POV: KATHERINA
The other side of the bed was cold when I woke up, and I took a quick shower, my mind racing with thoughts of what horrors the next day may hold.
By nightfall tomorrow, I’d either be dead or free from Luca. Since Luca had already left, I was about to call Chris and ask his plans when I was interrupted by laughter coming from the living room.
I walked down to hear Rickard’s cheerful voice saying something that made the others laugh.
I spotted Parker and Emmalyn first. Cruz saw me, and as usual, a wicked smirk made its way to his lips. Rickard was sitting near him, and right next to him was Edward.
“The sleeping beauty has finally woken up,” Cruz commented, and everyone turned toward me.
My eyes fell upon Luca, who was standing near Rickard, and he gave me a warm smile, which I returned hesitantly.
“Hi,” I said awkwardly, and they all smiled at me warmly.
“You look beautiful, Katherina. I guess someone’s a keeper,” Emmalyn teased Luca.
“That’s interesting,” Parker replied. “Guess he’ll finally ask her out decently and take her to dinner with her father’s permission.”
They laughed at his comment, and even though Parker said it in a funny and harmless way, I couldn’t help but grit my teeth and look away from them.
Leonardo made his appearance from the kitchen with freshly baked cookies and coffee in a tray and placed them on the table for everyone to take.
“Sorry, I used your leftover cookie batter,” Leo said to me.
“Oh, that’s okay,” I replied.
“You can take my coffee. I’ll make another for myself,” Leo said and was about to enter the kitchen when I called him back.
“It’s all right. I’ll make it. I have to prepare breakfast anyway. Anyone up for it?” I asked the others.
“Me!” Emm raised her hand.
“I’ve been starving for ages, Kat!” Edward exaggerated and placed his hand on my stomach, giving me a pained look.
“Don’t rub your stomach like that. You look like a girl on her period with cramps,” Parker retorted.
Edward held out his middle finger before throwing a pillow at him.
“A sandwich is all fine for me, Katherina,” Parker said, catching the pillow in the air.
“What about you guys?” I asked Rickard and Leonardo.
“Anything,” both brothers replied instantly.
I dropped my smile when I entered the kitchen. The whole fucking crew is in his house. How the hell was I going to do this tomorrow?
There is no way Chris and the cops could do anything now. These bastards outnumber them. They are the best of the best. There was no other way than to postpone the plan.
I took out cheese and bread slices, setting them aside as I started with the vegetables.
I heard footsteps approaching, and I looked back to see Luca standing at the end of the kitchen, one hand on the wall and the other in his pocket, looking at me.
“What is it?” I asked before continuing to cut the lettuce.
“What you gonna make?” he asked, walking toward me.
“Right now, I’m doing Parker’s sandwich.”
“I’ll fry bacon,” he said.
I immediately stopped my work to turn around.
“What?” he asked, looking at my surprised face.
“You cook?” I asked as he took the bacon from the fridge.
“Of course I cook.” He narrowed his eyes and continued his work.
“That’s…funny,” I chuckled as I imagined Luca using his gun to shoot-cut the vegetables.
“I’ve been cooking for myself the whole time before you came into my life,” he said with a “duh” tone.
“Then why the maids?” I asked, lifting one an eyebrow.
“I only have maids to clean the house. For the cooking and laundry part, it was for you.”
“And even that stopped when I started to cook, so you have a maid in me,” I said sarcastically.
“You’re not a maid. I never said you were,” he replied softly. I saw a frown on his face and disappointment in his eyes.
“I just wanted you to cook because you hated me, and I needed a way to connect with you. It’s strange that I found it in your cooking.” He shrugged.
I quickly turned away from him.
“Need a helping hand?” came Emm’s voice.
Luca prepared omelets and bacon. Emm prepared a dish called quiche, which sounded more like cliché to me. I did the sandwiches and toast.
The boys were already in the dining room, taking their seats when we placed the food on the table, and they started serving themselves.
I stood at the end of the kitchen and looked at them. Cruz was buttering toast for Emmalyn, Leo served omelets to his brother.
Parker stole Edward’s sandwich and took a big bite, which made Edward slap him on the shoulder, and Luca gave his share to him.
