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“I’ve spoken to him, Elle. Alessio. I believe you.”
“He is here? Where? Where is he mamma?” I grabbed her shoulders and shook her.
“In the cellars!” Liv shouted as she came bolting down the top floor stairs to join us. “I just told Gio everything you told me, Elle. He admitted he has Alessio in the cellars.”
I think I moved faster than I ever had in my life, leaping down the stairs a couple of steps at a time before running barefoot outside towards the cellar doors. Two soldiers barricaded the entrance.
“Let us through,” Mamma shouted from behind me and they stepped out of the way immediately. My heart was pounding against my ribs as I stormed into the open cell, but it stopped beating altogether when I took in the horror show.
“Alessio!”
I dived forward, falling to my knees in front of him and grabbing his face in my hands as he blinked back at me, clearly disoriented. His beautiful body was a complete trainwreck; bruised, bleeding and weak.
“Let him down now!” I roared, turning to glare at Giovanni as he nodded slowly at one of his men to lower the chains from the ceiling. Alessio’s body fell forwards, instantly dropping to all fours. His muscular arms trembled, struggling to hold his own weight up as he rocked a little.
“What the fuck, Gio? How could you do this?” I screamed, losing my temper completely. I had never felt so angry with him before and my whole body ached with intense pain as if I could feel everything Alessio had just been put through.
“Elle,” Alessio mumbled, his head hanging between his arms. “I’m fine.”
“You are not fine! Look at you! They could have killed you.”
He lifted his face, those diamond eyes finding mine as he gave me a weak smile, “I’m fine. I asked for this. I wanted this.”
He forced himself back onto the heels of his feet and then shakily attempted to stand. I grabbed onto his arms, helping him up as my eyes cast over the horrific injuries. My nostrils flared as I met his gaze. “You wanted this? You wanted to be tortured?!”
“No. I wanted to be taken to you. And it worked,” he panted, a small chuckle leaving his lips. “Being tortured was worth it.”
“This was your big plan?” I shouted in disbelief at the insanity of him.
“I’d do whatever it takes to prove to your family that I love you.”
A strangled sob choked in my throat as the angry tears stung my eyes. I grabbed his face in my hands, pressing my forehead against his as he stared into my eyes with so much passion and intensity, I felt everything inside me melt.
“You really have lost your mind, Panther.”
“Just a madman hopelessly in love, Princess.”
I slammed my lips against his, pressing my body into his solid, naked chest, partly to hold him up and because I craved his warmth. The feel of his skin against mine. His arms wrapped around me; the chains shackled to his wrists clanging together as he did. When our lips broke apart, I became very aware of the audience behind me. I turned in his arms, keeping myself close to him to hold him up and shielding him with my own frame as he hid his face in my hair, inhaling my scent.
“Do you get it now? Is this enough proof for you? When will it end, Giovanni? I love you. I do. But I will not sacrifice a lifetime of happiness with the man I love for your pride. Whether you agree or not, I choose Alessio.”
Gio’s hard gaze moved from Alessio to me and then back as everyone held their breath.
“Get him a chair, some food and water and clean him up. Then we will all meet in the living room when you're ready,” he said calmly before he turned, draping his arm over Liv's shoulders and exited the room. Maximus started ordering men to go and get the first aid kits and water as mamma walked forwards and took Alessio’s other arm, placing it over her shoulders as I did the same.
Alessio turned to me with a smug smile as his eyes twinkled with mischief, “You were right, Princess. Your mamma loves me.”
“Love is a strong word, Romeo,” mamma smirked, shaking her head as she glanced over at me. “But I approve.”
“See? She loves me,” he winked as we sat him down on a chair and I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t push it,” she pointed her finger in his face and handed him the bottle of water. Looking over his head at me, she gave me a discreet wink that said all that it needed to say. My heart soared.
As One
“It’s been redecorated since I was last here. It’s grander than I remember,” I announced as I hobbled through the front door of the Buccini mansion, scanning the white elegance of marble flooring, cream walls with oversized paintings and statues decorating the luxurious entranceway.
“Mamma likes to redecorate every few months. It gives her something to do, although now she might be too busy,” Elle replied, her arm wrapped tightly around my waist and leading me towards the curved stairs up to the two higher floor levels.
