Beast Of Italy

Chapter Fifteen

He couldn't remember.

Even as Hadassah stood staring at the face of the man whose monstrous soul was now reflective on his face, she forced herself to remember this fact. Daniel said the accident robbed him of his memory, yet as their eyes locked, she had a feeling he remembered her. Leaning further against Daniel's side, she fought to maintain her footing.

The man on the porch looked nothing like the man who had tried severally to ruin her life and the life of his brother. This scarred beast wasn't the magnificent beauty who had tried and failed to kill his brother, once by knocking him off of his horse and another by a bullet to his head.

Fate had found Julius, fate had found him and had decided to make him pay for his sins. Perhaps that was why she was here? Perhaps her journey from Rye to Italy was done in an attempt to see how low he had fallen and derive some pleasure from it.

Daniel nudged her forward, her numb legs carrying her up the stairs to the scarred man whose blue eyes beckoned to her.

“My lady.” The roughness of his tone caused her to tighten her hold on Daniel's arm, rather than offer a hand to him in greeting.

“My lord.” She bowed slightly.

“Daniel,” His lips curved into a smile that made his features appear less frightening. Reaching out, he pulled Daniel into an embrace, causing Hadassah's hand to fall to her side. Hadassah watched Daniel's stiff form, taking note of his refusal to return his brother's embrace.

She knew Daniel struggled, he struggled between holding on to the sins of his brother and forgiveness. Julius' inability to remember his crimes did not make them less grievous. Still, they embarked on this journey for Lady Talbot made it very clear the deteriorating state of Julius' health and his impending wedding.

“Forgive me,” Julius pulled away and gestured to his attire. “I have only just crawled out of bed and I certainly was not expecting visitors.”

“We arrived a few hours ago and didn't think it was wise to stay in a boarding house.”

“Certainly not. Please, come with me.”

Hadassah clung to Daniel's arm as they entered into the familiar building that held memories she desperately wanted to forget, memories time proved inadequate to erase.

She breathed a sigh of relief when Julius showed them to a room different from the one they shared the last time they were in Italy and when the door slammed shut behind him, she couldn't help but fear her own decision to return to hell.

♠♠♠

“Do you not like your meal?” Josephine frowned as she squeezed Daniel's fist that laid on the table. “Not even a bite?”

Daniel shrugged, unable to bring himself to eat anything. The truth was, he didn't trust his brother and he shouldn't have come. And if he did come, he shouldn't have come with his wife.

“I have no appetite.” He managed, placing his fork on the table.

“Well-” Josephine began and clamped her mouth shut again. When he turned to her, she was picking at her meal. “I had hoped you would come with the children.”

Daniel shook his head. “We left them with Leah, it would have been dangerous to bring them.” He turned to Julius and lifted a brow in challenge. His brother might be scarred and completely devoid of his memories but he was still as dangerous as Daniel remembered him to be. He was simply a demon held bound in a cage until his dark memories returned.

Julius lifted a brow, confusion reflecting in his eyes. “Danger? Do you speak of the sea or-”

“I speak of you!” He pounded his fist on the table and rose to his feet, anger coursing through his veins. The look of confusion in Julius' eyes frustrated and angered Daniel for Julius had no right to pretend like he didn't try to kill him on these grounds, in this same estate with a bullet to the back of his head! He certainly had no right to pretend like he didn't try to take his son and his wife away from him. This was the same monster, scarred or not!

Julius was on his feet as well, his hand pressed to his chest, face ashen and lips wide open as if struggling to breathe.

“You would pose a threat to my children!” Reaching for his cane —the result of the wound to his head inflicted by his brother– Daniel stormed out of the breakfast table, furious.

They had been wrong to come, they should never have come.

♠♠♠

His hands trembled as his fingers clutched the edges of the curtains for dear life. He feared he would pull them down or rip them apart. Still, he couldn't release them for they were the only things he could cling to in order to keep himself from drowning in a dark pit of nothingnrss as his brother's words rang in his ears.

Who was he?!

Pain coursed through his skull, causing him to tighten his grip on the curtains. Who was he and why couldn't he remember?! A threat to children, a man in love with his brother's wife? What else did he do in his life?!

Rain splattered against the window panes, distorting his already distorted face. Yet he stared at the image hoping to remember something, anything about his past. Hoping to remember the reason for his brother's rage and outburst. Was he such a terrible person? And if he was, would he return to being that person the second his memories are restored? Would the darkness in him completely overwhelm him?

“Julius.” Ira. Her palm settled on his back.

Would he ruin Ira as well? Would the darkness in him cause him to ruin her as he had done to his brother and perhaps his brother's wife? Perhaps it explained the reason he couldn't be with his brother's wife, perhaps he had ruined her and she had turned to his brother for healing?!

Hissing in pain, he released his hold on the curtains and clutched his head.

“Julius!” Ira gripped his shoulders and turned him around. Her features were soft, her perfect lips pursed in concern. Thin weary lines tugged on her brows but it was the look in her eyes that frightened him.

Shrugging her off, he took a step back, terrified. “Leave!”

She gasped, hands flying to her cheeks as she shook her head. “Julius...” She whispered, visibly hurt.

“Leave!” He made a fist, afraid he'd reach out and pull her into his arms, afraid he'd beg her to hold on to him and help to rid him of his demons.

But his demons were powerful. He could feel them claw at his mind, battling to take control. He couldn't hurt Ira, he thought as he watched her turn around and make her way across his study to the door, he couldn't hurt the only woman left in the world who had somehow managed to fall in love with him.

Copyright © 2018 Lily Orevba All rights reserved.