For Fallon (19 page)

I blink back my emotions because my control is crushing, and I place my hands on her face. “I promise I will come back as soon as possible. Do not let on that you know me, okay?”

She buries her head in my neck, and I inhale my Fallon to calm my nerves. Fallon’s
right arm comes around my waist, tugging me to her. “Please, please don’t leave me alone.”

Her anguish is like acid pouring over me, her fear scalding my skin. I kiss the top of her head and remove her hand from my waist as I turn toward the door. After closing the door, I can still hear her saying my name repeatedly. Anger and guilt crowd every cell of my being.

Luca

Adriano and I stride back to my office through the currently almost-empty house. I immediately turn on the camera in Fallon’s room, and she seems so small standing there in the room, looking lost. I rub circles over my tired eyes and throw the phone on my desk. “You sent Damian with Frank? Why weren’t you with them, Adriano? You, as the
Capo
of your soldiers, should’ve been there to prevent this. My hands are tied now, Adriano. Either way, we’re screwed. I have no idea how James will react when he finds out I’ve been dating her. And why did Damian agree to take her? Your men screwed up.” I’m furious about this entire situation.

“Luca, if this was any other girl, you wouldn’t be upset,” Adriano replies evenly. “Damian did not screw up. Would you rather they killed her there on the spot? I sent Damian because he’s my first soldier. He made sure Frank was carefully tested.”

“Frank fucked up. Do you think I’ll agree to his membership now? I’ll never allow it. Do you know what he did?” Adriano sits down as I keep my standing position behind my desk, constantly checking my screen. “He tried to rape her.”

Adriano’s expression hardens.
“When?”

“When I ran downstairs.
Frank has already proven to be a liability before he was accepted. Do you realize how ignorant he is? He’s not capable to be a soldier. I want him out.” I motion to Frank’s phone lying on the desk. “He lost it when he struggled with Fallon.”

“I will take care of Frank.”

“No. I’ll take of care of him.” I sit down and rest my elbows on my desk, intertwining my fingers. “He touched her. He beat her.” I can’t even express how enraged I am. How badly I want to unleash my fury on Frank.

“Luca, we don’t torture one of our own. You know the rules. We don’t take any chances. Finish him quickly, and then we need to come up with a plan for her. Frank is the least of our worries.”

Keeping my eyes on my screen, I fight between the need to hurt him badly and the need to prioritize in order to regain some control of the situation. “I know,” I finally say. The need to control this situation won. “Adriano, check one more time to make sure everyone has left.” I steadily give my order, even though I know Adriano - as my only friend in this organization - must know I’m all but calm right now.

“Is she worth it, Luca?” My
Capo
has always stood behind me. He’s the only man in this ruthless world I trust indisputably.

“Without a doubt,” I answer immediately.

“What is it about her?”

The memory of seeing her for the first time in the club, with her full, soft mouth and her striking brown hair flowing around her flawless face and petite frame comes to mind. Her innocence, the quietness that surrounds her character has attracted me like no other woman has ever attracted me before. “She makes everything worthwhile.” 

“What are you most afraid of, Luca?”

I’m afraid of losing her love, but I don’t say it out loud. All I can think about is her. Remembering the first night I met her calms me. Thinking about my two worlds colliding infuriates and terrifies me. This is not how it’s supposed to be. Damian and Frank fucked up. “Where’s Frank?”

“Passed out in the living room. Damian’s making sure he doesn’t leave the house.”

My sight isn’t moving from the security feed. “I’m giving her a sleeping pill. Meet me downstairs in five. We’ll take care of Frank tonight.” Fallon has lain down on the bed. She’s staring right at me, direc
tly into the camera - eyes haunted with a mixture of anger, fear, and disappointment make me question my sanity.

Opening the left desk drawer, I take out two sleeping pills to crush and stir them in a glass of water in the kitchen.

With the glass in hand, I enter Fallon’s room. She struggles to sit up. Hopeful that I’ve come to end her nightmare, but I’ll destroy her hope. “Drink this. I don’t want you dehydrated.” I lower myself onto the bed.

She eyes the glass. “I don’t want to.” Fallon surprises herself with the venom in her tone.

I don’t want her up all night worrying. “It’s only water, Fallon. You must be thirsty?” I ask her gently.

After moments of nothing, she timidly takes the glass and gulps it down. She doesn’t spare me a glance and lies back down with her back to me.