They were like a family, not like a fucking gang of criminals who slept with guns under their pillows and inflicted fear on every person who crossed them.
I pitied them and their lives, though they had their share of adventure and fun.
“Katherina, come join us,” Edward said, patting at the seat next to him.
I quickly sat down, ignoring Cruz, who was right in front of me, and took some of the bacon Luca had prepared. Luca sat at the head of the table to my left, and Leo sat at the other end.
They spoke in Italian as well as in English, laughing. I kept my head down, losing my appetite as I slowly munched on the omelet.
I felt Luca’s hand on mine on the table, and I immediately looked at him, but he was talking to Rickard and rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb.
The conversation turned grave and serious later on, and when the Italian died out, I sat rooted to my spot and listened to them carefully.
“And any news from Bridgehills?” Luca asked Parker.
“A lot.” Parker glanced at me and continued. “A lot more than that bitch told Katherina. It’s not just the mayor’s men here; there’s also Sheriff Newman and Katherina’s boyfriend.
We knew why the mayor sent his men away before we captured Megan, but it’s foolish to think that Sheriff Newman and her boyfriend have come to only rescue her.”
“What do you mean?” Rickard asked skeptically.
Parker looked at me nervously and then at Luca. Luca’s hand tightened in mine, and he glared at Parker to continue.
“Christopher’s mother, she’s got a damn file about you,” Parker said. “She knows everything about us: our business dealings, our boss, going back two years.”
“What?” Edward asked in surprise.
Parker nodded.
“Impossible!”
“I couldn’t believe it myself. We’ve been missing a lot of things these two years,” Parker said. “Sheriff Newman has reopened your file.”
“The cops, mayor, and the lawyer are after Luca. Her boyfriend is after her,” Rickard indicated me.
“Do you think they are working together?” Emm spoke for the first time.
“Maybe. We don’t know anything yet. All I know is the sheriff is not going to miss this time, not with the scar Luca gave him,” Edward said.
“Either way, their main catch will be her. Cops, the mayor’s men, and her boyfriend. Guess you need to tighten security around your home, Luca,” Cruz said, smirking at Luca.
“I think you should make her stay somewhere else for a few days,” Rickard said.
“Yeah. Guess the casino is a better option. It’s safe for her,” Leonardo said.
“Or you can send me with her. I can keep her safe,” interjected Edward.
“Oh, or you can send her to me. I can safeguard her,” Cruz said.
“Shut up, Cruz!” everyone said in unison.
Everyone was talking about keeping me safe when I needed safety from no one more than Luca himself.
I wanted to scream, shout and curse the life out of me, but I’m afraid I would end up giving them a clue about my escape plans.
“We have no idea where they are hiding in this huge city. They might be anywhere. We first need to know where they are and follow their moves,” Cruz said.
“Right. I hope you start today,” Luca said to Cruz, who lifted his eyebrow.
“You can’t seriously ask me to do that for her,” Cruz said, his index finger pointing straight at me.
“You heard what I said, Cruz. Don’t make me repeat myself.” Luca’s words were final.
Cruz said nothing, just gave me a disgusted look.
What? I didn’t order you, dude. Suck it up.
The conversation died once breakfast was over, and Emm helped me clear the dining table. That’s when I noticed Edward and Cruz, each carrying two suitcases and walking up the stairs.
Everyone moved to the living room after breakfast. Now I understood why the guest rooms were cleaned by the maids.
“Hope us staying here won’t bother you,” Emm said.
I almost panicked when I turned out to be right.
“We won’t cause you trouble, and I’ll make sure Cruz is nice to you. He’ doesn’t like you very much.
“I don’t know why. Maybe because Luca has never brought a woman home, or because he’s serious about you, or maybe Cruz doesn’t trust you. Once he gets used to you, he’ll be fine,” she said.
“All of you are staying?” I asked, ignoring whatever crap she told about Cruz. Clearly, she won’t be fine if she finds out her boyfriend tried to rape me.
“Just me, Cruz, Edward, and Parker,” she said and walked away toward the men.
I ran my hand over my face, feeling the panic rising in me. There is no damn way I’ll be able to escape tomorrow with these people here.
