“Don’t leave me here.”
“I’m not taking you to a torture room, Chiara.” Luca stops talking and examines my face for a few seconds. “Unless you want me to. Do you?”
I can’t react to his question, conflicting feelings traveling through my body; I don’t want to see it; I know I couldn’t bear it, that the image wouldn’t leave my head, that it would haunt me. But the wrong part of me wants to see him suffer, wants to see Luca make him suffer, to see him avenge me.
“I don’t think I could…”
Luca pulls me into a room, which I notice is an office, closes the door, and walks toward me. He holds my face with the palms of his hands and brings his face close to mine. “I’m not going to let this haunt you, and if you watch it all, I don’t think you’ll be able to forget it; maybe you won’t even be able to get close to me again.”
“I wouldn’t walk away from you; you’re doing it for me…”
“I’m going to make him pay for what he said to you; he’ll even beg you for forgiveness on his knees before I end his life. You don’t need to see the process; as soon as he’s ready, someone will come and call you so that he can apologize to you. The image won’t be pretty, but everyone should know what it means to disrespect you, and you somehow have to get used to this world. You won’t see more than you have to, and remember, his blood will be on my hands.”
I nod before resting my head on his chest; I feel Luca’s arms encircle my waist, and a kiss is placed on the top of my head. I lift it slightly, staring into his eyes. I stretch my body, standing on tiptoe, and rest my lips on his, feeling him kiss me fiercely in return, and I finally feel at peace.
Chapter 13
I walk around the room, feeling all sorts of eyes fall on me; the whispered comments have stopped, as have the disdainful glances; the guests look alert, offering me smiles and not letting their gazes linger on me for too long. I walk toward my brothers and my friends; Aurora holds out her hand and shakes it with mine.
“How are you feeling?” Lorenzo shows concern and a little anger in his eyes.
“Everything’s fine!” I let out a smile, trying to calm things down.
Vincenzo comes closer to meand examines me before whispering in my ear. “Do you think you might need an anxiolytic?”
I stare at him as soon as he walks away. I still feel anxious, but I don’t want something to calm me down; I don’t want to look weak, andI don’t want to prove to all the people watching me that I’m not enough. I don’t think it’s a good idea.
“Nobody needs to know…”
“I’m fine, maybe later.”
Vincenzo nods, knowing that he might have trouble falling asleep after tonight’s events; they know me like no one else. I look around me, noticing my mom and grandma standing next to Luca’s mother talking, they turned their gazes in my direction and I smile to reassure them.
“Where’s Dad?” Vincenzo and Lorenzo looked at each other as if they were communicating with their eyes. “What…”
Lorenzo won’t let it end. “He’s with Luca and his father. Wehad to hold him back so he wouldn’t attack that man when he spoke to you like that.”
My breathing fails. I look at them, and I know they must be angry with him; maybe they would even like to see what Luca is doing to him; they have always been fierce in the way they have defended and protected me over the years. But my dadwas always a calm and controlled man, making it seem as if nothing in the world could reach him or affect him; thinking of him in a torture basement is something I never thought would happen.
“Is he taking part?”
Vincenzo seemed to study my face before answering me. “Maybe, I don’t know. He’s probably just watching; he’s never been a violent man, Chiara. Besides, if he does, it’s his decision; don’t blame yourself for other people’s actions.”
I don’t answer; I just look around and see glances that I can’t read directed at us. Leticia offers me a glass of champagne, and I take a small sip, paying attention to everything that’s going on around me andtrying to predict the next attack, even though I know how unlikely it is.
“Maybe I should introduce myself. I don’t know, but talk to people.” I look at them, trying to get an answer regarding my future actions.
“After what happened earlier, you owe them absolutely nothing.” Aurora’s voice came out bitter, showing how unhappy she was with the situation.
“She’s right. Besides, without Luca here, no one can blame you for not doing it.” Lorenzo looks my way, assessing the people in the hall.
“They’ll think I’m weak for not doing it.”
His eyes return to my face. “You’re too much for them, not weak, just unreachable. We’ll let you stay that way.”
About an hour later, I see Francesco coming up, people making theirway in the hall for him to pass, looking at himknowingly. As soon as he gets close enough, I see small drops of blood smeared across his white shirt, making my body shiver, knowing who that blood belongs to.
“He is ready to ask for forgiveness.” His voice is loud, clearly intended for everyone to hear his message. Milena comes toward us, accompanied by my mother and grandmother. Unlike Luca’s mother, who maintains a cold, unperturbed look, my mother and grandmother show concern on their faces. “Are you ready?” Francesco makes it sound like a question, but the look on his face clearly tells me that I should go and show strength. I nod, hearing my brothers say that they also want to see him beg, Francesco makes a small gesture, saying that they can go, I see my mother approach Vincenzo and put something in his hand.
