Ashen Flames

Chapter 5

"I want to know your name, Cara Mia," he said, and I badly wanted to grab his collar and bang his hand on the car. Can't he just stop with his nickname "Cara Mia"? I hate this nickname. He starts taking steps towards me, and I start retreating. I stopped when he did.

"It's Aaradhya Kapoor," I muttered, and he shook his head disapprovingly. He clicked his tongue and said, "No, no. Your name is Aaradhya Salvatore de Luca."

What the hell just happened? Did he add his name behind mine? Why is he claiming me like this?

He held my wrist and gestured for me to enter his car. I told my friends to tell my family that I love them. I'm really crying now.

I don't know why, but he said I'm his now. He said I can talk to my family every day as long as I don't escape from him. What is he?

He further asked me to gather my belongings, and he kept my passport.

I don't trust you," I stated firmly, my eyes locked with his. "Let my friends go, and then I'll come with you."

He gestured for the guards to step back and lower the gun from my friend's head. He told them they were free to leave, but my friends were adamant about staying. Ekansh attempted to reason with him, but his frustration was evident. He aimed the gun at Parul, warning Ekansh that he would lose both me and Parul if he didn't comply.

My grip on his wrist tightened. The situation was slipping out of my control, or else I would have dug my nails into his wrist. I cried out to my friends, urging them to think wisely and leave. I stressed the importance of considering Parul's unborn child, hoping to shake some sense into them. However, they seemed blinded by concern for me.

Speaking in our native language, Hindi, I tried to convey my message to my friends, knowing that Salvatore wouldn't understand. The tension escalated as Salvatore shot Ekansh in the left arm, eliciting immediate screams from me. Parul rushed to check on Ekansh, and I pleaded with them to go.

Parul met my eyes and spoke in Hindi, expressing her apologies and reluctance to leave. She mentioned that if she weren't pregnant, she would never abandon me. Yet, the responsibility of impending motherhood weighed heavily on her decision. However, her parting words pierced my heart as she admitted that leaving her friend in such a dire situation would be a lasting source of regret.

I instructed my friends not to divulge any details about what happened. Salvatore assured me that I would be able to speak with my parents, so I decided to explain everything to them personally. Despite his reassurance, a sense of worry gnawed at me, especially for the well-being of my parents.

I watched as Ekansh settled into the passenger seat, and Parul took the driver's seat. The expressions on their faces conveyed their reluctance to leave me behind. However, I knew Ekansh and my family would surely find a way to rescue me from this predicament.

As their car moved away and disappeared from my view, a sense of relief washed over me. I was no longer afraid of Salvatore with his piercing blue eyes. Instead, a surge of anger and hatred filled me.

I swiftly removed his hand from my wrist and snapped, "Don't touch me, you despicable person."

He looked at me with a mix of surprise and amusement. Perhaps he was taken aback by my sudden change in demeanor. Previously, I had remained quiet for the sake of my friends' safety. Now that they were no longer in danger because of me, I felt easy to confront Salvatore.

"Ah, I love this side of you, Tesoro Mio," Salvatore remarked, and I couldn't contain my frustration. "Shut up!" I snapped, the guards' startled expressions not going unnoticed.

He stepped closer, his knuckles grazing my face smoothly, igniting a fiery desire to retaliate. I fought the urge to grab him and unleash my anger.

Spotting my purse nearby, I swiftly retrieved it and retrieved a pocket knife. Placing the knife against his neck, I felt a surge of defiance, despite the guns pointed at me by the guards. Their intimidation didn't faze me.

However, Salvatore remained unfazed. To my astonishment and anger, he spoke words that left me speechless. "Guards, do you not recognize who she is? She's Aaradhya Salvatore de Luca. You're pointing your guns at your boss's wife," he stated, causing the guards to back off immediately.

Pressing the knife a bit harder, I pierced his skin slightly, hoping he would relent. But he just chuckled, unfazed by the situation. "Now that you're done with your little act, get in the car. And don't make me repeat myself," his tone dripping with menace.

I struggled against Salvatore's calm yet dangerous grip, trying to find a way to break free. He held my arms firmly and pulled me closer, his voice whispering in my ear. "You're free to go anywhere you want. If you want to go to your family, you can. But just temporarily. I won't keep you away from your loved ones. The only condition is that you marry me."

I recoiled immediately, shaking my head vehemently. "No, I will not marry you. You're a criminal."

His response was a sly smirk. "Ah, it seems the cat's got your tongue now. You were so frightened before when your friends were here, but now that you realize no one is here that I can harm, you've become stubborn."

He then turned to his guards and instructed them, " gave her an injection. I want her in a deep sleep, and I don't want any hint at the airport that she's here against her will. Create fake documents to make her appear as my patient. I need this done ASAP."

I was shocked and reacted instinctively. I grabbed his collar and pushed him towards his car. He looked at me with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "Wild, oh god, so wild. I'm loving this side of you. You can show me all your fantasies later. For now, we have to go. Ciao, bellissima."

"I'm not going anywhere," I retorted, taking a step back. But his next words froze me in place. "Where will you go without your passport, stellina?"

"I'll go to hell, but I won't go with you," I declared defiantly. His expression darkened, and he swiftly approached me, gripping my neck harshly. The intensity was unbearable, but just as quickly, he softened his hold. "Don't make me repeat myself. You want your friends to be safe, right? So come with me. Otherwise, you know what I'm capable of."

He pulled me into an unexpected hug, a jolt of pain surged through my neck. Was it from an injection? The room started spinning, and I felt a wave of dizziness washing over me. "Your breath reeks of whiskey, Aaradhya. It's quite intoxicating. I'm really tempted to kiss you right now, but I understand the importance of consent," his voice echoed in my ears, sounding both alluring and menacing.

I struggled to focus, my thoughts becoming hazy and disjointed.His words seemed to swirl around me, mixing with the effects of whatever drug he had injected into me. Consent? Was he talking about kissing me? Or was it just the drug-induced haze playing tricks on my mind?

"L-leave me," I blurted out, my words slurring as if underwater. "I don't want... this..." My voice trailed off weakly, lost in the haze of drugs and confusion.

Everything felt surreal, like I was in a dream that I couldn't wake up from. "W-why are you... doing this?" I managed to stammer, but my words were barely audible. The room seemed to tilt, and I clung to him for support, my senses reeling.

His touch felt both comforting and suffocating, a paradoxical mix of safety and danger. "I c-can't... trust..." I tried to protest, but my words were lost in the haze. I tried to push him away in my dizziness but I stumbled backward, my legs giving way beneath me.

"What did you do to me?" I managed to mumble, my voice barely above a whisper as the drug took hold of my consciousness.

He chuckled softly, his grip on me tightening momentarily before relaxing. "Just a little something to help you relax, cara mia," he murmured, his words swirling in the haze of my mind. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"Let... me..." I whispered, my voice barely audible, before darkness consumed me, and I surrendered to unconsciousness in his arms.

Hey guys, can y'all please vote? I'm here writing a chapter and there's no votes coming in. It makes my heart kinda sad, you know, putting in all this effort to write and then no votes. Please think about your author a bit.

Thanks guys
DashmitKaur ❤️
NagaLakshmiDevagiri9 ❤️