Now that Luca knows that Chris is here and even his mother, Karen, is working with Sheriff Newman, I could see a blood bath happening tomorrow in Rome.
I didn’t understand when Parker said the information went back two years, but whatever shit he was talking about, it was plain stupid.
Karen didn’t even know about Luca before I was kidnapped by him. Whatever she’s doing now, she’s doing to get me back.
I quickly walked toward Luca, who was talking to his friends.
“Yes, tesoro?”
I moved closer to him.
“Can we talk for a minute?” I whispered.
He quickly excused himself and followed me up to our room, and the moment he shut the door, I spit out the first thing that came to my mind.
“You didn’t tell me they’d be staying here.”
“This is what you wanted to talk about? I thought we were going to have a quickie.” He smirked.
“Well?” I rolled my eyes and waited.
“I was going to tell you,” was his reply.
“When?”
“Today, when they arrived,” he said.
“Why didn’t you tell me before? And why are they staying here?”
“I have my own reasons. Don’t question me.”
“Tell me why?” I asked and stepped closer to him.
“Work.”
“What work?”
“That’s not your concern, Katherina.” He tensed, and his humor was gone.
“Fine, but why now? I mean, can’t they come back in a few days or something?” I frowned.
“What’s the matter with you? This is my home, and I decide who stays here and who doesn’t,” he said and went past me.
I got ahead of him and placed myself in front of him.
“I live with you. It might be your home, but keep in mind, I live here too. My requirements matter.” I said what he wanted to hear.
He said nothing but looked at me for a long minute before replying.
“Cruz won’t bother you.”
“You can’t say that. You did nothing when he tried to molest me! So, you can’t guarantee that he won’t bother me. I hate him—”
“He hates you too.”
“—and I can’t tolerate him for more than a minute, so having him here for days is unacceptable. Please, try to understand.”
He went past me, and I looked at him with utter irritation.
“My decision is final,” he said before closing the door behind him, making me frown.
I don’t think Luca will spare Chris this time.
I don’t think this is going to work either.
Later in the afternoon, Parker and Edward went out to finish some work, and Luca and Cruz stayed in Luca’s office. Emm was arranging the clothes in the closet when I passed by her room.
I looked at Luca’s closed office door and quickly made my way to the bedroom to call Chris.
I switched on the phone and dialed the only number that was saved without a name.
“Chris, it’s me.” I spoke as soon as the phone was picked up.
“Hey, Kat. Is everything okay?” he asked.
“I think we need to postpone the plan,” I said rapidly.
“What? Why, what’s wrong with tomorrow?” His voice sounded surprised and worried.
“Luca’s friends will be staying here for days or weeks. I don’t know. So, I don’t think it’s possible.”
I heard him take a deep breath.
“How many?” He asked.
“Four. A woman included.”
“We can handle it. Eight guards plus four is not a huge number. Tomorrow it is,” he said firmly.
“No! You don’t understand! Those four are equal to eight people! It’s too risky!” I insisted.
“I’m ready to take that risk, Kat. I’ve lost you twice. I can’t afford to lose you again. The way he treats you….trust me, it didn’t hurt me much when he hit my legs with the hammer. What hurt me was seeing you without any clothes on, having lost your dignity.”
His words made me remember the horrible night I always tried to forget.
I said nothing, instead waited for him to talk.
“Just trust me this time. Everything’s gonna be fine.”
“Okay,” I said and cut the line reluctantly.
If the plan fails, Chris dies.
The mere thought of watching him get hurt because of me again brought tears to my eyes.
Luca would not spare him, and he would start torturing me yet again like I was his slave, but my parents are still his captives.
Maybe I’d stay behind if they were rescued so that Luca would spare Chris and the others.
What kind of situation am I in?
I fell on the floor and cried silently, feeling my stress lowering with the tears that rolled down my cheeks.
“Katherina?” Luca’s voice immediately made me brush away my tears, switch off the phone and run toward the closet.
“Katherina, open the door,” I heard Luca say, knocking on the door.
Putting the phone between my clothes at the end, I closed the closet and walked toward the door, wiping my eyes from the back of my hands.
“Katherine, open the damn—”
I opened the door before he could finish it. He looked irritated, but his eyes softened as soon as he saw me.
