Edited: 12.12.2022
This chapter is literally the definition of a roller coaster.
Song: Post Malone - I Fall Apart (slowed + reverb)
𝔚𝔚𝔚
Giana
I was never good at sharing as a kid.
That was until I met Jacob and later, Lily.
They were my friends and as time went on and middle school bullies, mean girls, and fake friends came into the picture, I knew I could only count on them.
They were the only friends I needed. Jacob was on the same page, he wasn't a social butterfly either, but Lily was a completely different story.
While Jacob and I enjoyed staying in our little group, Lily branched out. It was fine by us, we still loved her and spent time with her.
Only now it wasn't with Lily the awkward ninth grader. It was Lily the captain of the soccer team, Lily the valedictorian and Lily the popular girl.
So when she had invited me to a sleepover she was having, I instantly wanted to shut her down, but stopped myself.
I needed to get out of the house and since Alessio wasn't home to stop me from leaving, I could.
I only really needed to convince Liam and Marco to let me go.
Liam was more difficult than usual. He didn't give into my puppy dog eyes, thus leaving me with no choice but to blackmail him.
It was simple, I told him if he didn't let me go, I would show Alessio the video I took of him playing dance dance revolution yesterday. And when Liam still didn't budge I followed up with telling him that I would tell Alessio about how a strange man had approached me and Liam was too preoccupied to help.
He instantly caved.
I wasn't actually going to tell Alessio anything. I wasn't talking to him, but Liam didn't know that.
Marco on the other hand was surprisingly lenient. He drove me to her house, told me I could only stay until midnight and when I wanted to leave, I had to call him to pick me up.
It wasn't ideal but I would take what I could get.
Only I wasn't enjoying myself at all.
I couldn't talk to Lily without hogging her from all her other friends, Jacob was in the same boat, except worse seeing as a few of the girls were terrible at hiding the crushes they had on the boy who wasn't interested in them, but more so their moms.
"Can we please get the fuck out of here?" Jacob nudges my side and I glance to the group of girls all chatting and laughing. Lily was trying her best to include me but I felt the disconnect between me and all her other friends.
I was tired of dragging her down and working twice as hard to fit in when I sensed I wasn't really wanted by anyone but her.
And so with some poor ass excuse, we left to have our own variation of a sleepover.
A night cooped up in my bed while we binged criminal minds. A show I now refused to watch at night without someone else.
Marco told me to text him, but for once I wanted a little freedom. Jacob was taking me home anyways, he'd understand.
The ride home is filled with a silence that feels unnatural and when I glance over at Jacob his brows are furrowed. I'm about to ask what's wrong, when he speaks. "Don't you ever wonder why Alessio keeps rejecting you?"
My mood instantly sours. "Why would I subject myself to that?" Who in their right mind would want to dive deeper into a rejection that left them hurt and destroyed?
Jacob ignores me and continues. "I mean, from what you've told me, he seems to be attracted to you, so what's stopping him?"
I sink back into my chair, hating that I'm forced to think about Alessio and the way he'd rejected me. "I don't know? Maybe he's not attracted to me?"
"As much as I hate giving you a complex, there are very few men who aren't attracted to you and I don't think he's one of them." A scoff sounds from his throat, lI bet you he's thought of you while beating his meat."
"I don't know?" Frustration bubbles to the surface as I think his words over. "Maybe he feels like he's disrespecting my family since our parents were close."
Jacob still doesn't drop the subject. "Wasn't your mom team Galessio?"
"Ew." Galessio? My face scrunches up. "Don't ever say that again."
He rolls his eyes. "All I'm saying is that somethings not adding up. There must be a reason he doesn't want you outside of you yourself. He's hiding something."
I go quiet, resorting to staring out the window as he drives. Yet I can't bring myself to come up with a definitive answer nor do I want to give myself any false hope. I was done with putting myself out there for Alessio.
Jacob occasionally glances my way, like he wants to say something.
But he simply remains quiet until we pull up to the gate. The gate of Warden Alessio's prison mansion.
The high security surrounding the house although normal to me, proves to be otherwise for Jacob who's eyes round as he pauses outside the gate, allowing three of the men on guard to approach.
