Page 149 of The Silence Lies

Luciano runs the knife over my bare breast, pressing the sharp edge against my skin.

I bite down on my lip as I feel more blood drip down my chest. Luciano smears it with one hand, painting my body in crimson. Then Luciano moves to my back, slowing dragging the knife through my flesh. I clench my eyes shut and try to block out the searing pain, but I’m not built for torture, and a nauseating moan escapes me along with a sob.

Luciano leans forward, licking the blood from me between my shoulder blades. “Your pain tastes delicious, sweetheart.”

“Vaffanculo,” I growl, tears welling in my eyes. I squeeze my eyelids harder, praying the tears don’t fall. There’s no way in hell I’m allowing Luciano to win this early in the game.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Luciano whispers in my ear. “We’re getting to that. I might even let your bodyguard watch.”

“Leave her alone,” he snaps weakly. I’ve never heard such pain and sadness come from him, not even when he told me about his daughter. It not only captures my attention, but Luciano’s too.

My eyes blink open, shock wracking through me at the sound of Giovanni’s voice.

Luciano pauses, pulling back as he chuckles in amusement. “You don’t have a say anymore, Gio. In fact, you’re of no real use to me,” he laughs.

My heart twists in agony at his words, but even so, a wave of relief washes over me when Luciano withdraws further, the warmth of his body leaving my backside.

Luciano moves to stand in front of me, his sharp blue eyes cutting straight through me and I have to look away for fear of breaking like he wants me to.

“You don’t have to do this,” Giovanni pleads. I feel his sadness in those words, like he’s already aware that this was inevitable.

“Don’t tell me you care what happens to her now, Gio. You’re the reason she’s here.” Luciano tuts mockingly, shaking his head as he stalks toward Giovanni, brandishing the knife. “It was so easy to manipulate you. All it took was the right incentive.”

His words grip my heart, making it unbearably hard to breathe. With each breath, I find myself spiraling. I don’t need to know what Luciano means, I’m more than capable—even in my state—to piece everything together.

Giovanni’s daughter.

The mole.

It’s all starting to make sense.

“Is that true?” I ask Giovanni. “You’ve been working with him this whole time?”

Giovanni doesn’t say a single thing. I don’t think there is anything he can say, really. I already know the answer by the way his head droops between his arms.

Defeat and disappointment claw at me from the inside, ripping apart everything I thought I knew. Giovanni was supposed to protect me. He was supposed to keep me safe. I drop my own head through my arms, letting the silence war with the torrent of questions in my head.

I can’t trust anyone.

“So fickle with your loyalties,” Luciano mocks. “Maybe I should just slit your throat now and be done with it.”

“No!” I scream, thrashing against my binds as Luciano closes the distance between Giovanni and himself.

He suddenly freezes, slowly turning back to face me, a flicker of amusement lighting his cold blue eyes. I see the moment that realization washes over him, his lips spreading into a gleeful smile as his head swivels between me and Giovanni. Pointing the knife toward him threateningly, Luciano snarls like the devil himself has possessed him. “Damn, I always knew she was a slut, but sleeping with the man who was betraying her all this time?” He wheels around on me, unfiltered accusation lacing his tone. “Are the rumors true, then? You and Fontana? You and Marchese?”

I try to school my expression, but something in it must give me away, because Luciano’s face screws up in disgust.

“Well thank god I didn’t stick my dick in you. You’re damaged goods.” A flare of wickedness ignites in his eyes. “I can think of other ways to make you suffer, though.”

He spins back on Giovanni and my gut twists as he raises the knife, drawing it up to his throat.

It’s a split second move, one I don’t see coming until a roar rips through the room, the vibrations from Giovanni’s deep tone rattling through me, twisting my gut.

Blood smatters the floor below my feet. My teeth grind as I try to block out the sickening sound, but it just keeps on coming.

“NO!” I scream out. I shouldn’t feel defensive of him, not after the revelation of what he’s done, but I can’t help it. I still care about my stoic bodyguard. I can’t just turn those feelings off.

Luciano’s relentless onslaught continues as he drives the knife into Giovanni’s stomach, over and over, my tears rolling as I curse myself for caring so much. Any other leader would ignore the pain of their soldiers, but I can’t. Giovanni is a part of me.

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