“Hey, you all right” His voice was tender. He quickly stepped forward and cupped my jaw in his palm, brushing his thumb on my cheek.
“Yeah. I’m fine, why do you ask?” I was breathing heavily.
“Were you crying, baby?” He walked in and kicked the door closed.
“No.” I knew my voice trembled.
I averted my eyes, not able to look at him. He stepped forward, closing the little gap between us, and pulled my face up to him.
“It’s just a few weeks, all right? They will leave after that, and everything will go back to normal, okay?” He spoke softly.
I said nothing but stared at him.
“Trust me, I don’t like it either that they are invading our privacy, but it’s important, honey. Cruz will not bother you, I promise, and Ed and Parker love spending time with you.
“You can also go out to malls and restaurants with them. I know you feel caged in here.”
“It’s fine,” I replied softly.
He placed a kiss on my forehead—a soft lingering kiss—before meeting my gaze.
“I lied when I said your cries of pain arouse me, cara mia.” He frowned. “I’m pretty fucked up, and I lie through my teeth when I’m pissed off just to hurt people.
“I never enjoyed your pain. All I wanted was for you to submit to me, but now if it’s too much to ask and it hurts you, then I don’t need it. Just don’t cry.”
“Stop,” I said, placing my hand on his bicep. “Just stop. Don’t talk.”
I whimpered, biting on my lower lip, trying to control the sob that threatened to break free.
“You’re a monster and… and—”
“And you’ve grown on me and I on you, tesoro” He brushed his nose on my cheek.
“No… no, you haven’t,” I said. “Just don’t… talk.”
“Yes, you have. I see it in your eyes. You’re an open book to me, Katherina. You hate me for what I’ve done to you. You want to see me suffer too.
But you’ve accepted me as human, and that’s enough for now. Though you obey me because you fear me and what I might do to your parents, you still like the monster in me.
“And once I earn your trust, I know you’re mine forever.”
“No… no,” I cried in his arms, and he stroked my head.
“Luca!” Emm’s voice interrupted us.
Luca quickly looked at me apologetically and sprinted out of our bedroom and to the living room with me behind.
There was a guard standing near the door, with whom Cruz was talking. My blood went cold when I saw his state. He was sweating, and the fear in his eyes didn’t go unnoticed by anyone.
Everybody here knew that he was not the guard who patrols here. He guarded Megan.
“What happened to Megan?” I spoke before anyone did.
He didn’t reply. Instead, he turned his eyes to Luca, who was standing beside me.
“Boss, we tried. She was too smart,” he said in a fearful voice.
Cruz was standing with his back pressed against the wall, deep in thought, looking at the white floor. Emm was looking at me and Luca.
“What happened?” Luca asked.
It was Emm who answered. “She escaped.”
***
The next day was the most horrible day of my life, and it was just the beginning.
I couldn’t sleep all night. With Megan on the loose, I was worried about what she might do. But since she was after Luca, I pushed those thoughts away and felt less of a burden on my shoulders.
In spite of everything she had done, I couldn’t find it in myself to hate her.
She had stabbed one of the guards with a piece of glass she had broken in the bathroom and ran out into the crowd before the other guard could catch her.
Luca was furious that she got away, but his concentration was on Sheriff Newman and Chris since they were the bigger threat to him because they were coming to get me.
Late in the afternoon, Becky arrived. With Emm along, I was able to just breathe and wait for the right moment, which might arrive at any time.
I learned that Emmalyn was kidnapped when she was my age and was to be sold off, but she turned out to be a badass, stabbing one of the men and capturing Cruz’s attention.
Cruz immediately took her as his, and she’d been living and working with them since then. I asked her how she was able to live without her family and her little brother.
She said that by the time she was able to clear her head, it was too late. She was already a part of them and could not turn back.
So, they staged drama to make her family believe she was dead, and she’d been watching them from afar and assisting them financially without their notice.
She did this through means that might be purely through their hard work and dedication. It was hard in the beginning, but at the age of twenty-two, after three years with them, she was used to it all.
I worried that my situation might turn out that way since Luca had kept me away from my parents for almost three months.