And then I hear Jacob gasp when he realizes the three of them have their rifles out and pointed towards his car. "Holy shit... Gia, what the fuck?" Jacob breathes, automatically putting his hands up as he goes rigid.
I roll my eyes and lean over him to roll down his window and peek my head through to show them it's just me.
I smile up at the three men who lower their guns upon seeing my face. "He's my guest and will be spending the night with me." I say to one of the guards, who nods before tapping his ear piece, "I'll inform Mr. Galanti that you'll be having a friend over." He says and I purse my lips at the mention of Alessio.
Did that mean he was home? I hope not.
With a nervous smile, Jacob pulls through the gate and continues to drive up the driveway, only now at a snails pace. "They're not the police. You won't be ticketed, dumbass." I say to the boy who still looks a like he's gonna shit his pants.
With a roll of his eyes, he parks by the front fountain and when he makes sure to stay close to me as we walk towards the front door, I know he's still creeped out.
He's also unusually quiet, and so with a huff I turn towards him. "Okay spill, what the fuck has got you so quiet?" I say as we get to the front door, where I punch in the late night security codes, waking in with him in tow.
"You mean other than the fact that we were just held at gunpoint?!" He hisses as he comes to walk next to me.
I send him a blank look, to which he straightens up and shrugs almost shyly. "I just don't like seeing you like this." He mumbles seriously looking at the ground.
We continue on our way towards the kitchen, and I swallow thickly, looking away from him. "Like what?" I question but I know where this is going.
Jacob's sends me a deadpanned look, "So insecure and sad. I don't like that some man is making you feel and act so... not you." He says reaching out to take my hand in his as we walk further down the hall.
"I'm not sad." I mumble doing a terrible job at being convincing.
We walk towards the dimly lit kitchen in silence and before I can even look up into the room, I feel Jacob's hand come out to grab a handful of my ass. "Someone with an ass this fat doesn't have the right to be sad." He jokes.
I jump forward into the kitchen in shock at the unexpected move, before swatting his hand away and scowling at the idiot. "Ouch! You dimwit." I snap, but not before moving forward and pinching his nipple through his T-shirt.
He yelps like a little bitch and I burst into a fit of laughter before turning my head and stopping dead in my tracks.
My laughter dies down and my smile instantly drops at the sight before me. More specifically the two people who are sat under a candlelight dinner at the small table in the corner of the kitchen.
Greta's eyes narrow in scrutiny but I ignore her with a roll of my eyes as my gaze naturally shifts to the man sitting across from her.
I cant tell if the pang in my chest is my heart skipping a beat or cracking. Romantic dinner aside, Alessio was looking more put together than usual.
A crisp black blazer, a white dress shirt beneath where the only sense of casual was the way he'd popped a few of the top buttons of his suit open.
His hair was tamed, styled in the sense that he'd run his fingers through it with a hint of product and only a few curly pieces hanging out of place and falling against his forehead.
So handsome it hurt, and aside from Greta snapping photos of Alessio and their perfect dinner, the man wasn't even looking at me.
Instead all his attention was to my left. At Jacob. His hard eyes were looking at Jacob and not even daring to meet mine.
"What are you kids doing home?" Greta's sweet tone drips with a condescending note as she not so subtly grabs Alessio's hand over the table.
He shrugs it off, his attention snapping to carefully watch Jacob and his every move like he's an unwanted pest.
"Kids?" Jacob questions throwing an arm around my shoulder and raising a brow at her. "Aren't you like twenty two? You're closer to our age than you are his." He says nodding towards Alessio, who's sitting there eerily quiet.
The moment I force my eyes to the ground to hide my smile, I feel Alessio's attention on me.
I ignore it.
Screw him.
"I don't need her boyfriend talking back to me." Greta snaps turning to pout at Alessio.
"Good thing I'm not her boyfriend then." Jacob shrugs before looking towards the counter where a bottle of wine rests.
I nod ushering him to go grab it, the sooner we get to my room the better. He walks over, grabs the wine but then pauses at the sound of Alessio's low voice.
"My house. My wine. Don't touch my shit." His voice is hard and patient, but even I don't miss the undertone of a threat.
The room erupts in a tense silence, Alessio's behaviour taking me by surprise as I look at him. His face lacks any warmth, his eyes are narrowed in scrutiny and his fists are clenched.
