CHAPTER 8

Rafael

The rage burned in my chest as I gripped the steering of my car, stepping on the accelerator harder and harder with each turn. I needed to get to the Don, and quickly.

As I reached the entrance, the gates opened up, giving me access to the compound. Alex had returned earlier this morning and I needed to tell him everything.

Entering the manor, I stalked my way to the study and found him sitting at his desk poring over some papers.

The click of the door called his attention to me.

"I have news", I said, walking up to the desk impatiently.

Alex removed his lenses and looked up to meet my gaze.

"Adalfieri's our man", Alex looked at me and arched his eyebrows, clearly confused and curious.

I heaved out a sigh, then half sat on the table to explain.

"I caught someone, involved with the second man I told you I couldn't recognize", I started and Alex nodded attentively.

"His name was Ezekiel. Loras and Ezekiel were more like brothers than friends when they were in the Police academy."

"And?", Alex asked now very curious.

"Ezekiel was a mercenary and before the wedding, he was running a job in Cabo. But Loras couldn't get to him on time". I sounded like I would drop a bomb on him anytime. "This man I caught was the middle man."

Alex was now nodding, probably beginning to connect the dots. "He connected Loras and Ezekiel. And they did the job together". I stated as a matter of fact.

"Loras brought him in on the attack at the wedding and we know he wouldn't have worked for anyone else other than his boss". I breathed. "And we know who that is". I smiled triumphantly, revealing the truth to Alex.

"And, that coward launched an attack on my wedding?" Alex said icily as he closed the papers he was holding, now digesting everything I had just said to him.

He slowly stood up, gripping the edges of the table and I retreated slowly to the corner of the room.

I knew the storm that was coming and I knew better than to be in his way.

In a split second, he threw the glass of whisky on the table across the room and it hit the walls sending shards of glass shattering on the floor.

"How dare that simpering fool launch an attack on my wedding", he roared.

All I could do was stand still in the room and let his anger subside.

The next thing her threw was the bottle of whiskey.

He raged on in the room smashing everything within his reach.

"That fucking cockroach, get him here, immediately" he said to me.

"Yes sir", these were the times when I was not his advisor but his hitman and that was exactly who he needed me to be.

I left the Don in the study, seething with rage.

As I gripped the steering of my car, I set the location of my car to the Adalfieri mansion.

*****************

Elena

I had refused to leave my room for hours unending. As my eyes had met with the Don's in the morning, a chill swept over me and had lingered since then.

As much as I tried to forget it, seeing his face brought back memories from my wedding night. It was supposed to be the best night of my life. But this wasn't the fairytale marriage I always thought I would have.

And my wedding night wasn't the fairytale night I imagined it would be.

It was already late evening and even though my stomach was protesting in hunger, I would rather have a late dinner than risk the chances of running into the Don.

I hugged myself in my bed trying to calm myself down. I thought of my mom and my dad, the beautiful memories we shared. The late night discussions I sometimes had with my mom, my dad never really being available, but when he was, he made sure to try to make up for everything.

And then I thought about someone else, Rafael. The way he looked at me in the car. He had not said anything but his eyes spoke volumes,volumes I couldn't understand. And somehow, I felt it, like an undeniable truth in my heart.

'Strange man', I thought to myself

CLICK

The door knob suddenly clicked and a sliver of light made its way into my dimly lit room.

My breath caught in my throat, I knew exactly who was entering my room even when I wasn't facing the door. The weight of his presence and his heavy breathing was enough to tell.

He shut the door firmly behind him and came up to me on the bed. I wanted to pretend that I was already asleep, but before I knew what was happening, he yanked the sheets off my body.

I immediately shut my eyes tight as if it would make me disappear, but deep down, I knew I wouldn't, and I knew he wouldn't stop.

"Get up bitch", I could hear the drowsiness in his voice.

He reeked of alcohol.

"Come here", he said as he grabbed the sleeve of my dress and tossed me to the floor.

I stumbled up and pushed him away as I tried to run out of the door, but he immediately caught up to me and pulled me by my hair, making me scream.

