Novels by debbiestar207

My eyes fluttered open to the sight of a cannula taped to my arm. I felt numb, my heart beating too slowly--like I was barely alive.I shifted slightly, and pain seared through my side, making me wince. That’s when the mattress dipped beside me and I felt someone sat next to me.“Cara,” came a gruff voice.I felt the strong, veiny arms next to me, trailing up to broad biceps and then--“Luca,” I whispered. My mouth was dry as sand.His lips twitched slightly and I noticed a cut there--actually, several cuts. His face was all battered and bruised.“What happened to you?” I asked. He looked like he’d just crawled out of hell.“I don’t have much time,” he rasped, shaking his head. His eyes, those big, tormented blue eyes, were filled with agony.“What do you mean?” My voice was hoarse, too weak.“When I was five, my father burned me with a hot rod...” His voice cracked. My brows drew together, confused by his sudden words.He lifted his shirt, revealing a dark, twisted mark on his side.

I was sat on Fabiano's thick, sweaty thighs against my will. He had a gun pressed to my lower back, tracing slow, mocking circles with its cold tip.I couldn’t even cry. I was paralyzed with fear.Luca stood by the window, watching like a robot with no emotions. He wasn't going to help me. Vince still hadn't found me.I was really fucked this time.“Isn’t she pretty, Luca?” Fabiano said suddenly, shattering the suffocating silence.He blew a stream of hot cigar smoke across my bare arm, making me shiver.“You do know Vince is probably scouring the earth for her right now, right?” Luca’s eyes were locked on Fabiano like a hawk’s—unwavering.Fabiano hummed. Then he leaned in to place a soft kiss on my nape. I squirmed as goosebumps rippled across my skin.“Of course. She means the universe to him. But he knows better than to be reckless. Otherwise, I'll—” He made a clicking sound with his tongue as he lifted the barrel against my neck.Luca sprang forward. “I’d die before I let you harm

I gasped, breath filling my lungs as I regained consciousness.I was on a soft bed, a four-poster pink bed. I looked around and noticed I was in a bright room. Nice furniture, white curtains. The air was fresh and citrusy. It reminded me of home.“Cara?” a familiar voice called from the direction of the door.It was half open, dark curly hair peering in.“Luca?” I squinted. He stepped inside, a glass of water in his hand. He was in a clean white shirt and black sweatpants. He looked like any nice, handsome guy.An image of him staring down at me as I went unconscious flashed through my mind.He drugged me!“What is this!? What’s happening?” I scurried out of the bed. I staggered a little as my head ached and my vision blurred.“Calm down, Cara—” He reached for me.“Don’t...” I stopped him. I could barely stand; I felt all weak. My head was spinning, so I had to sit on the chair behind me. “What did you do to me?”“I helped you,” he nodded. His eyes were strangely so different—like som

~~LUCA~~They were back together.Imagine that. I was right at the corner of her apartment, watching them in his car for more than an hour. I wondered if they had sex. I couldn’t see because the windows were tinted.Also, he spent the night. He actually slept over. For the first time, I thought of hurting my brother.The next morning, I waited outside her classroom door, needing—no, craving—a conversation we should’ve had long ago.As the students poured out, I braced myself for the sight of her.“Luca,” she gasped when she saw me, startled like she’d seen a ghost.She looked so pure. So virginal in that soft white dress. Vince bought that dress. I knew his taste—classy and expensive.“You don’t reply to my calls or texts anymore,” I said, my voice tight.I tried hiding all the hurt I felt from last night.“School. It’s just school. Too many classes,” she replied, breathless.“Not Vince?” I asked, eyeing her. I wished she would just tell the truth.“What? No! I…” Her voice faded.I wa

Darren had wanted another date before I left—quite hurriedly—Penny's home, but I wasn’t prepared for that. I thought we were moving too fast and needed to slow down.I needed to move on from the trauma of being with Vince before starting fresh with anyone.But instead of moving on, I missed him. I missed him so much, and I hated myself for that.Seeing Vince cry was always jarring, and that heartbreaking mental image was plastered in my memory.God, I wanted to see him again. I needed to see him again.Once in my apartment, I changed into the pink fluffy PJs he got me and took a cute selfie. I posted it on my Insta story with the caption: 'Feeling lonely', hoping the thirsty men in my followers would stay off and that a certain someone would get the message.It didn’t take a minute before he viewed it—he’d been stalking my socials since we fought. It made me feel a little mushy.Some hours later, as I was finishing up a write-up on my laptop, I heard the roaring of a car downstairs. D

~~VINCENZO~~ It had been exactly two weeks, three days, and twelve hours since I cried like a fucking kid in front of a girl a decade younger than I was. I hadn’t even cried when my father was shot before my very eyes. I hadn’t cried when my mother cut me off from her life. I hadn’t cried when my late wife left me for another man—and everyone branded me her killer. But this tiny woman, this little brat, made me spill tears. How fucked up was that? All the hurtful words she said to me that night were still burned into my heart, branded onto my soul. Every night, I had nightmares about it. I missed her terribly—more than I was bold enough to admit. And soon, that longing turned into something else--I began to stalk her. I stalked her socials, tracked her day-to-day schedule and routine. She visited the library every Tuesday and Thursday immediately after her last class. She ate cereal before going to bed on Fridays. She applied lip gloss just before getting on the bus--she ha