Greta on the other hand is smiling triumphantly as she gives me the look. The look that says 'don't try me bitch'.
And even though he's not necessarily taking her side, the look she sends me tells me she believes otherwise.
Jacob instantly sobers up, placing the bottle back down on the counter. "My bad... I didn't mean to be rude." He swallows thickly, playing his intimidation off somewhat well.
Instantly growing protective of my best friend, I step forward and grab the bottle of wine, Alessio watches me intently without saying a word.
I grit my teeth in annoyance before reaching out and taking Jacob's hand in my own. Alessio watches the action, his jaw twitching as his gaze narrows on our intertwined hands. "Let's get out of here."
Furious brown eyes snap to mine and I hold his stare before sending him a patronising smile and turning to drag Jacob to my bedroom. "Enjoy your date."
. . .
"What a dick." I spit through narrowed eyes as I storm into my bedroom.
"I bet he has a big dick." Jacob laughs and I turn to glare at him before stomping into my closet. "What? That's probably the only reason your still pinning after him." He calls from my bedroom.
I angrily throw off my top and skirt, as I go to unclasp my bra. "He was so rude to you." I call out, shaking my head as I continue to huff to myself.
I was beyond angry with Alessio's behaviour. Not only was he with Greta once again but he'd acted so rudely to my guest.
Who did he think he was? And why was he on a date with Greta if he didn't like her? Why were they on a private date if their relationship was only for publicity?
Fuck him.
Shaking my head, I angrily dress into matching shorts and a tank top before walking out into my bedroom.
Jacob's at my desk going through the boxes of online orders that must have came in and when he looks up I send him an apologetic smile. He didn't deserve that.
But he just waves me off before I can even say anything. "I'm use to the whole alpha male thing. It's fine Gia." He assures, before his eyes move down to my cleavage and he raises his brows suggestively and I know what he's doing. He's changing the subject. It's what he always does because he doesn't like being serious.
I follow his line of sight, and roll my eyes as I adjust my top. "My eyes are up here you slut."
Jacob scoffs before going back to inspecting the packages "I was looking respectfully. Also how am I the slut? Aren't you the one lusting after the man who's supposed to be taking care of you?" He challenges looking back up at me, his eyes dancing with mirth.
And then he picks up the La Perla box and opens it without even asking. I growl under my breath before walking towards the boy who needs to be yelled at for going through my stuff.
But the idiot lifts the lid exposing the undergarments I had ordered for myself, and I can already tell he's going to make a stupid comment. "Aw princess Gia bought lingerie. How cute, were you hoping he'd fuck you in this?" He pouts mockingly.
"Shut. Up." I spit walking over to him and grabbing the box from his hands. I had ordered these back when I was mad at Alessio and wanted to spend a lot of his money to make him mad. But he hasn't even said anything about it.
Jacob laughs and I know he thinks he's right. "Fuck off, you wish you could fuck someone like me." I spit growing angry with his annoying laugh.
He purses his lips in thought before looking me up and down, still laughing." You'd get my dick hard if you were about twenty years older with more experience. And by experience I don't mean a little pink vibrator and those little hands." He smiles.
I scrunch my face up in disgust. "Gross." I cringe., deciding to ignore what he had said about me being experienced. I wasn't that experienced anymore.
"Nah, more like fucking sexy." He smiles as he stands and pulls his shirt over his head, revealing a white wife beater underneath.
"Oh really?" I challenge and he nods.
I giggle to myself before sobering up and clearing my throat as I look towards my best friend. "Oh, Jacob." I gasp loudly, my voice high pitched as I mimic the older women he sleeps with. "Yes, right there, so much better than my husband who needs viagra to get hard." I mock, moaning in exaggeration as I try not to laugh.
Jacob laughs before shaking his head, "No, no. It's more like 'oh my Jacob' " He mocks his voice going up into a high pitched shriek. "And I'm all like ' yes baby'" He says only he makes his voice ten times deeper than it actually is, and then he goes on to release an exaggerated groan.
I burst into a fit of silent giggles as he continues to make exaggerated cringe sexual noises while we take turns chugging the wine.
