Amare (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 32

Hello, hello!! How are you guys? I hope you are doing wonderful! I've got a new chapter here for you guys! I hope you enjoy! I entered the Wattys 2016. I don't know if I'll win, but why not enter?! I hope you guys like this chapter! I am working on the next one now. I love you all and I cannot THANK YOU ENOUGH for all the votes, comments, follows, etc. I could never explain how grateful I am. Enjoy! XOXO, Hannah :)

*****************************************

CHAPTER 32: Ethan felt his unease and worry grow as he hurried back to the house where Alice was left waiting.

He left his fucking phone.

He prayed that she hadn't realized it, prayed that she hadn't found it or gone through it. That would be a shit-show for sure. He told himself hopefully that she hadn't noticed it, but he had been gone for nearly a whole 2 hours before realizing it wasn't in his pocket.

He knew the chances of it not going off and her not having found it were very slim.

God, how could he possibly be so stupid? He knew, though.

Simply because of Alice. She always managed to make him forget—forget what was actually going on.

While it was nice it was all a façade. He wasn't a good person and he knew that.

He also knew that he shouldn't let himself have Alice—that she deserved so much more than what he had planned for her.

But, he was a selfish creature and he wanted Alice.

The cold, hard and dark thing inside of him loved the light, love and energy gave off.

As he pulled to a stop in front of the pool-house, he jumped out of the car-vaguely hearing the car door slam behind him over the roar of his heart in his ears as he raced down the white cobblestone pathway to the front porch.

Once there, his hand paused on the doorknob—listening.

Nothing.

It was quiet.

Almost too quiet? Ethan shook his head and before he could obsess anymore over his doubts and worries, pushed the door open-surprised to find the house blanketed in darkness.

Unease curled in his gut, making him swallow hard as he stood on the front porch steps.

"Alice?" He called, but got no answer.

Finally, he made himself go inside.

He only stood there for a moment and then, he spun around just as a fist flew and connected with the side of his head. He stumbled to his knees, grunting as he tried to lift his head to his attacker. Before he could, the air was pulled from his lungs as a booted foot connected with his abdomen.

Ethan gasped, rolling onto his side and clutching his aching torso.

Damn, he forgot how bad bruised ribs hurt. They hurt like a bitch.

The kicks and punches continued, unmercifully and he tried multiple times to fight back, but found that the first blow to his head had disoriented him. When the next foot flew towards his face, he managed to lift his arms, catching it mid-air as he hung on for dear life.

"ENOUGH!" A voice roared and the room went silent again except for the pain-filled pants that Ethan released through thin lips.

Blood trickled down from his nose, a rivulet of crimson that burned a path down his chin as he looked up. Giovanni and Nicholas stood with about 4 other men across the room.

While the other men wore a mask full blankness, Giovanni's face was tight with fury as his hands balled into fists at his sides. He looked towards the man that had been hitting on Ethan and nodded towards a small metal chair at the dining room table.