Chapter 2

2

(WARNING: DARK CONTENT AHEAD)

ARIA:

It was midnight when the chaos hit us.

I was sleeping, tired from the long day when the gunshots rang out, awakening me from the slumber. My heart was beating wildly as I stepped out of the room, confused as hell, and checked the dark hallway.

I shuddered when more gunshots rang out, followed by shouts and screams.

What was happening?

I stepped into the darkness. My bare foot thumped across the floor as I ran towards Gideon’s room. I had been living here for a few days. Alara was gone and I felt paranoid in my own house. It had felt like someone was watching me, staring at my back always. It irked me. Maybe it was just me or the fact that the house was new for me.

I jumped, heart beating wildly inside me when another shot rang out. My mind registered something that had me freezing and halting in my step.

Curses were ringing out in Italian.

My mind spun; my breathing deepened as fear started to make its way into my head. My gut churned. Amidst the darkness and chaos, I heard a voice that told me I was doomed forever.

“Where is she?”

My fingers shook with terror, my eyes widened at the deep, husky sound. I knew who it was.

Psychopath. Murderer. Devil.

Fabiano Lombardi was here.

“It’s Pierce mansion.” I heard Gideon reply, “She’s not here.” He lied smoothly and Gideon never lied, no matter how much the truth hurt.

His words had my heart escalating, fear rearing inside me. I wondered if he had sensed the same darkness and horror in the air just as I had. Could he sense the impending doom?

I curled my hands into fists, hiding my shaking fingers from myself, even though I was trembling on the inside. Fabiano Lombardi was a devil. A grim reaper. He caused death where ever he went and stole the souls. Everything he touched die.

Why was he here then?

I knew for a fact that it wasn’t about Alara. Even though I hated the Vitale Don, I knew he’d keep her safe from everyone except himself.

He’s here for you, A voice inside me spoke.

My hands were clammy and cold, my forehead was covered in sweat and my legs had turned into jelly.

Reality was always bitter.

And I hated Fabiano Lombardi. No… I feared him. He reminded me of everything evil that had happened to me. I might have beaten my past but that didn’t mean that it never haunted me anymore. My past haunted me more than I cared to admit. And the cruel man downstairs, he was everything I wanted to forget.

Cold. Dark. Ruthless.

The King of Italy.

The Vitale twins ruled over the island of Sicily but Fabiano?

He was the King of the rest of Italy. That didn’t end there. He was an arms dealer. He had factories, illegal organizations making the deadliest weapons. He sold them to anyone who made the highest bid. Even he sold them to terrorists. How many deaths were on him? Probably more than a person can keep record of.

My trembling limbs carried me to the steel rails, I looked down at the scene in front of me. I had to pinch myself to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming.

It was a nightmare.

Gideon was forced onto his knees, a dozen men stood over him, their rifles aimed at him. Blood was oozing down his forehead and I did a quick scan, a little relieved when I found him unharmed. He glared at the man of the night. Fabiano Lombardi.

He stood in his grey pants and suit, looking like he was here to attend a business meeting and not to cause havoc. His smirking face was going to be forever etched into my mind. He looked… cruel, immortal King.

My instincts were urging me to run and hide but I couldn’t move from my spot. I was frozen, my eyes were stuck to the beast who was standing a there like he owned the world and everything and every person that existed on it. I couldn’t leave my friend behind. He had never turned his back on me and I was going to do the same, even if it cost me my life. Gideon was family and family was the only thing worth dying.

“Aria?” My head snapped to the owner of the voice. My eyes connected with merciless, steel-gray ones. I shuddered at the intensity of his stare.

It took me some moments to break away from his stomach-flipping stare.

“Come down.” He ordered, not breaking his stare from me.

“Run, Aria.” Gideon barked, and he was punished by one of men who hit them across the jaw. My heart lurched into my throat when I saw the blood flowing from his busted lip.

He merely groaned and struggled in the hold of men who held him captive. It was like I was thrown back in time; when I was surrounded by my demons and Gideon had fought them for me. He had fought for me; a girl he barely knew. He held me when I cried at nights or when I woke up screaming from nightmares.

Every princess had a knight in shining armor, mounted on white horse. Gideon was my knight, my hero.

He was my hero but every fairytale had a villain too, right?

I was the princess, Gideon was the hero and Fabiano… he was the villain that ruined everything.

“Come down.” Fabiano barked, eyes blazing with anger, “Now.”

I urged my feet to carry me towards the impending doom, towards the villain, towards my ruin.

One look into Fabiano’s steel-grey eyes and I knew why he was here.

Me.

He was here for me. A woman who ignored and insulted him every time we met. A woman who refused to bend for him. A woman who never bowed before him. A woman who refused to kneel for him.

I was that woman. I had done all the things. I should’ve been careful. I never bothered to see it before but I saw it now. The lust swirling in those orbs, the need to own, the craving for possession had overcome him.

I closed my eyes for a second before stepping down on the stairs. It felt like a walk to hell. A sudden memory assaulted me then.

“She hit a boy.” My mother barked at my father, angry and surprised.

Dad merely shrugged, his eyes were on me, shining with pride that made my heart swell.

“The boy called me names.” I lifted my chin, crossing my arms over my chest. Mom’s eyes widened at my obvious defiance.

