After finding those images at her place, I have barely been conscious; my mind is constantly on them, and I know they are not simple photos.One she didn't even look awake in. Finishing the drink, I slam it down."Careful, you just might break it." My eyes snap up at Dario.Shit.Don't feelStay calmI watch as they walk into the room and sit. Lorenzo lazies behind me, leaning against the wall. His eyes are on the monitor. He can't see her. It just shows outside her room."So what are these?" He reaches forward, and I grab his wrist."Don't even try fucking look." I glare at him, watching as he steps back and holds his hands up."You said you found something, clearly not your gun, as you're no happier now than before, son." Our Father looks and waits."I found nothing to do with the gun or Rocco or anything to do with her family, for that matter." Sighing, I rub my head. Her story doesn't add us. None of it."Why are you so on edge?" Dario looks at me.Because she fucking makes me fee
I come around, hearing Iz talking to me, slowly guiding me back to reality, one I wish I could escape from.They all saw the whole damn family watched me crumble and fucking fall. I've never had flashbacks that intense before. I can usually see and hear everything around me in a few seconds.This time, I didn't. Iz walked off and left me with Marco, which is worse."How do you feel?" His words are soft as he edges closer to me."Like a fucking fool. Stupid and weak, embarrassed, your whole family saw." I need to leave."They understand. No one thought badly of you because of it, Lucia."I laugh at his words. "Really? As you all seem to be pretty much floating through life right now without issues." Sighing, I rub my face. "I'm sorry, I just feel on edge.""You don't need to apologise, Lucia. You may see me as a hard rock, brick, or something similar. I'm not, or rather, I wasn't always."Raising my head, I look at him."You know those words you say that your mother taught you? I say s
Her words have me considering what she said. Things seemed to escalate quickly in her life. I want to find out the truth about the deaths that surround her. Give her the peace of mind and answers that she needs.Maybe, if I can see what happened, I can tell her she wasn't the target. Reassure her that it was just some fools with guns. Yet, I can't. Fools with guns don't do that. To open fire in the street is a personal attack.I keep my eyes glued on hers as I consider if the answers are what she thinks. How will she cope knowing those shots were for her? Still, I need answers. Anger boils in me at the thought that Rocco didn't protect his daughter.Sure, he was dead, but she shouldn't have been left. How did he not know he had a fucking child? We all knew he had many women; his wife was like Roxy. There for the show, to be a product of what we are."Today, what happened?" I need to know what caused it. Why it happened and why she got sucked under so damn quick. "What caused it, Lucia
I woke alone, but the scent of Marco lingered around me, ensuring that I knew he hadn't left too long ago. A light knock has me pulling the door open. Elmay stands, grinning while holding a tray.She bounds through the door, throwing herself down on the bed."Eat! Apparently, you're having a ladies' day." I peer at her, confused, and she giggles. "Lorenzo has a fight coming up. You need a dress for it, so Felicity and Iz are taking you shopping."Wait, when is this fight?" He has the gun now, even I know he will have it."Next week." She grins at me."I shouldn't still be here next week." I should be gone. He has his gun now. Why is he planning on keeping me around for longer?"You're his guest, Lucia. I keep telling you that." She laughs at my face."If I'm simply a guest, I can leave." She stops at my words, glancing towards the door. "Exactly, I'm not a guest, as I'm not free to leave." I'm still his fucking captive. I was hoping once he got the gun back, he would let me leave.Aft
I sit in the boardroom and look around at my men."We need to do something. Marco, the shipment has gone!" I glance at Arlo."We need confirmation first who took the diamonds, Arlo. Get the confirmation, and then we can do it." He stands up, hearing my words."It isn't just your shipment, Marco! That is mine!""Mine?" I rise up, looking at him. "Is it yours now, Arlo?" I step towards him calmly. "From where I am, it is not yours until it reaches your fucking hands, which it hasn't! If you want to claim it is yours, then half the cost from it going missing is yours."He shuffles slightly. "I didn't mean..."My hand flies up, cutting him off. "You did mean. If you remember Arlo, you wouldn't be doing business in this city without me. Now, whose items are they?""Yours, Marco.""I thought so. Considering it is me who runs everything and does all the work to get them here. You haven't even paid yet." I sit back down and glance across the desk. "How is CCTV coming along to see who took the
Last night burns through me as I wake and feel myself still in bed with Lucia. The reality hits fucking hard as I throw on my trousers and walk from her room.As I step outside I stop seeing Roxy glaring at me."I need the dress and necklace, Marco. There are offers put in for them."Oops. My mind goes back to last night. "There may be a slight issue with that. I ripped it." Her eyes widen at my words."Are you fucking joking?" She moves to Lucia's room, my hand stopping her."Don't you even fucking try to go in that room." I push her back. "You keep acting like you have a right here. You don't.""We're getting married, Marco! That gives me a fucking right to." I step closer, my body towering over hers."You know that you're wrong. You agreed that your life would be nothing more than what your mother’s was. This isn't a marriage, a commitment. You were told that, Roxy!" I stay leaning over her. "If you truly believe you're equal and worth half of this, you're in for a fucking shock. T
I wake alone, my mind instantly throwing abuse at me. What I did was wrong, I need to leave and walk away. Marco has no idea of my life before this.He knows Dan has the gun and no doubt he has been to collect it. So, now I should be allowed to leave. Climbing from the bed, I wrap the robe around me. Stepping forward, I winch slightly, feeling something stab into my foot. Sitting down, I pull out the small diamond.This makes me anxious. Roxy hates me, and I have a feeling that her destroyed dress will make that hate grow. Maybe I can fix it? Standing, I pick up the ripped fabric, slowly finding the small diamonds across the floor. Collecting them all, I place them in a pile.I'm still shocked by how little he cared about its worth. The fact it was covered in diamonds meant nothing to him at all. Even if they are his diamonds, it's still crazy. Walking to the door, I open it."Good morning, Miss Whitlock." Hugh nods and smiles at me. I need to see Marco and find out when I can leave.
I watch as she walks away from us, my eyes returning to her father."I'm a little confused. Lucia told me you were no longer in her life. You told her she wasn't your daughter, then walked?" I watch as he shifts uneasily."She is my daughter. I made a mistake. I refused to drive her mum that day. Lucia knows and blames me. Had I driven her, maybe she would still be alive."His words are lies. Even I can see that."How did her mother die?" I watch the slow roll of his throat as he pulls against the collar of his shirt."She drank too much. Had a seizure, I don't know, we just found her in the garden."Lies. I stare at him. "Seems weird. She had called Lucia and sounded fine, not even slightly tipsy." I lean forward more. "Did her mother ever mention Lucia's real father?""No, I only found out that day myself."Sighing, I lean back in my chair. He found out the truth: her mother died, then her sister and boyfriend? "You see, she put me in a difficult situation, Mr Whitlock.""I apologis