"Smile a little, Madame, you see as you walk to your funeral," Lina said, wholly frustrated with Maya, who refused to smile after her makeup was done, staring straight at the mirror and ignoring the beauty she reflected. All she could see was him, inhaling him wherever she went, his aura enveloping her like nature's air. It had been three days since she was dragged back to the manor—three days of preparations and constant questions, most of which she didn't answer, leaving the planners perplexed about how to carry out Don's order of "Whatever Donna says." Three days of him staying out and she staying in, barely eating anything and staring out the window into space, her thoughts racing like a freight train. Good thing he was never around these days, even when Maria had come over-excited at the prospect of a wedding with the news that Gretta and Derinem had sent their apologies for not being able to come. Was she relieved? Yes, she was; it was a lot of solaces. She couldn't imagine

Authors POV She shook her head slowly, bringing her hair back to her face again. She pushed them away, her sobs resuming furiously, "I didn't do it, Anna did, and I was forced to agree to it because... " He had his hands on her shoulders, and she gasped, "Anna? Your sister," She nodded in desperation, searching his eyes so he would believe her. Her petite frame was under his glare. Before he turned, she thought she saw guilt on his face. Looking up at his stiff back and down to his clenched fist, she could see he was fighting the urge to believe her. "You were there; she wasn't; you saw it; she didn't; quit the lies, Maya. It's fruitless." She inhaled, staring at his back; it surprised her the hurt she heard in his voice; he just found out she was innocent, and he was guilty of everything he did to her; did he hurt too? But why not admit it? "I couldn't forget about it. It stuck in my head, and all I wanted to do was turn it off, so I wrote it down in my journal." "Why did yo

It was two days later, and she was alone in Maestro's room. Since the wedding night, he never slept in the room; he only came in to get his clothes and left again.It wasn't all that comfortable; it seemed weird when he dodged her eyes, guilt welling inside those grey, tired orbs.She also noticed that there was blood on most of the clothes he had changed from, and when they were together on the dining table, his fist was bruised, bluish, and looked painful.Quiet was the term, and it suddenly felt slightly over the edge.Her body had begun to calm from the assault of that night, and all she did now was keep Maria company, and when she wasn't doing that, she was signing ownership papers.Revenge couldn't get any sweeter than this.Lina flowed into the room, her face looking brighter than usual. She knew the source; she had finally forgiven Luca, and these days she was always on the phone, so Maya found herself pitying Derinem."Donna" Maya blinked at her reluctance to tell what was go

It was quiet, and she was frightened and numb at the same time; the weed had taken its toll on her. She wondered what was in the wrapped paper.Then she heard the voices just outside. "You've got to pay for the drugs, man. It took a lot of work to get her here. "That was Marco's voice.There was a grunt, which she couldn't tell from that said, "I agree, she'll be a good fuck, but I disagree she is worth that amount."Her heart tightened. Was Marco selling her? To be a sex slave? He made her unconscious so he could do whatever he wanted with her.Damn him. Damn her!She carefully stood up, her eyes taking in everything as her heart thudded. She needed to get out there. Or, better still, defend herself.Her eyes fell on the gun at her side of the bed, and she swallowed. She was going to do it again! Kill somebody again. Go through another trauma again. She held her hand, tears threatening.Marco was saying, "La riporter indietro allora." —I'll take her back then—"Calm down, dude. Take

He pulled the car right to the middle of the hospital compound, pushing the car door open and banging it closed once he was out.He quickened his pace, pushed into the hospital door, and ran down the hallway with a thousand and one thoughts running through his mind.He felt numb and needed silence, but the steady chatter in the hospital was enough to push him over the edge.In the waiting seats, a young boy was crying; he had a burn on his leg. He was about six years old, and his mother was trying to shove candy in his mouth, so he stopped.A teen was smiling at another, showing off broken bottles in his mouth, and his painful chatter hurt Damon's ears.He stopped a nurse, peering down at her, trying not to sound so desperate.fuck it! He couldn't! He was running out of control, which he thought he had."A woman was pushed in here with a bullet wound two hours ago,""Sir, you can check with the receptionist behind you."His teeth gritted, and the woman seeing the anger on his face, cou