Page 2 of And Back

The voices continue outside, but I can’t focus on them anymore. Ettore had always seemed so composed, so determined to help me. And Cesare was quiet in his support. Now everything feels like a lie.

They must have known who Benedetto was all along. They must have known what kind of man he is.

I clench my fists behind my back, ignoring the pain in my wrists. Anger burns through me, momentarily overpowering the fear that has gripped me since I was taken.

As I sit there, trying to steady my breath and calm my heart, I realize that knowing the truth changes everything—and nothing at all. Benedetto is still out there, and he is still a threat.

The argument outside grows louder for a moment before fading again into muffled tones. But if they’ve kept this secret from me, what else are they hiding?

I need answers—and I need to get out of here.

I press my ear to the door again, listening intently for any change in the conversation outside.

The door to the room bursts open, and Cesare strides in, his eyes scanning the place until they land on me. He looks fierce and determined, nothing like the charming man I saw at the wedding. My heart skips a beat and I don't know if I am relieved to see him or disappointed. I had hoped it would be Ettore coming to my rescue, not Cesare. For a moment, I wonder if Cesare could be Virgilio, and I can’t stop myself from asking.

"Cesare... or should I call you Dante? Or Virgilio?" I ask, my voice tentative.

Cesare looks at me, surprise flickering in his eyes. "He told you?" he asks, his voice softening.

I shake my head. Ettore didn’t tell me any of this. "I overheard your fa- Benedetto.” I hurry to correct myself, wondering if addressing Benedetto as their father could be harmful for them. “Your real last name is Messina. But I don't know which brother you are,” I gulp, trying to grasp what finally finding my Virgilio could mean for me. I thought he was dead, and I had no idea he had a brother, “Are you Dante or Virgilio?"

CHAPTER TWO

VIRGILIO

Istand in the dim light of my family estate trying to adjust my eyes to the shadows cast by the heavy curtains that block out most of the natural light. The mansion's grand, yet decaying opulence is just as oppressive as the monster ruling it.

The dining room is a large space dominated by a massive mahogany table. Dark, brooding portraits of long-dead ancestors loom from the walls, their eyes seeming to follow my every move. The grand chandelier above catches the dim light, and scatters it in eerie patterns across the polished wooden floor. Every sound seems ten times louder — the clock ticking, the hum of the refrigerator, the creak of floorboards under Benedetto's weight. Everything.

Benedetto stands there, his eyes are wild with rage as he grips the back of a heavy wooden chair. Dante is beside me, his body is tense but resolute. I can feel his fear mingling with mine, but there's a determination in him that I lack.

"Move, Dante," Benedetto growls, his voice dripping with violence. "You really think you can protect him?"

Dante doesn't flinch. "No."

Benedetto's face twists into a snarl. He lifts the chair high above his head. My legs feel like lead; I can't move and I can't speak. The sickening thud echoes through the room as Benedetto brings the chair down on Dante's head.

Time slows as I watch Dante collapse to the floor, unconscious. Blood trickles from a wound on his scalp, staining the ornate rug beneath him. My stomach tightens and bile rises in my throat. The room spins around me, but I can't look away from Dante's still form.

I can barely breathe. My body is trembling with terror and rage, but I'm paralyzed. All I can do is stare at Dante and silently pray he will wake up.

Mother's scream pierces the silence, her voice is filled with anguish. "No! Dante!" Her face is pale, contorted with fear as she rushes toward us, but Benedetto's menacing presence halts her in her tracks. He turns his cold, calculating gaze on her, and she recoils, clutching her chest.

A sudden surge of adrenaline courses through my veins, and before I know it, I'm moving. I launch myself at Benedetto with a desperate scream as my fists fly at him.

I manage to land a few punches, but they are weak and ineffective against his solid frame. Benedetto barely flinches, his eyes flashing with anger and amusement. He seems almost entertained by my futile attempts to hurt him.

"You're just like your mother," he sneers in contempt.

My rage intensifies, and I swing again, aiming for his face this time. But Benedetto catches my fist mid-air with a single hand. He overpowers me easily, his grip like. In one powerful motion, he shoves me to the ground.

I hit the floor hard, pain shooting through my side as I gasp for breath. The world spins around me, but all I can think about is that Dante is lying there unconscious and bleeding because of me.

Mother's sobs fill the room now; she kneels beside Dante's still form, her hands trembling as she tries to stop the bleeding with a piece of cloth she tore from her dress. "Please," she begs Benedetto between sobs. "Please stop this."

Benedetto ignores her pleas, his eyes locked on mine. "You think you can defy me?" His voice is low and dangerous as he steps closer to where I lie on the floor.

I struggle to push myself up on shaky arms; but every part of me aches from the fall.

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