ARIAI ignored the voice inside my head and focused on cleaning my body.I winced from the pain while washing myself.The water beneath me turned pink as I washed the blood off myself.He made me bleed.I had washed off the fluids but why didn't I feel clean? Why did I feel dirty still? When I was done, I turned off the shower and took a cream-colored towel that was hanging from the hook on the wall.I dried myself slowly and carefully.For the first time, I looked down at my body and took notice of the damage he had done to me.His marks covered every part of me; from my chest to my legs.Was this really my body? It didn’t feel like my body.He had punished me, could I be normal again?I settled down on the bed naked because I had no clothes. I covered myself with clean sheets, pulling them up to my chin.I cursed him hell.* * *One day, Lina came rolling a trolly full of dishes that seemed complex to me.“May I?” Lina whispered softly, staring at me like I was a caged animal behin

ARIA Next day, I found myself sitting on the bench, playing piano again. I didn’t try my father’s song today. I let my fingers free and bruised soul loose. My fingers worked on the keys. The song was dark and filled with wretchedness. The sound of the notes bounced from the black walls of my cage in the beast’s castle. His dark eyes floated before me. His ruffled dark hair filled my vision. I snapped my eyes open, fingers halting as I blinked and shook my head to get rid of his darkness. *** I didn't know when the day ended or when the Sun came up again. I only knew whether it was day or night because of Lina and the food she brought. I didn’t know when it would end. Even though I desperately wanted it to. There was an emptiness inside me. A feeling that ate me alive; fed on my flesh and pained me. I looked down at my stomach, pressing my palm and waiting, as if I would feel something back but the only thing I felt was the truth. That I was pregnant. That there was a lif

FABIANO Ignoring the tightening sensation in his chest, he focused on his brother. Adriano wasn’t his brother by blood. But he was more loyal to him than any of his blood relations had been. Adriano had stood with him every time he needed him. “Adriano.” He finally acknowledged his brother, giving him a mocking nod, which Adriano didn’t return. Fabiano’s eyebrows dipped, a frown forming on his face. He watched as his friend whispered to his daughter, let her on the ground and she ran out of his office. His brother moved his way, all signs of softness vanishing from his face. “Where is Aria?” Adriano’s voice was cold and harsh as he spoke. Fabiano stilled, finally understanding the reason of his visit. He stood taller, forced his body to relax under the scrutinizing gaze of his friend. “What do you mean?” Fabiano feigned innocence, shrugging his shoulders he continued, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen the bitch.” The flash of anger in Adriano’s dark eyes surprised him. As fa

FABIANO Fabiano raised a brow curiously. The boy lifted his middle finger at Fabiano, a smile on his face as Fabiano’s lips parted in a mix of surprise and amusement. “Konstantin.” Adriano’s voice reached them both. With a last grin, the boy-Konstantin turned and ran back, disappearing from Fabiano’s sight. Fabiano wondered if his friend knew that his son knew about the middle finger. He probably didn’t know. “Konstantin.” He tested the Russian name on his tongue, finding it weird. He clicked his tongue then. Fabiano stared at the place where the boy with a Russian name was standing. Konstantin was the son of a Capo. He wondered why did the Bratva not kill him. Konstantin was the heir to Vitale Empire. They would’ve done a lot of damage by killing Konstantin. But they went for Leona instead. Fabiano smirked when he understood the logic. The Bratva were animals. But they were cleverer than Fabiano had thought them to be. Leona. The girl was going to be used in the worst

FABIANO His lips witched, eye brows rocketing when he saw the familiar flash of fire in her eyes. The fire was still there—dying no doubt but it was there. Her lips parted, a silent breath escaped her before they moved. “Aria Whitlock.” Her voice was scratchy, “I am a Whitlock.” He narrowed his eyes at her, glaring through slits. He knew she hadn’t spoken in months; that disturbed him but now that she was talking, there was nothing to worry. Besides, Fabiano knew he had a special talent. He was the only one who could extinguish the fire in her and he was the one who could make the flames crack and go higher. With a heart-stuttering grin, he strode towards her. Stopping in front of her, he leaned down, “Not after this, you’ll not be a Whitlock.” He smiled before capturing her hand in bruising hold. He took the pen with the other one and took off the cap. Adjusting his hands over her—ignoring her struggles, he tightened his fingers around hers, holding the pen in them as he scr