It's only when Jacob dives onto my bed that we stop at the sound of pounding on my bedroom door.
We share weird glance but Jacob shrugs before stretching out on my bed, unbothered. With a sigh I unlock my bedroom door and pull it open only to come face first with a fuming Alessio, who looks lethal.
His face is red, his jaw is set and had I not opened the door when I did, I'm sure he would have knocked it down.
His angry eyes snap to my confused ones and I watch as his eyes trail my body, but it's like he's looking for something and when he doesn't see it his eyes snap into my bedroom. I look back to see what he's glaring at and I see nothing but Jacob sprawled out across my bed.
I open my mouth to ask him what's going on but before I can, he pushes past me and stops into the room, towards Jacob who is now sitting up in alarm.
In the blink of an eye Alessio has him by the collar of his shirt as he rips him off my bed. "Out." He spits, his voice low and deadly.
With wide terrified eyes my best friend looks towards me for help. I snap out of my shock and jump into action. "What the hell, Alessio? Let go of him!"
Alessio doesn't budge. It's like he doesn't even hear me as he looks at Jacob like he's the root cause of all his problems.
"Let go." I try again.
Alessio only tightens his hands around Jacob's shirt. "Not until he's out of my fucking house."
I blink up at him completely baffled before I grow angry with his uncalled for behaviour. "Fine!" I yell and Alessio lets go of Jacob's shirt, allowing Jacob to step back. "Let's go." I say to Jacob as I pull him away from the mad man.
He wants him out of his house, then fine, we'll go.
"Non vai da nessuna parte con lui." He seethes, his voice final as he then stares at me like I'm the reason for his sour mood. (You're not going anywhere with him.)
I pause to narrow my eyes at Alessio. Who does he think he is?
Jacob must realize I'm moments from exploding as his weary voice butts in. "It's fine Gia, let's just go." Jacob's hand finds my arm before he begins to pull me out of the room. But the moment Jacob puts his hand on my arm, Alessio steps forward and I know things are about to escalate.
Alessio was not going to let me go without a fight.
Sensing a growing fight between Alessio and I, I send Jacob a small reassuring smile. "I'll meet you outside in the car." I say softly, waving off the weary look in his eyes.
The minute he's out of my room, my face screws up in anger and I turn back to Alessio. "What the fuck is your problem?!"
He steps towards me, his voice lethally calm. "My problem is that I received a call from Marco asking me if you got home, when you never mentioned that you were leaving in the first place."
"I don't need to run everything in my life by you. I was being safe." Even if I was in the wrong for that, it wasn't a good enough reason for him to act like a lunatic.
He takes another step forward. "Not to mention you bringing a random boy into my house, into this room" his eyes are blazed as his calm facade crumbles. "Where I had to come up here and hear you..."He stops himself as his jaw ticks, and I can visibly see him shaking in anger with his face flushed and his body tense.
And then it hits me.
He was jealous?
Was that what this was all about? He thought I was fucking Jacob? I would have laugh if I wasn't so angry.
"I can't believe you're throwing a fit about me harmlessly bringing a friend over while you're having a full on date downstairs." I scoff.
"Harmless?" His eyes watch me like I'm crazy. "What about me having to hear you moan his name is harmless to you?" His deep voice booms through the room and I can tell just how upset he is by the way his accent is thick. He takes another step closer. "Huh?" He suddenly grips my jaw and tilts my head up. "Are you trying to drive me crazy!?"
I stare up at him, disgust written all over my face. "Not everything I do is for you, get over yourself. "
The man before me is not the Alessio I know. The man before me is jealous, destructive and explosive.
Infact this entire situation only highlights what he thinks of me. And it feels like shit.
I swallow the emotion down."I wasn't doing anything wrong. Jacob is my friend and we weren't doing anything. Not that I need to explain myself to you."
The man begins to calm down, "He was in your bed." He breathes, his voice is low as he takes deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down.
And Greta was in his.
"Because I hate sleeping alone! But of course, the option of me being a desperate little slut is so much more believable." I shake my head angrily.
He blinks, then blinks again, eyes flickering between mine as reassurance takes over and he comes down from his fit of jealousy.
