Page 23 of And Twice as Twisted
She was the good all of us wish we could be—the gentle part of our bullet-riddled lives. I’d made the tough decision to marry her off outside ofil famiglia.I thought a normal life would be better suited for my girl, away from the blood and destruction.
Instead, she was targeted for her softness. She was targeted because anyone on the outside looking in saw she was the weakest link in the family. Without a doubt, Octavia knew hermother and I would die for her. Everyone knew her mother and I, her siblings, we’d all burn the world down to save her. And now, her abduction was causing complete discord in my ranks. In my heart.
And then there was the package.
My daughter’s innocence coating the bedsheets. They’d taken what didn’t belong to them. And I could only hope I got her back in one piece. My lack of sleep was messing with my head.
I’d built this empire on broken bones, gallons of blood, and a pile of enemies. All so my family could have everything. Instead, it was taking everything from me. Her bloody sheets and the broken voice telling me she didn’t want to come home. Those were my undoing.
Thirty years on top of an organization such as this came with its crimes. Came with its blood, blackmail, and death. I thought my empire was untouchable. But the higher you climb, the farther you fall. The slightest misstep sent you spiraling.
They had me exactly where they wanted me. They were targeting my children and I was dancing with every tug of my strings—all while praying for them to take my life and spare Octavia. Yet it wasn’t the screams or the blood that had broken me.
It was the call.
I stared at the phone, silence stretching behind heavy breaths.
“She tastes so good. Her tears are sweeter than any candy. Her cries are a soft symphony. And her blood, it’s like a drug, giving me the best high with every drop I take.”
The whimpers in the background sent me to my knees. “Tell me what you want!” My chest heaved and my heart felt ready to explode. “She doesn’t deserve this.”
“I know.” There was a moment where I thought he’d return her to me. The conviction in his voice gave me hope. “That’s whyI’m hurting her. It’syouwho deserves to feel helpless, to know your daughter is in pain because ofyourchoices.”
“Do you want my city? I will hand it all over if you give her back to me… alive.” I gulped out the last word.
“Funny you should say that, Mario. I’m going to take your city. I’ve already started to siphon your power without you even knowing it. I don’t need your daughter to claim your empire.” A chain creaked in the background. “I took her because I wanted her. Your city under my control, your demise at my fingertips… it wasn’t enough. I want it all. I want to watch you fall apart, knowing she’s mine.”
“She’s not yours!” I slammed my fist into my desk, the decanter of Scotch rattling with the force.
“Now, now, calm down. You don’t want her scared of you too, do you?” No, what I wanted was his blood. “Octavia, sweetheart. Do you have something to tell Daddy?”
I swallowed audibly. Hearing my daughter whisper to him set my heart on fire. I’d die a thousand deaths to get her back.
“Daddy.” Her soft voice came on the line and everything around me disappeared.
“Octavia, baby. Are you okay? What has he done to you?” Too many questions bubbled to the surface. “I will kill him for hurting you. I know it’s a lot, but you can survive this. I’m coming for you, Octavia.”
“You can’t save me, Daddy. Octavia is dead.” It was her confidence that made me falter.
“Don’t say that, baby girl.”
“Say what? The truth? If it didn’t happen now, it would later. I know, Daddy.” When I didn’t respond, panic seizing my brain, she laughed humorlessly. “You were going to pass me off, hand me over to someone else because I was a problem you didn’t want to deal with anymore.”
“No, baby girl. No. It wasn’t like that.”How did she know about her arranged engagement?“I wanted to protect you. I wanted to save you from this life.”
“Because you think I’m weak. You all do. You’d rather dismiss me than believe I can hold my own.” Her sigh was beyond pained. “None of you have ever seen my strength, because I promise you I’m strong.”
Tears burned my eyes and acid swirled in my throat as I shouted my own promises to her. Promises that I’d do anything for her. I had no idea where she was or who had her, but I needed her to hold on.
“I’m not coming home, Daddy.” My heart stalled in my chest. “He will never let me go.”
“Octavia, don’t say that.” I threw a glass at the wall, the shattered pieces glittering in the light.
“It’s the truth.” It came out as a whisper, a sound that would haunt me until I died. “Tell the family I love them and that I will be fine. But, Daddy, I need you to let me go.” She whispered in the background before disappearing.
“Don’t fucking touch her.” My throat was dry and ached as I shouted. “Take me instead.”
“But this is so much more fun. Octavia, say bye to Daddy.” He toyed with me and my palms itched to kill him.