The only times he ever spoke about them were to threaten me or say that they were fine, though I knew they were far from fine. I couldn’t let that happen to me, and I could never get used to it.
Hours passed by, but I observed that Becky made no move to leave. At some point, I even asked whether she was going or not and instantly regretted it when she replied.
“I’m staying for dinner.”
I said nothing but gave a fake smile which she didn’t notice, and excused myself to go to my room.
Hours passed, and nothing out of order happened. I was hyperventilating and sweating even though the AC was switched on.
At dawn, when I’d almost lost my mind and hope, Luca got a call that his hotel was burning down. Luca immediately left with Edward, and I switched on the phone to text Chris.
He said it was his doing and would be coming to get me soon.
Even with Luca away, I wasn’t at ease. Cruz, Edward, Becky, and Emmalyn were still there. Even though there was a chance that the cops could outnumber them, I couldn’t rest.
I quickly went to my closet but then stopped and opened Luca’s. I randomly took one of his black jackets and put it on, taking in the rich smell of his cologne.
As I waited for Chris to arrive, a loud bang on the main door made me run down before I could think.
Cruz opened the door to reveal Victor. There was tension in the air, and everyone sensed it.
“What happened?” Cruz asked.
“Something’s wrong. There are three cars approaching us.” Victor spoke quickly.
My stomach churned in discomfort and fear knowing very well it was Chris.
Cruz’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion before he turned to me with a wicked smile on his face. His eyes looked so dangerous, as if he was reading my mind and knew what was going on.
“They are coming for her,” he said.
Emm sucked in a deep breath.
“We need to leave,” Parker said.
“We can’t. They are close,” Victor said.
“Everyone inside, Victor,” Parker said.
Victor rushed to inform the other guards.
“You can’t expect us to stay inside like cowards,” Becky said.
“It’s not like the house is going to save us. So, the hotel was…a distraction,” Cruz spoke, thinking carefully.
“They knew about the hotel, about our work,” Emm said.
“Limbless boyfriend coming to save his girlfriend. Let’s see what they got.” Cruz spat the words like venom.
The door was locked once all the guards got in.
“Do whatever it takes not to get killed and not to let her go.” Cruz spoke with authority, and everyone nodded their heads.
It was clear that Cruz was in charge, and with no Luca and Rickard, he was one crazy leader, and everyone was fine with that.
“And none of them leave this place alive. I want all of their lifeless bodies here, especially her boyfriend’s,” Cruz smiled at me. “I’m sure Luca will love it.”
I stiffened as everyone prepared themselves for the upcoming fight, entering Luca’s office and getting the guns and knives out. I stood rooted to my spot, fearful.
They stood ready, facing the door as if it was going to break open any time, and just then, we heard the wheels screech outside, and a loud bang before the gate broke.
“Time for some fun,” Becky said, loading her gun.
My eyes widened.
She caught my eye and threw a wink at me.
Windows on either side of the main door shattered as the bullets flew. I covered my ears as I looked at the mess.
I realized that I was the only one screaming my lungs out while the others stayed calm and ready.
Cruz gave a kind of crazy laugh and screamed, watching the scene.
The loud bangs were like thunder to my ears, and soon the main door fell, revealing men just like Cruz and the others.
Before they could locate us and fire, Cruz and the guards started to shoot them all without any remorse. I could do nothing but watch in horror as the blood splashed everywhere from the bullet wounds.
“Move! Move inside!” Parker pushed me inside the kitchen and made me get down before he returned to the shattered living room.
I peeked my head out and watched.
More men entered, and they didn’t look like cops to me. They all looked similar to Luca’s men. My eyes frantically searched for Chris, but he wasn’t there, and none of them were cops.
The couches, the tables were all shattered by the gunfire. Cruz was firing like a crazy man, laughing at them.
He was clearly enjoying it while the others were serious about it. Cruz often squealed like a rat in excitement and laughed like a madman.
The men hesitated before running off to Parker or Emm or Becky, finding them less dangerous to fight.
Becky made a backflip, hitting one of the men in the head. He instantly fell. Emm shot a man straight on his forehead. Parker crouched down behind the couch and fired carefully at the men.