"No I-" he shakes his head, "Cazzo- I heard you and then I heard him." His jaw is tense like the words are hard for him to speak aloud. "I just lost it thinking about the worst case scenario."
Despite him calming down, my anger is at an all time high."And what exactly was is worst possible scenario?" I move forward to push on his chest."That he'd be fucking me?"
Alessio's body tense, and his demeanour hardens at my words. He doesn't like the idea and it tells me what I need to know.
With a humourless laugh I look up at him. "So let me get this straight, you don't want anyone to fuck me, including yourself but you act like you have this sort of claim over me?"
He continues to stare back at me, his hard facade unwavering and there are no signs of disagreement.
Does he seriously think he has that power over me?
Another scoff escapes my lips. "What makes you think I belong to you?"
He looks away, biting his bottom lip as though he's holding himself back from saying something.
My eyes narrow at the action but I shake it off and continue pushing.
"Well guess what, daddy?" I mock pout as I walk up to him, his eyes narrow at me but I don't care, someone needs to put him in his place. "I'm not gonna be your sweet little virgin forever. One that you can come to, to get your dick hard and then turn around and walk into the other room to fuck another bitch!" I seethe.
All he doesn't is send me a look. A warning. One that tells me not to keep pushing.
But right now I'm not someone he can push around and control.
I step closer until my chest is to his and bring my hands up to slowly play with the scruff on his jaw as I smile sweetly up at him. "Because guess what? I'm gonna have someone fuck me eventually." I whisper tilting my head up to get closer to his.
I then grip his jaw and force his head to dip down so that our faces are closer together. "But don't worry." I smile, moving my eyes to focus on his lips and the harsh angry breaths coming out of them."It won't be you. Since you're so convinced you can't have me, I'll have someone else fuck me." I smile, starting to trace his bottom lip with my finger.
He's livid and his body is shaking in rage, his hands ball into fists at his sides, but he stays still.
I keep pushing.
Biting my lip, I lean up on my tippy toes to softly bring my lips to his, "And, oh boy, are they going to fuck me." I murmur against his lips. "Hard." I softly peck his lower lip "Fast." And then I run my tounge across his lower lip, as I look up at him through my lashes."Rough."
His chest heaves against mine, and he's infuriated as he sends me a murderous glare. But I simply throw my arms around his neck and arch my back to lean further against his hard body as I move my lips towards his ear. "And I won't give a shit if you're in the other room hearing me, or across the fucking world."
My lips find their way to the skin just below his ear and I leave a chaste, sloppy kiss against the skin as he tenses. "Because I don't give a shit about you." I smile, leaning back to search his face.
Satisfied with the way he's murderously still, I go to pull away but his hand comes out to grip my hip roughly, holding me in place against him. His other hand snakes up to grip my chin and tilts it towards his eerily calm face.
"Oh yeah?" He breaths, dipping his head so that our faces are an inch apart. And then his hand moves down to grip my neck and crain my head up so that our lips are practically touching.
His eyes watch my lips and our harsh breaths are mixing together as they flow through each other's parted lips. But then his icy gaze snaps up to mine.
"As long as you're staying under my roof and under my protection you will do no such thing. And if I ever hear" He spits the word like it's venom as his grip around my neck tightens. "That a man's touched you-" His hard eyes penetrate mine. "I will kill him before your own fucking eyes, Principessa. Do you hear me?" His lips brush against mine as he speaks in a harsh tone.
Fear sparks in the pit of my stomach along with something worse, arousal and I hate myself for it. So much so that I push him away from me and take a step back.
I wasn't going to let him intimidate me.
"Well then luckily I won't be staying under your roof." I spit as I turn to grab a random overnight bag and start shoving things into it. I was going to stay with Jacob tonight.
Alessio is silent and I can feel him watching me. Eventually he hums. "Is that right?" He states plainly like he doesn't believe a word I'm saying.
I turn and glare at him, he has a brow raised with his arms crossed as he leans back against the wall. "Yes." I clarify hating the look on his face.
The one that told me I was going to do no such thing. The one that told me he had all the power here and the one that told me his word was final.
I can't do it anymore. "I can't believe my mamà was so adamant on us being together-my papá too." I ramble as I stuff random pieces of clothing into my bag. "Even your parents wanted us to work." I shake my head at the memories and way I'd built up this man in my head. "I bet if they saw the way you were treating me like nothing but your possessions, they'd regret it all."
