POV: KATHERINA
Mayhem broke out in the hotel and outside as well. Before Luca could do anything, gunfire shattered the windows.
Luca used the dead man as a shield and kicked the leg of my chair, making me fall down so the bullets wouldn’t hit me.
I shut my eyes and ears, trying to block the sound, but it was difficult. When the shooting died down, I opened my eyes and looked at Luca, who was on his phone.
He noticed the shooting had stopped, too, so he grabbed my hand and took a deep breath before getting up.
A gun clicked behind us, and we turned around to see five men aiming their guns directly at Luca.
“I won’t do that if I were you,” Luca said without an ounce of fear, and his grip on my hand tightened.
The men remained motionless, except the one with a toothpick in his mouth smirked.
“Are you sure, Luca?”
Luca remained motionless, clutching his own gun in his free hand while the other held me. I stared at them in fear.
Outside, the crowd was taking pictures and talking.
Luca put his gun back in its holster. The others followed their leader and then ran toward Luca.
Luca pushed me away before tackling them alone, kicking and punching his enemies without remorse.
The waiter who had served us joined along with others to help Luca. He rolled his toothpick from side to side, watched Luca for signs of weakness, and kept hitting him.
His movements were fast but not faster than Luca’s. Luca dodged all his punches.
Soon, the men had pushed the waiter aside and were on their feet. They all approached Luca from different directions.
Luca took a nearby wine bottle, smashed it on the man’s head in front of him, and plunged the broken end into another man’s throat without hesitation.
I let out a scream, watching the blood flowing copiously down his throat as he struggled to breathe. He clutched the sides of his neck before falling limp on the floor.
Luca was now near the bar. One of the men lifted a table and threw it at Luca’s back.
Luca was unprepared as he was busy fighting the men in front. The blow almost made him hit the floor, but he didn’t.
The others took advantage of the moment and pounced on him. A hard punch swung toward Luca’s stomach.
The large bulky man who’d thrown the table lifted Luca in the air and threw him right toward the door.
Tears started to flow down my cheeks, watching the brutal fight.
The glass door shattered into million pieces, and Luca lay on them coughing. He slowly tried to stand up, but a man kicked him so hard that he landed on the sidewalk.
The people around started to scream and run.
I thought of running away too, but the thought of my family stopped me.
If Luca escaped this situation alive, he would surely not spare me, and that would be the end of any chance to get my peaceful life back, but if he died today, my life would go back to normal.
If the men wanted him dead today, they would’ve shot him instead of putting away their guns and fighting him with fists.
Slowly, yet reluctantly, I took Luca’s gun from the floor, the metal feeling heavy in my hand. I don’t know anything about guns, but I knew this one was loaded since Luca had shot a man in the head tonight.
Holding the gun in both my hands, I walked out of the hotel to watch the men towering over Luca and kicking him.
I reveled in the moment, watching him get beaten up by his enemies, recalling the times he beat me and broke Chris’s legs before playing out my stupid decision.
Raising my hands in a steady grip, I pulled the trigger.
The bullet went flying and hit a man’s right ear. He screamed and clutched his bleeding ear, which distracted his friends, and their attention turned away from Luca to me.
I started to tremble, not because they all started running toward me, but because I had almost killed someone.
My hands dropped, the gun falling onto the hard ground before one of them grabbed my hair and slapped me hard across the face, making me fall to the ground.
I was dragged by my hair, all the while screaming. The distraction was enough for Luca to get up and go back to fighting, but he was still lying on the fucking ground, watching me with a shocked expression.
Fucking hell!
The man wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and lifted me before spitting out his toothpick and looking down at Luca. His men held his arms in a firm grip, keeping him in a kneeling position.
“Who is this, Luca?”
“This is the reason you were gone for so long?” another man commented.
“Leave her,” In spite of being wounded badly, Luca’s voice was dangerous.
“Not without finding out how important she is to you,” he replied and started pulling me away from Luca.
I started struggling and screaming for help, but the crowd just stood by, too scared to do anything to help the situation.
Without thinking, I kicked his calf, making him buckle and loosen his grip on me. I took the chance to kick him in the face before sprinting in the opposite direction, away from him and Luca.
Before I could get far, I heard his footsteps thundering behind me. A hard blow landed on my neck, knocking me off my feet.
With no remorse, he kicked me in the stomach twice. I lay on the road, clutching my abdomen as tears rolled down my cheeks. The pain was deep and unbearable, and I let out a strangled cry.
The man bent down to me, and before he could lay his finger on me, a hard kick connected with his side, making him fall away.
I turned my head to see Luca standing with his hands clenched and his eyes as cold as ice. The man got up and ran toward Luca, but Luca stood his ground.