My hands long to soothe her. I want to gather her in my arms, but she has erected an invisible barrier around herself. The sleeping pills will allow her to sleep the entire night.

I lock the door with the new code, making certain nobody can access this room.

Luca

I step into the living room, just when Adriano’s placing a black plastic bucket of ice cold water on the table. As Frank lies passed out on the couch, Adriano drives his fist into Frank’s nose.

Disoriented, Frank almost falls off and touches his bloodied nose.
“Fucker. Wh- what—” He stops mid-sentence when his gaze meets Adriano’s enraged face.

Damian and Adriano take hold of Frank by his upper arms and jerk him up.

“Stop it,” Frank spits with blood.

Damian twists Frank’s arm back as Adriano mirrors the action and clutches Frank’s neck, hovering him above the bucket and plunging his head in. Frank’s body spasms and he kicks his legs
out in front of him under the table. His head bangs against the side of the bucket as Adriano keeps him underwater and then brings him back up.

Frank gasps for air. “Damian…no...”

“Shut up!” Damian roars. “You fucked up. Now you pay.” Water’s thrashing over the rim when they dip him in again.

The memory of Fallon fighting to avoid being raped explodes in my mind.
Of
him
on her. I move to stand in front of Frank. When I signal my hand up, Adriano hauls Frank up.

Frank spits out water and sucks oxygen into his deprived lungs.

“Look at me, Frank.”

“
Padrino
, I don-t…know what I did wrong,” Frank sputters.

“You should not force yourself on women - for one. Two - you should never touch what’s mine. You should never even look at what’s
mine.” I reach for my gun that’s tucked in my pants. “Let’s play a game.” I attach the silencer, which I also had on me, screwing it on while locking eyes with Frank. “Run.”

The two men let him go, and Frank jumps up unsteadily toward the back exit.

“Well, at least he’s smart enough to not run right into the chests of the front guard,” Adriano jokingly says.

We follow Frank’s trail through the kitchen and out the back door. The garden perimeter of this house isn’t fenced, but there’s nowhere to go. There are no other houses for miles, and Frank’s running toward the river. 

“This guy runs like a drunk girl.” Adriano keeps insulting Frank. “He’s not even that far away yet.”

I hold out my firearm, aiming for his knee. And fire once.

Frank falls down with a loud scream of agony.

We approach him and the three of us tower over Frank lying on his side in the grass. He’s clasping his ass.

“Uh-oh, in the butt,” Adriano observes and slaps me on my back. “You took
nip it in the bud
too literally. Aim is off, Luca.”

I shake my head at Adriano’s lighthearted ways, even in the worst of circumstances. “I was going for the knee,” I admit.

“Please…Please give me a second…argh,” Frank yelps when Damian pins him on his back with the sole of his shoe.

I cast my head down to look Frank in the eye. Another man lost in this cold-blooded world. Targeting for his heart, I pull the trigger and end him instantly before my rage gets the upper hand.

“Throw him in the river. You know the drill,” I order Adriano and Damian. “Do you have her purse?” I ask Damian.

“Yes, it was this tiny thing with only her phone and keys,” he informs.

“Give it to me when you come back.”

Keeping my promise to watch over Fallon, I return back inside the house. I bring my laptop with me to my private room here. I’m not going to my penthouse as long as she’s in the basement. I toy with the idea of bringing Fallon with me since the house is deserted. I don’t trust anyone in this business except Adriano and James. Only because I knew the importance of capturing Danny - and everything would be risked to silence him - did I not let James in on my involvement
with Fallon.

However, I can conclude that Fallon will be of no help in leading us to Danny, nor is she essential in our quest for him
.

I lie awake after hours of insomnia while my strategy is materializing in my head. Nobody in this Syndicate would dare touch her if they thought she was my wife.
Alessa – James’ wife – has been kept out of everything. She’s always protected, and she doesn’t know that she’s constantly being guarded. Now that I’ve had time to think about everything that’s happened and organized my thoughts, I’m starting to discover that the biggest problem here is probably Fallon. How do I convince her to trust me and stay with me? First order of business tomorrow is to tell James about my relationship with her. It’s only a matter of time before everything comes out anyway. It’s best to have him in my corner. Fallon’s already an indirect part of this Syndicate because of her affiliation to me. I just need to make sure she doesn’t contact the police. She can go home, and I’ll give her time without letting her out of my sight. If I keep her here, she’ll hate me forever. 