The men kept coming in, no matter how much they fired. The hall was full of lifeless bodies. Some of them were theirs and some ours.
Victor’s bullets ran out, and he started using the butt of his gun to smash the men like they were nothing but potatoes.
A man ran straight toward Cruz, and Cruz did the same. The two started to fight, back to back, smashing heads wherever possible.
Cruz, though his head was bleeding copiously, was laughing like a lunatic.
Cruz smashed the man’s head on the wall, the impact making him fall down. Before he could get up, Cruz took the TV and broke it on him before going for the others.
“There are too many, Cruz!” Emm screamed, which made Cruz look at her.
“Take her and leave through Luca’s office! Victor and I will take care of this!” Cruz said.
“No!” Becky said instantly.
“We can’t leave you behind. I can’t leave you behind!” Emm screamed.
“We have no choice!” Parker agreed with Cruz.
“There are too many. You listen to me!” Cruz’s words were final.
Becky came to me, and I got up. With a firm grip on my upper arm, she led us carefully toward Luca’s office. Cruz and Victor were fighting to keep the men from reaching us.
Before Emm could open it, the door opened automatically, revealing several men and…Megan.
“Going somewhere?” Megan asked with a crooked smile on her face. The men behind her lifted their guns, aiming at us.
The men stopped fighting as soon as Megan walked out, and we stepped back. Her guards closed the office door behind and stood in front with their arms crossed.
“Tie them up, boys,” Megan said
Some men quickly went out while the rest captured Cruz, Parker, Becky, and Emm.
The others stood with their rifles aiming at us all.
Megan’s eyes roamed over them. She looked nothing like I saw her in the prison. Her hair was loose, the attire was perfect, and the wounds on her face were not even visible.
She looked like the evil cheerleader I’ve known all my life.
She didn’t look like someone who was beaten up. And her voice. So much authority and confidence.
Cruz is staring at her with anger and hatred.
“Huh, a loyal friend,” Megan said to Cruz before moving to Emm, who stood next to him.
“A loyal girlfriend to a loyal friend,” she said to Emm before moving to Parker.
“Ah! Information collector!” Megan clapped her hands. “If you had collected that information long ago, you wouldn’t be in this situation, right?” she said before moving to Becky.
“Oh, the gardener! Gardener or guardian for her?” Her cheerful voice turned malicious when she mentioned me.
I looked at Becky, but she stood there with her head hung low.
The men came back with ropes in their hands and started to tie us.
“Oh, not her, you fool!” Megan shouted at one of her men when he came to tie me.
They were all made to kneel down with their hands tied at their backs, and I was made to stand away from them, alone.
“You really think they kidnapped me?” she asked me, “You really think they kidnapped me!” She suddenly screamed at me, “I made them kidnap me!”
“Congratulations,” Cruz said in a bored tone.
Parker and Becky laughed in spite of the grave situation, and Megan’s face turned scarlet.
She snatched a pistol from one of the guards and aimed it at his forehead. Cruz wiped his smirk off his face and stared up at her, daring her to shoot him. Emm looked at Cruz, worried.
“Why don’t you talk now, huh?” Megan chuckled dryly.
I saw Cruz open his mouth, but Emm moved closer to him, and he shut up.
“That’s what I thought,” Megan replied and took the gun away.
When she looked back at me, I saw hate, anger, thirst for revenge in her eyes, and she suddenly looked so ugly to me.
“It was me from the start! It was my men who attacked you both near his hotel! It was my men who attacked you here, and yes, you were right, we attacked to get that file from him!
“We wanted the diamond business for ourselves. It was my men who attacked at the party,” she said, looking at me with more hatred than I’d ever seen.
“You ruined everything for me, Katherina! Everything! Chris was mine from the beginning. I loved him, not you!” She pointed her finger at me.
I couldn’t believe her. Where is all this coming from?
“But you were a slut and got him wrapped around your finger. Every time I saw you with him, my blood boiled, Katherina! I wanted to kill you, cause you pain, terrible pain, but I couldn’t.”
“Look here, you jealous, one-sided lover. Why are you saying all this to her? If you want to find the cripple, stop wasting our time,” Cruz said.