He grabbed the man by his throat and snapped his neck, making all his struggles suddenly cease.
Without a second thought, he took the gun from the dead man’s holster and turned around, shooting the others in their heads.
Everything went dead silent. People started taking pictures, staring in horror after their panicked screams died out.
Luca took one last look at their dead bodies and kneeled down beside me. His eyes were still ice-cold as he tried to lift me up. I cried when my body moved.
“Can’t,” I choked out in pain. My stomach felt like it was filled with splinters.
“Got you, baby.” His voice was soft, and he wrapped his arms around me.
The sound of a siren interrupted us. Everyone scattered when the vehicles came into sight with their lights flashing on us. Luca’s arms tightened around me.
The cops got out and immediately took their positions, aiming their guns at Luca.
The officer in charge stepped forward with a megaphone in his hand.
“Leave the lady and stand back, Luca,” his authoritative voice boomed from the megaphone.
Luca didn’t react at first. Then, slowly unwrapping his arms from me, he rose to his feet. My stomach hurt worse with each passing second.
I pressed a hand to the back of my head, where my hair had been pulled and dragged. I slowly got to my feet, and without looking at Luca, I started walking toward the cops.
Luca let me take only two steps before pulling me back and wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Luca, let the woman go!” the officer shouted into the megaphone.
The sudden impact had increased the pain enormously, and Luca holding me around my waist didn’t help much. I felt a cool sensation at my temple, and when I turned to my left, my eyes widened.
He held a fucking gun to my head.
I looked back at Luca, who was watching the scene in front of us. He was stiff and collected without an ounce of fear in his features, which scared me.
I knew he could sense my eyes on him, and I waited for him to say or do something to show me that this was all a joke. I got no such reassurance from him.
I gulped, waiting for the cops to actually do something, anything to save me from this crazy fucker, but they just stood like statues.
The officer kept yelling into the megaphone like it was going to change Luca’s mind.
“Luca, free the woman, or we’ll shoot,” the officer said.
Luca laughed loudly, a laugh of pure evil.
“Go on, officer,” Luca challenged him.
“I know you don’t care about my life. But this lady here, I don’t think you want me to blow her brains out, so fucking tell your men to put their guns down, officer,” Luca said calmly.
When he saw the officer hesitating, he spun his gun, hitting my head hard with the grip. I let out a cry, and the officer immediately ordered his men to put down their weapons.
Luca stepped back slowly with me in his hold, but the screeching of tires from behind stopped him. The officer made a move, but Luca’s commanding voice and the threat to me made him stop.
“Luca let’s go” Rick’s voice came from behind.
Luca pulled me back, and we got into the car with Rick in the driver’s seat.
“Kill them all,” Luca said, and the engine started.
The firing started behind us, between Luca’s men and the cops, and I didn’t dare to turn around and look back. Luca sat beside me, typing furiously on his phone.
“How could you?” My voice was a mere whisper.
He ignored me. The pain in my stomach and head were unbearable, and I bit my lip, trying not to scream.
“You were almost going to pull the trigger,” I said like a robot.
I fucking held the gun in my hand and was almost killed trying to help him, but he didn’t even hesitate to hold me at gunpoint.
“Katherina, I want you to be quiet” His voice held a serious warning.
“No, I can’t!” I shouted, “I tried to actually fucking help you, and you were about to blow my brains out!’”
“You fucking stepped forward to the cops!” he snapped back.
“What else did you expect me to do? Fling myself into the arms of my kidnapper like he’s my fucking savior?”
He slapped me hard, and my head started to spin. I clutched it till the dizziness vanished, and started crying silently.
“Will you stop making a scene? It’s irritating to listen to your crying,” Luca barked.
“I thought you said you love my cries, whether they are cries of pleasure or pain,” I chuckled dryly, wiping away my tears. “You’re a monster, and I loathe you, Luca.”
“Drug her,” Luca said, irritated.
The car came to a halt, and Rick got out and opened my door.
“Rick…what is that?” I asked when he pushed my sleeve up and brought a syringe close to my arm.
“Don’t worry. It’ll take away the pain. Just relax.” He spoke in a comforting voice before injecting it. My head started to spin instantly, and my eyes turned heavy.
“Rick, I can’t―”
“Sh, go to sleep,” he said and rubbed my forehead before closing the door and taking his seat behind the wheel.
The last thing that I saw was Luca inching closer to me and pulling me in his arms before placing a kiss on my forehead and whispering something in my ear, which I didn’t catch.
***
The constant noise of the cardiac monitor woke me. My breathing was shallow as I opened my eyes slowly to see the oxygen mask fitted on my face.