"I highly doubt that." Is his snide response bubbling with a twinge of resentment.
I send him a confused glare over my shoulder but when I'm met with a guarded one, I push my curiosity to the side and let the anger take over.
"Whatever- I'm going to stay with Jacob." I spit. "From now on, I'm not your problem."
"You're not going anywhere." Is all he says, no anger, no emotion, like he's just stating a fact.
It irritates me but I just continue to stuff things into my tote bag. "Watch me." I finish, making my way to the door, only to have him creep up behind me and slam it shut as I'm about to open it.
I close my eyes in an attempt to cal myself down. Why is it that I always get into this position with him?
It's like he loves breathing down my neck. Literally.
"Alessio, let me go." I grit out but his hand holding the door shut only slides up higher as he takes another step closer.
"You know I can't do that, now put your shit down." his voice nothing but a low command, "Before we cross a line we can't go back from." His cryptic words are calm in the sense that he's forcing it.
"You've already crossed the line." I say, shaking my head as I go to pull the door open, but it doesn't budge.
"Giana," a step closer from behind, while his free hand trickles up my back as he starts moving my hair to the side, exposing the side and back of my neck. "I don't want to fight you on this."
His touch only distracts me a moment before I hop back on track and yank at the door once again. "Too late for that."
"You don't want to hurt Jacob do you?"
The air shifts and I can tell by the way his finger starts to trace my neck that nothing good is going to come out of his sudden change in demeanour. He's not only asserting his dominance but the conversation has veered into a dangerous place.
A pit forms in my stomach, my composure begins to cracks as I'm reminded of who exactly I'm dealing with.
The Don of the Galanti mafia. He was capable of so much and far from a good man.
I wasn't an equal and he could pick and choose when to step in and put me in my place and if I disagreed, the man had the power to force me in my place.
He was going to trap and lock me in my place.
Fear lodges itself in my throat and the man behind me continues to softly trace patterns on my exposed skin with his index finger.
He's drawing the same pattern, over and over again.
"You wouldn't." I say, my voice wavering. I shut my eyes and force my mind away from panic. Instead I focus on his fingers.
He sighs, his finger not stopping its movements. "I wouldn't want to, Principessa." His voice is eerily calm and soft, and I continue focusing on his finger and I realize he's not tracing a patter.
It's a word.
A mark.
"But, if he takes you away from me and I have to go through him to get you back... then I will have no problem doing so." His breath brushes the skin of my neck as he places the softest of kisses there before going back to tracing.
"You can't do that."
I force my eyes shut, I wasn't going to crumble, I was going to force my mind away from him and focus on his fingers."There's nothing I wouldn't do to get you back, mia principessa." His voice is nothing but a deep rumble. One that's masked to be sweet. One that's deceiving.
But my hazy mind focuses in on the way he says mia principessa. My princess. Flashes of my childhood filter through my mind, the only constant belief between all the adults in my life being one singular phrase.
"Tu sei la sua principessa e lui è il tuo principe."
You're his princess, and he's your prince.
It sure as fuck didn't feel like it.
Why would they all leave me in the hands of a man like this? Why would they all lead me to believe he's my prince?
He's nothing but a terrifyingly powerful man.
I will the tears of frustration and unease to stay put as I focus on his finger tracing my skin, over and over again.
One line.
Two dots.
Three arches.
Four letters.
mine.
As if solidifying my theory, Alessio's deep voice kisses my ear. "Sei sempre stato mio."
(You've always been mine.)
Eyes fluttering open, air refuses to escape my lungs as a wave of understanding freezes me over.
It all suddenly clicks.
I never had a choice.
The signs were always there, I'd just missed them, caught up in delusion.
"There must be a reason he doesn't want you outside of you yourself. He's hiding something."
No.
But despite my denial, my mamá's words from over the years float into my mind, like old memories with all new meanings.
"You're meant to be together."
"He's your prince."
"He'll take care of you when I'm gone."
I wasn't sent here for him to look after me, protect me, no that was never the plan.
How could I have been so naive? How could mamá do this to me?
