*Lucia*My body felt sore all over. The last thing I remember was that I was hit on the head with a gun. Where the hell am I right now? I was laying on something hard, and rough. I turned slowly, my body felt trapped in the white gown that I was wearing. I wanted to get rid of the gown. I opened my eyes slowly. It was dark. Wherever this place was, there was no single light. It was pitch black. That dick. I'll skin him alive. I cursed through gritted teeth as I tried to sit up. And the gown was making all my movements uncomfortable. I may not know where I was but one thing was clear, it wasn't somewhere I'd like. And the smell.It smelled so much like rotten meat in condemned kitchen water. I almost threw up but held myself. I'll kill this idiot. He should wait and be patient. I won't end up here. I refused to give up. I believe that Bruno would come for me. I am confident. Bruno.I sigh at the thought of him. I sat, holding my legs to my chest and laying my head on it. I can't be
*Bruno*I furrowed my brows when I saw his message. This bastard, my grip around the phone tightened. “What does he want?” Rave asked, stepping close to me to take a look at the text. I extended the phone giving him a better view but not leaving it completely. “What? He wants to talk over a video call. The nerve of him,” said Rave, his voice a little bit over the top. I dropped my hands to the side. “Let's give him what he wants,” said Jason standing at the side, “it's just a video call, it shouldn't change much.” He sounded like he was sure that there would be changes or maybe the call would lead us somewhere. The curtains by the window on the other side danced in the air. “Do you even know what you are saying? You want us to agree with his terms, no. We are not going to make him feel superior. He won't tell us what to do," said Rave at the same time. He was facing Jason who didn't seem to want to stop. “So you say we ignore his message and keep searching for Lucia ourselves?” Rave
*Lucia*His hands fell on the side. He ended the call before Bruno could ask for the location. I struggled on the chair where I was tied. “How did it feel to see your love, I know you've missed him, but don't worry, I'm sure he does too and will soon come to pick you up,” he said. His voice rang in my head.“I never knew your voice could be so irritating. Do you think Bruno is stupid? He will come for me and you better be prepared,” I said, one side of my lips lifting to the side as I stared directly into his eyes.He didn't react to what I said. He tilted his head to the side and then straightened it. He burst out laughing. His laugh pierced the air. He flung his head from side to side, a big wide smile on his lips. He was truly a psycho. “You are being delusional, I wish there was anything I could do to help you. You think Bruno will come for you?”“He will. He always has,” I said, puffing my chest out despite the rope he tied me with. “Don't tell me you are scared of him coming.”
*Lucia*He sensed me coming with the rope, but it was too late to duck as I wrapped the rope firmly around his neck. He wiggled, trying to turn the table, and sure he was strong but I didn't want to give him the pleasure of seeing me weak or thinking he was stronger.The light dimmed.“How do you feel now?” I asked. He was low, and his hand was on the rope. I held him tighter. If I allowed him to overpower me for just one moment, I didn't know what he would do. He stopped wiggling. “Having fun?” He asked. His hands were still on the rope. “You bet,” I responded. “You may have to tighten this rope to kill me,” he says, struggling a bit. I liked the fact that he was struggling. “Okay, fun time is over,” he said. His hands moved to mine and he pressed my hands. His grip was tight and solid. Then one of his hands moved to the rope and he easily moved them over his head. I put up a fight. I wasn't going to allow him to get away so easily. So, I quickly wrapped my hands around his neck.
*Lucia*I had given up. I didn't think any miracle would happen. I just realized that this place I was in with Steve may be very far, a place Bruno would never have been able to figure out so easily. Steve had unexplainable joy in his eyes as if the world was doing him the biggest favor by allowing him to wrap his hands on me. His grip around my neck turned tighter and air seemed difficult, strength seeped away from me with each minute.But I never stopped struggling though it seemed fruitless. Just when I thought it was all over for me, there was a thud, Steve was distracted for a while. He turned to the door quickly, but that thud wasn't enough for him to let me go. But he didn't need to ask, he was soon wrapped and thrown away from me. Bruno.I felt I was seeing things, Bruno was here. Steve's grip around my neck loosened and I fell to the ground. My hands wrapped around my neck as I struggled for air. “Lucia, are you alright?” Bruno asked walking to me.I tried to sit but it was
*Bruno*It was the longest night of my life. I was finally able to bring Lucia home. Looking at her as she lay on the bed, her eyes closed I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I hate the fact that our wedding was interrupted. If Steve had not interrupted our wedding, then we'd have been in each other's arms. I squeezed the water into the small napkin I held and used it to wipe her face. Her white wedding gown was now brown. She had been in that dress all day. I helped her out of the gown. I didn't want her to be lonely so I stayed with her all night. She kept tossing and turning. She couldn't sleep comfortably. That I notice. So I took her to the bathtub and placed her in it. She didn't wake up. She must have been so stressed. And tired, and hurt. And I had failed to take care of her. I dressed her up and placed her on the bed. My hands ached. It was past 5 am when I finally woke up and went downstairs. I had lost three men in the fight yesterday. I was hurt and wished I could go back
*Lucia*Three weeks passed by in the twinkle of an eye. Everything seems to be a dream. Bruno and I would have been married if it wasn't for Steve's unwelcome visit and me getting kidnapped. Sigh. It was a tough one. And I think I was affected by the kidnapping. We had decided to push back the time for our wedding. We haven't discussed the particular date but I hoped it was soon. Three weeks passed in a blur. I twitched my lips, staring out my bedroom window and getting lost in thought. It seemed like it had only been yesterday when Steve had stormed back into our lives and I'd been kidnapped, Bruno and I would have been married if it wasn't for Steve. I shivered just remembering everything I'd gone through being away and alone for so long. I couldn't even walk around the house without looking to see if anyone was walking behind me. Not to mention, I've also been feeling extremely nauseous lately. And I wasn't even on my. . .My breath stopped.I felt my heart pound as I rushed to the
*Lucia*Shame.Despair.Pain.They were all emotions that had become so familiar to me it was almost like I couldn't do without them. I wish I could say that I felt nothing, standing in a room full of ruthless and arrogant mafia lords, waiting to be bought by one of them at this disheartening auction but the truth was that I felt something. I actually felt a lot of things. And the leading emotion happened to be an intense sense of betrayal.It was funny how I didn't ever learn from my mistakes. Once again, I thought my life was finally getting better. That despite my unfortunate destiny as an orphan which just happened to be one of the most pitiful rankings in the entire world, I was finally getting to a better place. It had all been a dream though.An extremely far fetched dream.I grunted in pain as the asshole behind me tugged on my rope. I muttered a curse under my breath, instantly regretting it the second a dirty slap landed loudly on my cheek. I bit down on my lower lip, trying