The monitor was still beeping my heartbeat. It took me a few minutes to settle the uneasiness and look around.
I tried to move my hands, but it took an eternity before I could even feel them. I turned to see Rick seated on the couch.
When he saw me awake, he immediately got up and came to my side, his hand rubbing my cheek. He slowly removed the oxygen mask, watching me for any kind of uneasiness.
“How are you feeling?” His voice was so tender.
“W-w-water,” I choked out the word.
He raised the upper part of the bed, making me comfortable before pouring a glass of water. He made me drink it all before refilling and doing the same.
“How are you feeling?” he asked again.
“Better.” My voice was like sandpaper.
“I’ll go get the doctor,” he said and left the room.
The pain in my stomach was gone while my headache was better than before. I could feel the heavy bandage on my head, and I sighed. The previous scars were fading, only to be replaced with more.
I looked down at the electrodes on my chest and wrists when the door opened, and Rick walked in with the doctor and a nurse. The doctor gave me a warm smile.
“How are you feeling, Katherina?” the doctor asked me.
“Good, Doctor,” I said.
“Call me Leonardo.”
His eyes lingered on the cardiac monitor for a few seconds before settling on me.
“Your headache?” He asked.
“It’s bearable.”
“Is there a specific spot where it hurts too much?”
“No,”
“And your stomach?”
“I don’t feel any pain there.”
“That’s good. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve given you some pills. Take them regularly, and bed rest is mandatory, okay?”
“Okay. Is there a serious head injury?” I asked because I did get a number of injuries from Luca.
“No, no. There ain’t any serious head injury, not at all. It’s just external wounds and pain which will be better soon enough,” he said.
He asked the nurse to remove the oxygen mask and the electrodes and leave the room. Once the nurse finished her work and left, I sat more comfortably.
“How long was I passed out?” I asked.
“Two days. You were sedated and kept under observation.”
I nodded and relaxed. Rick slipped his hands into his jean pockets and looked at me awkwardly.
“Katherina, Luca did what he had to do to save himself from the situation. He would have never pulled the trigger on you.”
“I know, Rick,” I replied sternly. “Death would be too easy, and he doesn’t like to go easy on me.”
“I didn’t mean it that way, Katherina. He wouldn’t have pulled the trigger because he can’t afford to lose you,” Rick argued.
I couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Oh, Rick, when did he win me?”
Rick didn’t have an answer this time.
“What did you inject into me earlier?”
“Anaesthetic,” he replied softly.
“What?” My eyes almost popped out of my sockets. “How could you do that without consulting a doctor?”
“What makes you think I didn’t consult a doctor?” His nervousness was replaced with a smirk.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a surgeon, and Leonardo is my older brother, Katherina,” he said softly with a smile on his face.
“Why are you with Luca when you’re a surgeon? He’s a criminal.”
“And who told you I’m not?” He cocked an eyebrow.
Before I could say anything, the door opened, and the nurse walked in with papers in her hand. Rick went through them before signing it.
The nurse gave me my clothes and walked out with the signed papers.
“Get dressed and come down to the reception area. I need to talk to my brother before we leave,” Rick said left the room to meet his brother.
I washed my face and dressed. I folded the hospital gown and placed it on the bed before walking out of the room.
I sat down in the waiting area, waiting for Rick, who approached after a while with my medicine in his hand.
“Let’s go.”
I followed him to his car. The whole drive was silent, and when we reached Luca’s house, I couldn’t help the goosebumps that rose on my hands.
My mind replayed the scene where he killed those five men in cold blood, and I didn’t want to go inside.
“Here, these are your pills,” Rick said. I took the pouch from his hand. “Luca is not in there,” he said.
I felt relieved, though it was only a matter of time before he would be back. I said a quick thanks to Rick and got out, watching him reverse the car and leave.
A maid opened the door at my first ring, and I walked straight to the bedroom and into the washroom.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked no better than a living corpse.
After a hot shower, I slipped into a plain white maxi and walked down to the kitchen. I made myself a hot coffee and settled on the balcony, under the orange sky.
I don’t know how long I sat there watching the sunset.
For the first time, dark thoughts didn’t haunt me. I believe it’s because my body had suffered enough pain that my mind didn’t give me a hard time.
When dusk fell and the air became chilly, I went back in. The maids were gone already, and dinner was hot and fresh on the stove.
The doorbell rang, and I opened it after peeking through the hole. Luca walked inside, not even acknowledging my presence.
“Set the dining table,” he said and went upstairs.
I obliged and set the table.
He came down wearing nothing but shorts, and we ate in silence. He didn’t lift his head to look at me. He didn’t even glance in my direction.
