Page 55 of Bastian

I’m done talking about my mistakes. I’m done bitching about it. I know what I want and what I’ll always want in her. She grew up and found her voice in this world, in her town, without me or her crime family holding her back, but now she’s back, and there’s no stopping the inevitable.

There’s no stopping me.

Banning grins, “Been waiting a long time for this, Mr. President.” He mocks and then swings.

Fuck.

The fucker returns the punch right in the mouth. I can taste blood. Using a handkerchief, I wipe the blood off and look at my friend, my best man. “I bet you have.”

He hit me with years of pent-up aggression.

Motherfucker.

Now, we’re even, and we can move on.

One step closer to her.

To my forever.

I may not be the best man, hell, not even a good man, but she’s it for me, and I’d always put her first.

From now on, that’s my first priority.

ARIANNA

MAKE IT BETTER

“I would burn the world down for you.” — B

“Stop hurting her!” I screamed. In fact, I screamed so loud and hard that I felt something give way in my throat, but that didn’t stop me. No. It made me scream harder, trying— no, hoping— that the man would stop his ruthless assault.

My scream sounds more desperate and terrified when the image of a woman tied to the wall with a hook around her neck, holding her head straight up and a hunting knife shoved deep into her belly.

The food I had earlier threatens to spill at the horrific sight.

I’ve known my father to be cruel, but this is inhumane.

This is the mafia… a haunting voice whispers inside my head, reminding me. Not once letting me forget that I belong to this ugly world.

The image of the knife shoved into her pregnant belly will haunt me forever.

Andrew, one of my father’s men, steps echo in the room while smiling as he approaches the crying woman with another knife. “Oh, God. Please don’t,” I moaned. “Don’t. Don’t do it. It wasn’t her fault. I made her do it. Hurt me, please hurt me.” My cries, as always, were ignored, and Andrew continued his path to Noelia with the intent to keep prolonging her agony. The moment he was close enough, he stabbed her straight through her left thigh. The poor woman screamed, and I screamed with her.

Please, God, if you’re there. Please make it stop. My head was a mess and my heart, the one that’s been slowly decaying for years, is reaching its limit. There’s only so much a person can take before they break.

“This, princess.” Andrew, our tormentor, points another knife at Noelia. “This is what happens when you disobey your father.” The asshole smiles cruelly, enjoying the fact that he gets to teach me the lesson instead of my father tonight. “Next time you think about poor, defenseless Noelia and how this could be another innocent person in her place. Hell, it could be one of your sweet, sweet sisters.” I whimper, like a scared and tortured animal at the thought of this cruel man getting close to my little sisters.

We were in our home’s basement, where most of Gabriele’s torturing happens. Here is where my innocence was stolen from me when I was just a girl. Where I witnessed just how cruel this world is and how little to no voice I had in it. I used to fight back and it only made everything worse for me and the people who dared loved me. That was my place in this world.

Afraid.

Quiet.

Broken.

It was a painful lesson to learn. One my father won’t let me forget.

“Just–just please stop. I was the one who asked for her help. She was just obeying orders.” I try to reason with him, knowing it is useless. Men like him, like my father, get off on other people’s pain. Their suffering and tears.

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