A blow hit his jaw instantly, which made Emm move closer to him.
“If your friend hadn’t taken her, my Chris wouldn’t have ended up in a wheelchair for life!” she screamed at Cruz and kicked him in the chest, not able to contain her agitation.
Cruz stayed immobile like a stone. Emm helplessly looked at him. Cruz mumbled something to her under his breath, but she was not buying it.
“It was always you. Katherina Blackwood. Right from the beginning. People loved you, not me. I’m the mayor’s daughter, and yet you were given all the privileges.
“I hate you, Katherina. I’ve hated you from the very beginning, from the time you snatched away my opportunities. You took away my Chris!
Every time I saw him holding you, kissing you, and laughing with you, it caused me so much pain.” She clutched her head, her tears started to flow furiously.
“Megan—”
“Don’t you dare say my name!” she shrieked.
“You took away my Chris, and then you were about to take away my dad too. He was bankrupted by Luca. He took all my father’s money and everything! My dad wanted to end his life.
“Then when he learned Luca was after you, he did nothing. He knew everything from the beginning. He watched over you. He knew you and your sister were kidnapped and warned.
“He knew he was going to take you away. He knew Chris was in danger when he came to save you, and guess what? He did nothing to save Chris.
“He didn’t send his men. He didn’t send me to save my Chris, even though I begged him. I was devastated when he lost his legs and hopes, and it’s all your fault.”
She was shaking with rage.
“I didn’t know you loved him. I didn’t know you felt this way, Megan. I never knew. And if I knew, I would have given up everything for you.
“You were my friend. You are just like Isabella and Anna to me,” I cried pathetically, looking at her.
She started to laugh, her head falling back as she clapped her hands.
“Always been a perfect actor, haven’t you?” she said, smiling evilly at me.
“This is how you fooled everyone and got everything you wanted! My dad sent me to destroy Luca’s business, but I came here to finish my business too—to fulfill my dad’s wish and to finish you.
“But when I saw how badly Luca treated you, I kept postponing your death day. It gave me immense pleasure to know you were suffering, that he was causing you pain.”
She closed her eyes with contentment.
“I was so happy when I heard you were tortured by him, but you changed it. You got even him wrapped around your finger! You started to smile, laugh, enjoy living with him!
“I couldn’t stand that. I didn’t follow you all the way from London till here to see your happiness, dammit! So, I started planning. I wanted to lay my hands on you before Chris did.
“I started working faster, but when you said that Chris was coming for you, it was a huge blow to me.”
Everyone’s head turned toward me.
“It angered me to know Chris was in contact with you and was going to save you. I fell into their trap and got kidnapped so that I could reach Luca. I almost fooled you—”
“You were in contact with him?” Parker’s voice made me feel ashamed.
“You betrayed Luca. Are fucking stupid? What the fuck were you thinking!” Cruz screamed, and another blow came to his jaw.
“I thought you had feelings for him. He was changing. He was…he was looking forward to leading a life with you” Becky’s voice made me feel worse.
“Where were you all when he beat me, abused me?” I asked weakly.
“I’m glad you all know her now,” Megan said before anyone could talk. “After years of waiting, I’ll finally have my revenge. Luca will be eliminated, and all his business will come to my Dad.
“And you, my darling, will have a slow death at my hands.” She smiled at me with her watery eyes.
“Get her. Chris must be coming already. We need to move before they come here,” she said and turned around, walking toward the exit.
One of her men gripped my upper arm and pulled me to come with him. I obliged.
“Don’t go. I’m telling you, don’t step out of the house.” Cruz’s warning voice made everyone stop and turn to him.
He looked right into my eyes, and I could see the fear he had for Luca.
“You have no idea how bad Luca is. He will come for you, and after knowing you betrayed him, he will come for you fiercely. You guys have no idea how vicious he is.”
A slow, evil smirk made its way to his lips. “He will hunt each one of you down and kill you all mercilessly.”
“She’s his possession, he will burn down the world for her, and your town will be nothing but ash,” Parker said.
Megan’s lips widened, and she started to laugh.
“Let’s see if he can save himself tonight.”
With that, she turned around and started walking toward the car. The guard pushed me into the back seat, and the driver took off.