“So you thought hitting him was the answer?” She mimicked my movements, arching a brow at him. I averted my eyes, staring away from her. I was angry. Angry at her for scolding me, for not understanding me.

“It’s enough.” Dad snapped, making mom huff out like a child before she glared at both of us and left. My eyes followed her figure until she disappeared, my heart twisting at the thought of making her angry.

“She’s angry.”

“She’ll be fine.” He smoothed down my hair with his hand. “Now, tell me what happened.”

I did. I told him how a boy was teasing me, taunting me for being alone, and when he called me a bitch, I snapped. I had lunged for him, tackling him to the ground, and rained his face with punches. I had ignored the screams and shouts and hadn’t stopped until a teacher stepped in, taking us off each other.

“You did good.” Dad smiled at me when I stopped. My brows furrowed, I thought he was going to be angry like mom.

“You’re not angry?”

“I’ll never be angry at you for defending yourself.” He paused, “The world outside is cruel. It doesn’t forgive and it never forgets, Aria.”

“You’re strong.” He placed a hand on my head, “Not just physically but here too.” He tapped my forehead.

“That’s why I named you Aria.”

“Beautiful. Strong. Brave.” He grinned widely, “And my daughter.”

My cheeks hurt from the wide smile that stretched across my lips at his words.

“Now tell me,” He leaned closer, “Did you break his nose?”

I chuckled, “I did. He cried like a girl.”

“My warrior princess.” He pulled my closer, hugging me close, and shook with laughter. His words were dipped with pride and it warmed my heart. I snuggled closer into his warmth, his protection because I knew he would never abandon me in this cruel world.

My eyes flew open when something gripped my wrists in a tight hold. Blue eyes bore into steel-grey ones for a moment, before he dragged me downstairs. I was forced to keep up with his long steps; my feet barely touched the floor beneath me as I was pulled harshly.

My skin burned from the spot where his hand gripped mine, fire spread through my arms.

When he was where he wanted me to be, he stopped. His eyes connected mine but I kept mine empty and hard. It was a trick I learnt long ago.

My façade broke, my armor cracked as I watched a smile break on his face. A terror like I had never left, consumed me wholly, taking over my senses.

“Take your filthy hands off her.” Gideon protested from across me.

My head snapped to his direction, my eyes meeting his horrified ones watching him as he struggled to escape the hold of the men who held him.

He was breathing hard on my ear, my body tensed when he rested his head on my shoulder.

“Get away from her.” He shouted again.

I pressed my lips into a thin line, afraid that my chin will start trembling from the fear that kept spreading inside me like cancer. . I forced down the bile rising up my esophagus.

His arms wrapped around my waist, caging me to him.

“Go.”

What? Go where?

“No.” I protested, thrashing in his hold when I saw the men who had Gideon in their hold, drop him. He only held me tighter. I struggled as I viewed the man who had been my savior, so close to death.

My eyes stung first. The tears filled them.

In my life, there were two persons I cared about.

Alara and Gideon.

I’ll kill for them and get myself killed for them.

If I begged, it’d be for them and not anything else. Not even my own life.

“Let him go.” I screamed, thrashing like a wild animal in his cruel hold.

“His fate was decided when he took you away from me.” He seethed out from behind. My eyes searched his and I hoped to find something. Some mercy for my friend but found nothing. He turned us both to the barbaric view in front of us, his hands gripped my chin, forcing my face to the view in front of us.

“Please.” I begged,a tear streamed down my face, I tried to turn my face away from the sight but he didn’t let me.

My heart pounded against my chest at the warning.

“Please let him go!”

One by one, the men started to beat Gideon around; their blows cruel and merciless.

Stop… please…Oh Gideon!

“Tell your men to attack me,” I begged, tears finally flooded down my cheeks, “Not him. Please. Not him.”

I squirmed, trying to get myself free from his hold but he leaned down.

“Such a loyal friend.” He whispered.

I thrashed again when Gideon howled in pain. My eyes widened when I saw one of the men swiping a dagger on his face.

It was like his pain was my own. I felt it, embraced it and owned it.

When he howled again, I screamed with him, captive in hold of a beast.

I screamed for my friend. I screamed at the cruel world. I screamed for us. I screamed at my fate.

I screamed. I howled. I cried.

Men listened but no one helped me as I watched my friend being tortured.

My legs shook, I fell down on my knees. I was a blabbering mess. Gideon’s scream and groans echoed all around me.

“Please, stop.” I begged, hoping to find some goodness when I knew there was none. I was fighting a lost battle.

Gideon’s scream cut through my heart; new tears formed as I closed my eyes.

I knew at that moment my life was no longer going to be the same. My eyes opened, through a veil of tears, I looked at the bloodied man I called my friend. He was still breathing, howling in pain.

My name’s Aria Whitlock. My dad named me. I loved playing piano. My dad called me warrior princess because I hated being a princess. They were weak, waiting for a man to save them. I always though of them as weaklings. I wanted to be strong, brave.

But now…

I felt weak. I felt like my life was being ripped from me. The ground was slipping from beneath my feet.

This was real life.

Here heroes never win, villains did.

Not every princess gets a prince charming.

Some like me are cursed. Mated to the villain and no knight will come to save me. The prince is gone now.

***