“Did you figure it out yet?” I whispered, tilting my head looking at him through the mirror. He looked at me through the mirror hands in his pocket his facial expressions remained stone cold. “What?” he clenched.
“Who you're looking at, the man staring back at you,” I emphasised, his stare fixated back on himself his eyes darkened looking at his reflection. I nod my head slowly, “I'll take that as a no” I spoke up, my eyes still burning at the tears I refuse to let fall.
“I could've killed you” he whispered; I shook my head remembering that day. “I should have, that's what I'd do. What the boss of the Kings does to traitors.” He continued, shifting his eyes to look at me.
“That's who I am. I don't do nice” He continued. "You wouldn't" I whispered. Knowing no matter what he would never hurt me, not intentionally. He turned around fast, before I could comprehend, he had me pinned up against the wall. “I could've easily murdered you without hesitation." He spoke up, I gulped looking at him, my chest rising and falling matching the fast rate of my heart.
“Then why didn't you” I hissed, not wanting him to know how much his words make my heart twist and break.
“Those angelic eyes made me all dizzy and weak” he whispered looking down at me, his eyes resuming their usual grey. I looked up at him still visibly sad. “Clearly” I scoffed referring to the girl who was here earlier. “I didn't know she would be here” he answered my unasked question looking at me, I rolled my eyes.
“That doesn't make the situation better” I started feeling the steam coming out of my ears. "Isabella, I haven't touched another woman since I woke up from the accident" he admits.
My eyes snap up to him, his hands trail down my frame until they find their usual spot on my hip. “You haven't?” I whispered my breathing now in sync with his. He nods his head slowly.
“Why?” I asked, he stepped closer towards me leaving no room for the air to get in between, his body towering over me as he looks down at me. I look up at him the bridge of our nose just touching. My back arched the second his hand trailed down my spine, it was like my body was under his command, it knew exactly what he wanted with a simple hand. “Your memory loss was a way out for you, you could’ve had any girl you wanted, started over and found someone with less demons … so why me? Why pick me?” I questioned needing to hear the answer. “Why anyone else when you exist?” His husky Italian voice sent me spiralling not letting me think straight.
“You asked me if I figured it out, if I recognise the man in the mirror” I waited to hear him continue.
“I'm more fucking confused now than I ever was before” he stepped back looking at me, I wanted to comfort him “your parents are probably waiting for you” he stated looking away and going back to his desk. “I-” I went to speak up, but he kept his head down frustrated, confused and hurt. I didn't even thank him for never giving up on finding my parents, Instead, I came in attacking and yelling at him.
I sighed walking towards him his head still down, I bent down slowly and placed a soft kiss on his cheek “thank you” I whispered and walked off.
x
I rushed into the clinic “where are they?” I quickly rushed out looking around frantically. The women pointed to the room across the hall, I rushed in stopping at the doorway. Both my parents were asleep in individual beds resting. “Are they, okay?” I asked softly, the nurse nodded her head “surprisingly no physical or emotional damage was done to them. Whoever held them hostage took care of them, although due to the years spent in captivity, they are jumpy and paranoid. They are going to undergo therapy and whatever else they may need.” I nod my head tears threatening to spill.
I walked towards them grabbing a chair placing it in between the two of them. They both slowly open their eye's jumping back seeing me, “sorry, sorry” I rushed out in a whisper not meaning to startle them. "No, no. It’s okay mariposa” mama whispered softly, “we just” I cut her off nodding my head knowing what she's going to say. “I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I'm sorry I never found you, I'm sorry I gave up. I'm so sorry I let you down" I was shocked feeling the tears streaming down my face, my dad opens his arms slowly.
I rush towards him burying my head into his chest, he stiffens but quickly recovers slowly wrapping his arms around me and easing into the hug. “It was never your job, Mariposa. You thought we had died, you ... you thought what you saw was the end.” He whispered into my hair, Mama got off the bed and cuddled towards us.
“I'm sorry our death made you spiral and landed you in the hands of Xavier” he whispered. I lifted myself up looking at them whipping the tears from my eyes, “you knew?” I whispered. They nodded their heads shutting their eyes.
“We heard everything” Mama cried softly. “That's why he attacked us. Not for our empire but for you, kidnapped us to get to you. He knew you'd find him eventually” Papa spits.
“You heard?” I cried softly, my heart shattering into a million pieces knowing they were under my nose, knowing they heard my screams and cries for them. I shook my head "no" I begged them. They looked at me and widened their eyes, both using their hands to cover their ears like they were trying to block out the screams. They started shouting making me jump back scared, the nurses came rushing in as they quickly pushed me out.
I stood at the door watching them, I turned around my back against the wall sliding down crying. "No, no" I kept repeating over and over as I started banging the back of my head on the wall. "NOOOOO" I shouted feeling myself reach breaking point, my anger was finally at its limit. I tried, I tried to put everything behind me. I tried but now. Now I want them all dead. Xavier and his men, every last one of them. I was going to be the one to put an end to him and his fucking line.
"Isabella?" Vincenzo calls out looking down at me, I look up tears stained my face, my cheeks flushing red. "They heard" I whispered, he looked down at me confused. "They heard my screams, my pleas. They heard him torture me” I shouted, “Isabella get up come with me” he grabbed my arms lifting me up. I turned around seeing my parents yelling “let her go! ISABELLA IM SORRY”
"NO" I shouted, guilt consuming me.
FLASHBACK (TW! MILD SEXUAL ASSAULT)?
"NO" I shouted trying to shuffle away, my hands and legs bound my chains. "FUCK YOU" I spat at him as he tried climbing on top of me. I kept shuffling and thrashing my body trying to make it impossible for him to get onto me. "Please." I cried out feeling so hopeless and defenceless, never feeling as weak as I did right now. "You're mine Isabella, like it or not. I've marked your soul in one way or another, you're mine" He mocks laughing at me.