It was like I wasn’t even there, and though I was glad he ignored me, I wondered why.
I finished my dinner before Luca and went to take my pills. I was in the living room, gulping the last pill, when I saw Luca coming toward me.
“I want you in our room in five minutes.” His tone left no room for argument.
I sighed and nodded, already knowing how it was going to end. I switched off all the lights before going up.
I could hear my heart beating in my throat as I took each step. My hands started to sweat, but nothing would help me, I knew.
The room was empty when I entered. Water was running in the bathroom, and I quickly walked out to the balcony.
In the mood he was in, he was probably going to fuck me into submission just like I thought he would.
My hands gripped the railing when I heard the bathroom door open and close.
I heard his footsteps approaching me, and my body shivered involuntarily when his arms wrapped around my waist, which I’m sure he noticed.
He leaned down into my neck, nuzzling my skin as the water dripped from his hair. He smelled like cinnamon and oud.
He turned me around and lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. For the first time that night, he looked me in the eye.
His eyes were dark, devoid of any emotion, and I wondered how I was still alive with this man.
He walked inside and threw me on the bed before lying on top of me and kissing me roughly. His hands started to roam under my maxi, and soon it hit the floor in shreds.
His mouth came lower, biting my jaw and my neck. He started to bite and suck the skin harshly, making me cry out in pain. I already knew tonight was going to be harsh.
I stayed still, giving in to him since a fight would only go downhill, and he didn’t mind hurting me and then turning me on before taking me. He pinched my nipples, making me shut my eyes.
I felt him grip my cheeks in his hand.
“Open your fucking eyes,” he growled. I opened them to meet his eyes, blazing like a fire.
Releasing my cheeks from his brutal grip, he captured my lips for another bruising kiss. When he released my lips, I was panting.
“You will address me as Master during sex, do you understand?”
My head snapped toward him, not sure I heard him right. My eyebrows furrowed as my mouth fell open.
“What? No…” I said, disbelieving my own words.
His hand on my waist tightened. “Yes, you will,” he growled and pulled my hair, making me cry out in pain.
“Luca, please,” I begged him.
“Fucking do as I say!” he shouted before releasing my hair.
“Luca―”
“Master!” He screamed in anger and slapped me hard.
The pain immediately surged through my left cheek.
“When I return every night, I expect you to be naked on the couch with your legs spread wide open.
Your hands will be at your sides with these perfect round perky tits hanging down, so your bare body and your leaking faucet are on full display for my lustful eyes,” he said slowly, pinching my nipples.
“And if I don’t find you in that state…” His hand tightened on my bare waist, his nails digging into my skin, showing how serious he was.
“`If I don’t find you in that state, I’m going to make my men fuck you so hard and rough, then slit their throats right in front of you and make you lick up their split blood.
“That’s a promise, kitten.” His every word pierced me deep inside, making me tremble in pure fear as the tears rolled down my cheeks silently.
“Are we clear?” he asked.
“Yes.” As soon as the word came out of my mouth, a hard slap landed on my right ass cheek, making me whimper.
“Yes, what?” he shouted, pulling my hair in a tight fist.
I cried out in agony due to the pressure and roughness.
“Y-yes, Master,” I said, holding my hair at the scalp.
“Good.” Smirking, he bit my earlobe as his hand slipped into my soaked panties and pinched my clit harshly while the other hand squeezed my breast, making me release a shameless moan.
He fucked me with his fingers till I came hard on his finger and then removed my panties and turned me around, pushing my head into the bed.
I felt him position himself at my entrance and shove his whole length in one hard thrust. I gripped the sheets and moaned loudly.
Holding onto my waist, he started fucking me hard and fast, each thrust hitting my cervix. The pleasure was building inside my body, the rough sex driving me to the edge.
My moans were loud in the empty house, and it fueled Luca to go faster.
Slipping out of me abruptly, he flipped me over to my back and pulled me lower before thrusting back into me. I held my hands above my head and stared into his soulless eyes as he fucked me.
I’m beyond fucked up to like this, to love this, and I knew no one made me feel this way except this monster.
“Tell me you’re mine.” His voice was calm, and a flash of anger hit me as I stared up at him.
No.
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sex.
His hand wrapped around my throat and gave a soft squeeze. “Open your fucking eyes,” he threatened and instantly stopped fucking me.
I opened my eyes and looked at him, irritated.
“Tell me, Katherina,” he hissed. “Tell me you’re mine.”
“I thought you already made it clear to me that every part of me is yours,” I said softly, feeling like I had some power over him.
Luca cursed under his breath and took a deep breath before looking back at me.