In one swift movement, he threw me to the bed and locked the door.

'It was happening again. You have to get away.

You have to get away, get away , get away'

My mind screamed.

I leaped to the other side of the room over the bed and by the gliding doors that served as my windows.

He approached me again, this time he was obviously furious.

I would have run my mouth but I couldn't say anything as he raised his hand and struck me.

My face immediately burned from the slap.

Without giving me time to recover, his hands contacted with my face again in another slap.

This time, I fell to the floor, weak and beaten down.

He unbuckled the strap of his belt, pulled his pants down. And his dick sprang forward.

He grabbed me from the floor and forced my face on him as I knelt down on the floor.

I shut my mouth tight, refusing to open up and do his bidding.

I received another slap,

"Open up, you whore", he said as he grabbed my hair.

With one push, he shoved himself halfway inside my mouth.

My head was spinning from the moment and the rage, hatred and pain that I was feeling filled my heart to the brim and in that moment, I wasn't thinking.

I bit his dick. He screamed and staggered backwards. Taking the opportunity, I grabbed the small flower pot by the window and smashed it on his head.

This time, he fell to the floor groaning in pain, and I took the opportunity and leaped out of the windows, running towards the garden before me.

I knew it wasn't right, I wasn't thinking right but my body was moving, she was running away, she wanted to run away and there was nothing I could do to stop her.

Soon enough, the guards noticed me running towards the garden.

Then the shouts started. From the manor, I could hear the Don's thunderous voice.

"Get her, get that whore".... "Don't let her get away"

His menacing voice filled my ears and the muscles in my thighs burned and threatened to give up halfway, but I couldn't give up. Not yet. I couldn't go back.

And then my fear tripled when the sound of shoes sounded in my ears, heavy shoes. They were getting faster and louder.

I wouldn't make it, my heart trembled. I wouldn't make it, but then I could see that gate. It was so close but the three guards behind me, were much closer.

I ran with all the energy I had left.

Even then,

'I wouldn't make it'.

The thought echoed in my head and in my heart.

Rafael

I drank my glass of whiskey in silence as I pored over the information I received earlier. I still needed to bring Adalfieri in for questioning but the other messages I found in Loras' phone seemed to say something else.

I slightly shook my head, tired of thinking about it.

"Business bad today?" asked the bar man whom I knew very well, courtesy of my coming here very often.

"Yeah, for a few days now" he replied but stared at me in an uncomfortable way.

After a deafening silence, he decided to speak up.

"Hey man", he whispered to me as he came closer.

"Ah shit", I exclaimed, bracing myself for whatever he was about to say.

"I heard shit went down at the wedding"

"Hey, how did you even know about the wedding" I asked, surprised.

"I got people around, telling me shit and stuff" he bragged.

"Well, that's not any of your business"

"Man we got to know, I mean, it's you guys that give us safe passage" he continued "we gotta know if shit going down"

"Hey, hey just stay out of it" I said agitated, ignoring his rants as a call came in.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

It was Alex.

"Boss", I called into the phone.

His next words sent me crazy

'You have got to be kidding me', I said to myself as I hung up and raced out of the bar.

"Here", I said dumping some dollars on the table as I half ran out of the bar.

I started the engine of my car and sped out of the place.

'What was she thinking, and in front of him?

Shit, this is bad'

I stepped on the accelerator harder than I had intended, heading to the manor.

My mind kept on reeling on my way there,

'Why would she do this?

Ugh she must have a death wish.

I have to find her'.

I was almost going crazy at the thought of her recklessness.

'Alex would never let this go so easily. I have to find her as soon as possible'

Passing the bend in the road, someone suddenly stepped infront of my car.

'Fuck', I said as I brought the car to a screeching halt.

'Shit, shit

Did I hit someone?'

"I do not fucking need this right now" I said out loud to no one.

I rushed out of the car to see the woman lying on the road infront of my car.

She was unconscious.

I moved the hair that shielded her face to see her.

It was Elena. I had hit Elena.