What also has me worried is
Leggia. Leggia has been quiet over the last week, which is unlike him. He has been openly taunting me for weeks.

I throw my legs over the side of the bed. I’m the damn underboss of this Syndicate, and I want her in
my
bed not in some cold basement.

I trudge downstairs in my sweatpants and key in the code. Fallon’s stirring. Damian handed me the keys to the cuffs before he left. I free Fallon’s wrist and sit her up to cradle her in my lap. Her eyes are unfocused as she struggles to stay awake. Sifting her hair out of her face, I revel in the feel of my Fallon. Her perfume is different. Her usual sweet smell is faint, a faded remembrance of her before she was brought in to my corrupted world. She looks up, and by the devotion in her eyes, I can tell she’s too sleepy to recall where she is. Desperate as I am to give her some sense of security under these corrupt circumstances, I smile at her.

“I…” She wets her dry mouth. “Don’t feel good.”

I swallow back the brick that’s lodged painfully in my throat and kiss her forehead. “I’ll take care of you,
dolcezza
. Sleep.” And I hug her to me tightly, not knowing if it might be last time I’ll ever be this close to her again without the animosity emanating off of her. Pushing my lips into her hair, I leave several hard kisses while breathing her in as the fear of losing her love grows with every minute of every hour.

Her smooth skin is blemished.
My
dolcezza
with an admirable spirit to fight despite her fear.

Her bruises will heal.

The cuts on her knees will heal.

The scars on her soul and mind have just begun to form. Those scars will become deeper and deeper with time. Those scars are now feeding her hatred for me. I’m desperate to avoid the day when all that’s left is pure hate and contempt for what I allowed to happen to her.

I bring Fallon to my room. Carefully, I lay her on the bed and run back down to close the basement and reenter the original code. I take a glass of water and some fruit back up with me, and I lock the door to my private room, storing the key in my pants pocket. From my drawer, I choose a clean white t-shirt to change her into. Fallon’s sleeping peacefully on my bed, and serenity overcomes me now that she’s with me again. Caressing her hair back from her face, I touch her lips after removing her dress and bra. I pull the t-shirt down over her head and lay her back down under the covers.

I don’t know if she’ll ever be able to trust me again. I don’t know if she can accept my lifestyle - even in time - but I will do anything to keep her safe. I’m not deserving of her love, but I need it. I want it, and I will not give up on us.

Laying myself next to her, I place her head on my chest. Resting my chin on her head, I enfold her into my body because I need to feel her warmth and hear her breathing.

Fallon

I’m in that dream moment where I slowly sense I’m waking. Warmness surrounds me as my spirit wakes. Luca’s familiar scent fills my lungs. Pushing my nose into his chest, I grimace when my face hurts, and my eyes fall open. I try to turn onto my back, but Luca holds me to him. My eyes drift up, and his eyes are intently focused on me.

I take in the grey colors of an unknown room, and my memory overflows with my situation.

The event.

The shooting.

They took me.

Luca’s part of the Mafia.

I’m held captive.

Again, I try to move, without success.

“Calm down,
dolcezza
. You’re in my room. You’re fine. How are you feeling?”

I was in a basement when I fell asleep. The fear crippling me last night is less distinguishable this morning. I hate that he makes me feel safe. Last night replays in my mind.
Violated. The sour taste in my mouth sickens me. I feel disgusted and want to shower, wash away the vicious memories of the previous night.

Luca sits us up, and I gasp in pain when the skin on my knees tightens. He tries to pacify me by caressing my bangs to the side. “We need to clean you,
dolcezza
.”

I twitch away from his touch. “Please don’t call me that.” Taking in the room – twice the size of my own bedroom - I make mental notes. To my left is the door, probably locked. To my front is an en suite bathroom. There’s an adjacent walk-in closet. To my right are two huge windows decorated with golden curtains. Next to the door is a black dresser with five drawers.

His posture tenses and Luca’s movement in my hair stills. “We have to shower,” he comments as he stands up.

Are we just going to play happy couple?

“Come, Fallon,” he urges.

I follow him to the enormous, spotless, white-tiled room with a toilet, two sinks, and a shower with two shower heads. Uneasily, I stand in the middle of the room and catch my reflection in the mirror, not recognizing my pale skin with a purple bruise. Hesitantly, I touch the swollen skin under my eye.

