R E A L I T Y
No.
I won't believe it.
The man I met months ago isn't the man standing behind me right now.
It can't be.
Realization hits me in an instant.
"Diavolo," the word faintly leaves my lips and my heart drops.
She was right.
Silvia was right.
He sighs, his breath tickling my neck.
"I thought you'd like your little gift, tesoro," he says walking out from behind me and towards a table I hadn't noticed had weapons on it. Bloody weapons.
"You thought I'd fucking like this?" I ask turning to him in disbelief. "You're torturing a man half to death an- and I'm supposed to like this?" I ask walking towards him.
"Watch your tone," he warns, lifting a knife as he cleans it with a cloth.
"Watch my tone?" I sarcastically laugh. "This- this is-" I shake my head and the door opens.
"Oh, stop whining you brat," Sylvester groans and I whip around to face him. He let's out a groan in pain as a knife flies into his side.
My eyes widen as I turn to Antonio.
"You don't get to talk to my girl like that," Antonio says and walks over to Sylvester.
My heart rate picks up as I watch him twist the knife - like it's nothing - in Sylvester's side.
Bile rises in my throat as I uncomfortably shift.
Footsteps descend from the stairs and I turn around, anxiously waiting for whoever it is to appear.
Cesar?
"Ah," Cesar softly says, his eyebrows shooting up. "I see you've decided to show her your little secret," he says and I look at him in disbelief.
He casually walks over to the table, placing a box down onto it.
"She can be... persistent," he shrugs his shoulders and the two of them both share a little smile. Sylvester joins in with a little laugh but Antonio's head snaps down to him, pressing the knife in further, as if to say without words, why are you laughing.
"Are you guys serious? You're acting like this is normal but you're sick in the head," I say looking between them.
"I've never claimed otherwise," Antonio says, walking towards me but I step back.
"I wanna go back up," I swallow hard and he slightly tilts his head to the side.
"So you don't like your gift then?" he asks and I look over at Sylvester who hangs extremely still.
"I don't... I don't know, just let me go back up," I say as confusion takes over.
I should be happy that Sylvester can't hurt me anymore but I can't stand to see another human being be tortured like this.
Even if it's Sylvester.
"You gonna try anything stupid?" he asks caging me in between the stairs and his firm body.
He lifts his hand to my face but I hit it away.
"Don't touch me," I try steady my voice.
His jaw clenched I felt my legs go numb, feeling all sorts of scared.
Would he hurt me?
Would he hurt me the way he hurts Sylvester and whoever else?
He takes one final step closer and I feel my body trembling under his intense stare.
"What's wrong?" he slightly tilts his head to the side, tucking a strand of loose hair behind my ear and I flich.
Confusion leaks from his eyes as he scans my face.
"I wanna go back up," I choke out.
There's that look again.
The same one he gave me when I told him everything in the video was true.
I didn't quite understand what I meant.
"Take her up to her room," he steps back and Cesar nods.
"I can go by myself," I say with disgust as I turn to Cesar. "I don't need him to escort me."
He looks at me hesitantly and gives me a single nod.
I turn but he grabs my wrist.
I don't turn around.
"Anyone who finds out about this will end up dead," he assures me. "Anyone."
My heart sinks at the thought of anyone I love being hurt at his hands.
Without turning around I snatch my wrist from him, walking up stairs.
I get to my room, closing the door behind me. Looking around, I bring my hands up to my face to see them shaking.
Just breathe.
I closed my eyes, resting my head against the door. My eyes shot open and I rushed to my phone.
I immediately found Silvia's name but I stopped myself, tossing my phone onto my bed.
She can't know. He'll hurt her.
I rushed to the bathroom and got undressed. I hopped into the shower and stood under the warm water.
I just stood there.
This is the man I was going to marry.
This man, capable of such vile actions was going to be my husband. I would wake up with him, live out my day with him and fall asleep with him.
Was I, capable of showing any genuine emotion to someone who I feared?
Would I be able to accept who he was and one day learn to live with it, or maybe even love him?
I've done it before and it's not like he's not doing all of this for me.
He's capable of doing all this, for me.
It's always been... for me.
Minutes, after just standing there - no auditable sobs, no anger, no fear, nothing - I got out and dressed into some sweatpants and a t-shirt.
I stood in the middle of my room but it felt as if all the walls were closing in on me.
I started pulling my t-shirt away from my neck, feeling agitated.
I slipped on my sneakers and grabbed my jacket, leaving the room.
I rushed down the stairs and bumped into Katie.
"Oh, I'm sorry miss Nirah," she quickly apologizes. "I-"
"Did you know?" I ask and she's taken back in confusion.
"Excuse me miss?" she softly asks.
"Did you know, about Antonio?" I ask again, hurt that Cesar - someone else I had trusted - also knew about this.
She stares up at me fearfully before lowering her head.
Of course she fucking did.
I scoffed in disbelief, walking around her. She called out to me but I ignored her.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Logan, talking to someone in the kitchen. As soon as he saw me he rushed towards me.
"Miss Nirah-"
"Logan get out of my fucking way," I say as he blocks the front door.
"I'm sorry, but if you're leaving, I-" I cut him off with a sharp punch against his nose.
I've been wanting to do that for a long time.
"Move," I say pushing him and I watch as he throws his head back, probably trying to stop the blood or something.
The cold air brushed up against my bare face and skin, sending goosebumps all over my body.
I looked around and decided to go for a walk.
Antonio did this for you!
He is capable of evil things.
But Sylvester hurt you!
It doesn't excuse his actions.
Without Antonio you'd be hurt, lost, even dead!
No sane hunan should be able to those things without remorse!
Antonio cares enough to feel no remorse when protecting you.
He could hurt you!
He'd never lay a finger on you.
You trusted him and he broke it.
I can learn to trust him again!
He's bad news Nirah!
But he cares and protects me. I feel safe with him. I feel comfort and warmth.
I like being with him.
My inner conflict got interrupted by the sound of crying... whining.
I slowly walked towards the sound and found a little puppy standing outside the gate with his head low. He was shivering.
My heart nearly dropped and I rushed over to him.
I immediately took off my jacket, wrapping it around him. I picked him up and held him in my arms as he shivered tremendously.
He was a little teacup sized tea poodle
"Hey little guy," I softly say, adjusting him in my arms. "Where'd you come from?" I ask looking around but nothing.
I try to find a name but nothing. No collar, no leash, nothing.
I walked back into the house saw Antonio speaking to Cesar in the foyer.
"What's that," Antonio raises a brow at me.
"None of your business," I roll my eyes but he stops me as I try walking past.
"Where'd you get that?" he asks and I feel that his shaking had gradually stopped.
"It's not a that," my jaw drops. "It's a Kingsley - if it's a boy - and a Lady if it's... well a lady," I say and he shakes his head. "It's not like you're allergic to it," I scoff. "Oh wait. I wouldn't know," I softly whisper.
"You went out and stole a dog?" he questions and I could almost laugh.
"You're the only one low enough to do that here," I force a smile and he steps towards me.
Kingsley - I'm guessing it's a boy - jumps up and growls at Antonio. Antonio stops walking - confused and surprised - and I can't help but show a proud, nonchalant smile.
"Kingsley Milo Valentino doesn't seem to like you very much," I shrug my shoulders. "And neither do I. So we'll, be off," I say and Kingsley leans forward, growling at Antonio and I can't hide a smile. "Such a good boy," I smile, lifting in into the air. "Do that every single time, okay," I loudly whisper so that he hears me.
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HI EVERYONE<33
so nirah basically had inner conflict and she's torn between accepting who he is and 'leaving' him
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!