Page 41 of Conquer or Die

“What do you want to do now?” Vincenzo looked at me, I sighed and nodded my head looking at him intensely I smiled. “What dragon would do” he looked confused and very intrigued. “Your thing was engraving your initial on them. Mine is hanging them upside down with two of my trademark knives in their eyes.” Vincenzo’s eyes went wide, “that’s sick … remind me to stop pissing you off” he added making me burst out into laughter.

This place being our old hideout I had a lot of stuff hidden in here. This is where I use to do my interrogations outside the gang, so there is a lot of shit in here. I walked up to the end of the room in the far-right corner. Vincenzo looked ahead curiously. I looked back at him smiling like a child.

Banging on the top right corner of the wall and bottom left, I banged once more on the wall with both my hands and the hidden door cracked open from the side, holding on the side of the door I opened it wide revealing chains and weapons. “That’s so pretty” Vincenzo commented suddenly behind me making me jump a little.

“Gorgeous right?” I spoke breathless, “Okay let’s do it!” I grabbed my chains and two signature red knives, walking back towards stepfather I opened his eyes and stabbed both right in the middle. “Heavy lifting is on you now Italy” I smiled after I finished chaining his legs, he rolled his eyes as I gestured to dangle him in front of the window for everyone to see … I was back.

Doing as I said he watched his lifeless body dangle and looked at me “psycho” he breathed out and stepped back. “That is the sweetest thing you have ever called me” I awed and stepped back.

“Joder gragones realmente de Vuelta” (fuck dragons really back) I heard an old crow behind me mutter, “Samuel” I greeted him smiling. “Sigues siendo la misma chica, perso esta vez no te ves entumecida” (Still the same girl, but this time you don’t look numb) Ángel commented, I smiled and nodded my head.

“esta vez tengo el control” (this time I’m in control) I smiled nodding my head, the reason why I was so numb before was obvious but I was taking orders, I wasn’t allowed to have friends and I was mentally and physically abused to the point of complete darkness there comes a time where humans just need human interaction I was so starved I became numb and did what I was told to avoid going back to that basement, I practically killed Isabella to do so.

Both nodding their heads smiling genuinely happy for me, “Este es Vincenzo King, líder de los reyes de la mafia. Vincenzo Samuel, Ángel. Samuel, Ángel. Vincenzo.” (This is Vincenzo King, leader of the Mafia kings. Vincenzo, Samuel, Ángel. Samuel, Ángel. Vincenzo) I introduced them as they exchanged friendly nods. “I didn’t scare you too much on the phone, did I?” I teased, laughing they nod their heads.

“Truth be told when I saw your name on my phone, I did get some PTSD” Samuel commented, I laughed and shook my head. “I think we should find another spot” Ángel commented on the body dangling behind us.

“Oh no it’s fine. No one will notice him for hours this area only gets people at night, now I called you in here for a reason” I added getting serious, nodding their heads they urged me to continue before I completely stopped talking seeing who just came into view.

“Mateo?” I called out softly overwhelmed that he was actually here. I ran for him jumping in his arms easily catching me in his arms he held me tight letting out a sigh of relief. “Isabella” he whispered. I got out of his arms looking at him shocked but so fucking happy. “Cómo? Donde? No responsiste. No pensé que vendrías” (How? Where? You didn’t answer. I didn’t think you’d come.) I cried softly.

“No iba a venir, pero te extrañé y cuando escuché tu voz en el teléfono supe que algo andaba mal.” (I wasn’t going to come, but I missed you and when I heard your voice on the phone, I knew somethings wrong) He quickly added looking at my face making sure I was okay a concerned look over taking his features just like the old day.

“Estoy bien, solo necesito respuestas y realmente te extrañe.” (I’m okay, I just need answers and I really missed you.) I embraced him one more time before making our way back, to a very pissed off Vincenzo. Oh no, I mentally cursed.

“Who’s that?” he harshly whispered in my ear, “old lover” I lied watching his entire demeanour change. “Isabella my hands are already covered with blood, I don’t mind staining them even more” he harshly whispered in my ear sending a wave of butterflies in my stomach.

“He was one of the men that was there for me, and his married” I added. Rolling my eyes, turning to the group who are giving us weird looks.

“Es complicado no preguntes” (it’s complicated don’t ask) I added shaking my head smiling like an idiot.

“Okay. You gathered us here to discuss something. We haven’t seen you in over eight years, and suddenly you’re back and bloody.” Mateo gestured to my hands stained in blood and the bodies lying around including stepfather hanging upside down.

“Ok, we all know we rescued my parents from Xavier little over a month or two ago.” I started filling them in on the news, they all nodded along “now Samuel and Ángel use two were apart of Xavier’s inner circle, so the only people who can give me an answer to my questions are the three of you” I slowly started informing them giving them time to process the seriousness of this sudden meeting.

“When I recently went to check up on my parents, I received core shaking news. I’m unsure if it’s the medicine there on that is making them go crazy or if there fine and just exposed themselves when they thought they were alone.” I took in a deep breath my stomach feeling like it’s going to explode from stress.

“They mentioned that I was … they purposely had Xavier kidnap me and where apart of the whole thing” I blurted it out, they all looked at me shocked and stunned no one saying a word as they took in what I said. “Isabella” Ángel drifted off. Oh my god, no. It can’t be true please someone fucking say something! I’m begging you.

“I’m begging you! Do not say the people I called out for when I was being tortured and raped were the people that put me in that position. Please! Samuel say something … Ángel?” I started pleading they say it was a lie that it was just the drugs making their head cloudy.

“Mateo?” I looked over at him my eyes watered tears ready to fall out with one blink, “I’m so sorry Bella” he whispered conforming my one true nightmare. “No” I whispered shaking my head taking a few steps back while I processed everything. “NO” I shouted when they tried to come confront me.

“Why did no one tell me!” I yelled feeling completely betrayed, “why?” I spoke through my teeth, “if we told you back then you would not have believed us especially in the state you were in. You would have killed us without a blink and if you didn’t kill us Xavier would have. I’m so sorry you had to find out like that Isabella” Samuel spoke up, and as much as I wanted to scream and shout and yell and hit them for keeping this from me. I knew they were right. I wouldn’t have believed them, and I would’ve killed them instantly.

I nodded my head slowly pointing to the door dismissing them. “Isabella” Mateo spoke up softly, I looked up at him feeling every little bit of energy I had left fade away, “we all heard whispers about a big kidnapping Xavier did, we don’t know who, but we are sure it’s somehow connected to you someone you know or knew.” I nodded my head gaining some control in my emotions again.

“Find out who and once you do this time, I want to be the first to hear it.” I warned them about hiding things from me, “also … thanks” I whispered they smiled sadly and nodded their heads knowing exactly what I meant before all three men left.

“Thanks?” Vincenzo questioned looking at me concern visible on his face.

“They knew my parents betrayed me and were the cause of everything that happened, so they stepped up and became my family. For that I owe them a lot.” I explained my eyes roaming around before landing back on stepfather. “Looks like you were the only one who had the balls to hurt me and own it” talking to myself I step back and sit on the floor staring at his body dangling.

“Isabella?” Vincenzo calls my name and from his tone I cringed the one emotion I hate with every cell in my body. ‘pity’

“I’m fine, at some point you start to become numb to the betrayal, at some point it’s so common it borders on overkill” I spoke never taking my eyes off stepfather, for some reason watching his body hang there like that made me feel better about myself, in a very sadistic way it reminds me that I once and for all ended a darkness that consumed me and now a question hung over my head, was I going to end another darkness that consumed me?

Am I going to end the two people that specifically put me in this position.

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