Luca places his hands on my shoulders. “We’ll talk later.”

Talk? I need to escape.

“I want to shower alone,” I whisper.

“Fine, but the door stays open.”

I beg him with my eyes to leave me alone, to no avail.

“Shower however long you want, Fallon.” He pauses, searching for his next words. “Look at me, Fallon.”

My gaze whips to him.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll clean your injuries after you’re done.” Luca wants to add something but decides against it.

The silence is weighing around us and neither of us moves.

Finally, he
reaches into the shower and turns on the faucet. Luca dismisses a heavy breath and leaves the bathroom, keeping the door open while sitting on the bed, facing me. That’s all the privacy I get.

I strip out of the shirt - that smells like him - and my underwear. Stepping into the shower, I cry when the hot water connects with my cut open skin.

“Are you okay?” Luca inquires.

I don’t speak. The steam of the warming water is clouding the shower stall. Luca and I can still clearly see each other. His eyes are stained with repentance. Mine are teeming in tears. With just his stare, he forces the happy memories we’ve created over the last months to the surface of my mind.

I tear my gaze away from him and scrub my body clean while trembling in pain. The physical discomfort isn’t as bad. The bruising on my face is more uncomfortable than painful. Standing straight under the showerhead with my head tossed back, I let the droplets rinse my face and try desperately to achieve some calm to arrange my thoughts.

I was almost raped.
Luca’s part of the Mafia. I’m kidnapped. What will happen to me? What will happen to us? The last question pops up and instantly certifies my anger. I will not think about us. There’s no
us
in this situation. Least important is my love for this man. Most important now, is for me to focus on getting out of here. Luca has already started to provide me with answers. Pushing my hurt, confusion, and anger aside is easier said than done. So many emotions swirl chaotically in my tightly-wound body. I exhale a deep breath and turn off the faucet. Boxer briefs and a clean black t-shirt have been placed on the sink for me to wear.

Luca’s rummaging through his drawer. “Sit on the bed,
dol
—Fallon.” He comes over to me and crouches before me to apply antiseptic to my knees and cover them with a bandage. He uncaps Arnica cream and lotions the discoloration under my eye.

My eyes drift shut under his affectionate touch. I hear him heave a sigh but refuse to meet his gaze as he’s too close. The pad of his thumb wipes my bruised skin, but my hurt and fear are far greater than this lone bruise implies.

“I’m going to shower quickly. I must take care of some business before you and I can talk.”

My eyes pop open. “You’re leaving me alone again?”

“Listen. You’re safe here. Do you understand?”

I just stare at him.

Think. Think. Being alone is perfect, gives me time to find a way to escape.

“Yes,” I answer to appease him and don’t move an inch from the bed as Luca showers and dresses quickly. I lean forward to watch him dress in the walk-in closet, just in time to see him stash a gun in the back of his pants. 

He has a gun? Did he ever carry it when he was with me?

He comes out of his closet wearing navy dress pants and a white dress shirt without a tie. “Are you hungry?”

I shake my head, ignoring my empty stomach.

“Try to drink the water and eat the apple or orange.” He points to the nightstand. “I’ll bring more food later.” Luca laces his fingers through my still wet hair. As much as I want to pull away, I let him. “Nothing is going to happen to you, Fallon. I’ll explain everything tonight.” His hand slides into his pocket to retrieve the room key, and he heads out without looking back at me.

Immediately, I jump up and press my ear to the door - listening to his receding footsteps - and click the door handle. Locked. I race to the other side of the room and check the window frame. Where does it open? There isn’t a single handle on these windows. Nothing to see outside, only land and trees and a river in the distance ahead. No neighboring houses. The sun is hanging low in the baby blue sky, so it must be early morning. I look down and see that we’re pretty high up - not on the first floor of this house. It’s impossible to jump down anyway, so I give up my effort to open the window and head to search the drawers. First one is filled with men’s underwear. The second has first aid kit material. The other ones are empty. Next, I search the bathroom but come up empty also. I don’t know what I expect to find. Maybe a weapon to defend myself, if needed.

The closet is my last hope. It’s a small room with several of Luca’s tailored suits hanging on the rack. Shirts and pants are folded in square compartments next to the suits, and two pairs of shoes are on the floor. I check all the pockets - the pocket of every pair of pants and suit jacket.
Nothing. Disheartened, I throw myself onto the bed to glare out the window.

What to do now?