“Just say it, Katherina”
“And if I don’t?” I asked, feeling nothing, not even fear of him. “Will you beat him, rape me, or threaten me?”
Luca dipped his head in my neck, and I felt his muscles relax above me. He stayed like that for a while, calming himself, when I wanted nothing but calm from him at this moment.
“I will not beat you,” he said, lifting his head up to look into my eyes.
“I never raped you, and I never will. That’s not me. I touched you only when I knew you wanted me to, but you put up a futile fight just because you thought it was wrong.
“Don’t blame me when you want me as much as I want you to, Katherina.”
“I said it before. I’ll say it again. I’ll never want you.”
“You’re an open book to me, love. Do you know what I see when I look into your eyes? I see you wanting me to take you, claim you.
“I see you wanting to hurt me, just the way I hurt your loved ones. I see you wanting to get away from me but also trying to figure me out like I’m a puzzle that fascinates you.”
He captured my lips for a soft kiss and pulled me apart.
“Should I tell you what you don’t see and realize yet? You don’t realize that slowly, yet quietly I’m making my way here.”
He pointed at my bandaged head and trailed down his finger, settling just above my left breast.
“And here, into your soul. I don’t care if your heart wants me or not, as long as your soul connects with mine.
“I know you can’t escape me even if you want to because the pull will be too strong, and that will bind us together. Forever.”
My eyes blurred with tears because I knew he might be right. I already felt attached to him even though he beat me. I am not strong, and I was wrong to think I might get away.
There is no escaping him. He had left a permanent scar deep inside me. If I left him, the scar would bleed, and I would die.
“You should’ve pulled the trigger.” My voice was merely a whisper.
Something flickered in his eyes, and it was gone before I could catch it. He clenched his jaw, his grip on my waist tightening. In the blink of an eye, he thrust into me.
His right arm wrapped around my neck held my shoulder as he started to fuck me brutally.
The pleasure started to build up, along with pain, and I cried at every brutal thrust. I came soon, drenching his cock, but Luca kept fucking me though I felt him stiffen and throb inside me.
He held himself as long as he could, and hate fucked me before spilling inside me.
Taking a long deep breath, he relaxed his muscles for a few seconds and pulled out, then laid me on my hands and knees before thrusting back in.
He fucked me all night in different positions like he couldn’t get enough of me, not caring that I was done for the night.
When he finally wiped my thighs and himself before lying back on his side, it was already morning.
I woke up later in the afternoon, with Luca already gone.
I had my brunch and took my pills, along with the birth control pill, and spent time in the library and in the indoor garden.
Later in the evening, I spent some time with the maids, for the first time conversing normally with normal human beings.
My eyes suddenly landed on an English newspaper lying on the table, and the bold black headline caught my attention.
DEAD CRIMINAL ON LOOSE?
Italy’s most notorious criminal, long believed dead, was seen last night in a fierce gunfight.
According to the CID and the Commissioner of the state, the criminal Luca Ricci was the right hand of former Italian Mafia leader Accardi De Gasperi.
Witnesses reported that he’s the same Luca Ricci who once ruled here. Many people captured videos of the brutal murders committed by Ricci in public.
According to our sources, he was on a date when attacked. The identities of the seven dead men are unknown to police.
Videos were uploaded on social media, gaining international attention. Police have joined forces with other countries to prevent a resurgence of crime.
Albanian gangs have already started a commotion in the UK and America after watching the videos, stating, “The Lord has returned.”
Law enforcement agencies now state that Ricci wasn’t killed at all. This has caused public unrest verging on panic.
Police have taken the uploaded videos as evidence. So far, no witness has volunteered further details.
According to the reports, police are diligently seeking information about the identity of the woman.
It’s still unknown whether she is his lover or a criminal as he threatened to kill her but later took her with him. Ricci’s men shot and killed two officers and injured several others before fleeing the scene.
Police reviewed CCTV footage showing Ricci and the woman in Vatican Museum on the same day.
Their report also states that since the man has returned to the public eye after two years, they suspect a large criminal operation in progress.
The police fear that the crime rates will rise drastically if Ricci remains at large.
My hands started to shiver as I read the article over and over again.
There were a few pics from the scene, one of which was Luca shooting those men and another of me with Luca pointing his gun at my head.
Tears blurred my vision as I read the part about me. I wasn’t a criminal or his lover!
Fear ran through every fiber in my body as I thought about the possibilities if they caught me. I slumped on the chair, the newspaper slipping from my hand.
I couldn’t surrender and tell them everything, risking my family’s life. Aso, there is no chance the cops will believe a word I say.
What the fuck am I going to do?