"It can't be true." I breathe out, my hands shake just as my as my voice, while the man's shadow swallows me whole.
His response comes a moment later when he slips a hand into my back pocket and pulls out my phone, before placing it in my hand. "Call your friend and tell him you decided to stay and it was just a simple misunderstanding." He orders, his tone now nothing but a soft whisper.
He takes a step back, gracing me with the space I'm in desperate need of yet all I can do as I obey his order is run through memories of my life that are all suddenly ruined.
My heart races, my hands shake, my throat tightens. I was being suffocated and I could do nothing but stand by and allow it to happen.
It was all a lie and whatever power I thought I had was an illusion, one that had me believing I had a choice.
I don't dare look up as I've finished with my phone, the weight of the truth settling heavy on my chest.
"Hand me your phone."
I lift my head, staring at the man in an all new light while he swallows, eyeing me with caution. "I can't have you running away." But his reasoning is lost in the haze that is my mind.
With shaky hands, I lift my phone and place it in his awaiting palm, a sense of overwhelm controlling my actions.
He acted like he had power over me because he did. I was nothing but his puppet, living the way I did at his permission.
I bite down on my lower lip that's trembling in fear and when I feel him move forward to trace my cheek with his thumb, I whimper in dread of the dark reality I was so oblivious to.
"I'm sorry if I upset you, Principessa." He murmurs, his lips ghost over my cheekbone. "You gave me no choice, it was time you knew."
And this time when I close my eyes, tears pour from them.
Pathetic and weak. That's all I am in this moment, rendered speechless.
I hear Alessio sigh, "I'm keeping you safe." We both knew it was a lie, but did it matter? He had the power to do whatever he pleased. And right now he was moving my hair out of my face as I refused to look at him.
His lips find my forehead, and he places a kiss atop it before murmuring against the skin there, "Come on, baby."
I don't move. Powerless and still as he grabs my wrists, interlocks them around his neck before grabbing my hips and lifting me into his arms.
His hands feel like nothing but an overwhelming pressure on my chest as he grabs my thighs and wraps my legs around his waist.
He carries me out of my bedroom. A personal cell disguised and pampered with luxurious goods and expensive furniture.
Like I said, an illusion.
And she had known.
Mamá had known.
She knew that by handing me over to him she was giving up my freedom. It was never my choice.
How long had this been going on?
Had I been brought into this world as a commodity to be handed over to the Galanti Family Mafia?
Was my purpose to act as nothing but an object, a gift, a token of appreciation from my parents to Alessio's?
Either way, I'd come to the same conclusion.
I belonged to them. To Alessio. And what that meant was entirely up to him.
All those lies they fed me. Mamá, papá, Alessio's parents. They were just to manipulate me into thinking I had a say, a choice.
Mamá had said Alessio was going to take care of me, watch over me, protect me.
I hadn't known the price until now.
And mamá had known all along.
Before I know it, I'm being set down on Alessio's bed while I watch him move towards his bedroom door, pulling out a key.
He's locking his door.
He's locking me in here with him, so I don't run away.
I'd given up the fight, which makes it all an out of body experience.
He lays me down on his bed, covers me in his sheets and looks at me like I'm the most delicate thing in the world. His delicate thing.
And then he's leaning over me and brining his lips to place a soft kiss on mine as I stare at the ceiling in front of me. "Perdonami, mia Principessa." He murmurs against my lips before he walks away. (Forgive me, my Princess.)
I was his and I could do nothing about it.
He could break me over and over again however he pleased, but at the end of the day I couldn't escape him.
I was his and the only reason I'm living like I am is becasue Alessio is allowing it.
And today was a revelation.
Alessio could take it all away if he wanted to.
I never had any power. I just thought I did, when in reality I was just a prisoner.
His prisoner.
𓆩❤︎𓆪
Was that a plot twist or what?
If it's confusing, the next chapter will explain.
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Also regarding my updating schedule:
I'm going to be posting five times a week. (Monday - Friday)
I've been going crazy trying to write an entirely new chapter each day and I find myself getting really stressed and not satisfied with the chapters.
Sorry if that disappoints. I've been really trying to get a chapter up a day but I don't think it's possible to do without affect my writing or making me super stressed.
Ily and hope you understand❤️