-Emilia-
My eyes focused on the way that his fingers were curling at me. Letting out a shuddered breath, I walked over towards him with confidence in my stride as his eyes never left mine the whole time.
I haven't seen this guy in three weeks and now all of a sudden he wants to make a grand entrance?
Sitting down right on top of his dick, I kicked my feet off to the side and wrapped my right arm around his neck as my left one wandered all over his chest. I looked directly into his eyes as I gulped and he smirked at me.
"Hello Emilia." He whispered in my ear and I shivered at the stinging feeling of his breath on my skin. I was burning up under his presence and my legs were slowly tightening together as his fingertips dragged slowly across my skin.
"Hello fuck knuckles." I muttered back to him as I looked down at his tattoos. Salvatore who was sitting on the spot one over chuckled to himself and I looked up at Vincent and bat my eyelashes at him innocently.
"Careful cucciola....I still get to say when you owe me..remember?" He whispered roughly in my ear and the thought of him railing me on this couch filled my mind. [translation: puppy]
"I didn't forget." I whispered back to him and he smirked at me while placing his left hand on my lower back.
"Forgive my absence these past few weeks. I've been trying to catch up with work." He said as his fingers found my brown locks and played with it.
"You were gone? I didn't even notice." I teased him and all the men in the room looked over at the two of us. His grip on my lower back tightened and a few men chuckled.
I diverted my attention from him and looked at the rest of the men in the room and I was struck with fear as I seen Carlos sitting not too far away from us. He was glaring at me with a lethal stare as if he were waiting for me to make a wrong move.
I gripped onto Vincent out of a reflex and he furrowed his eyebrows and pulled my hand off the back of his neck.
"Are you okay mia cara?" He asked me and I realized that my breathing was becoming harsher and scattered as I continued to stare at the deadly mobster sitting across from us. [translation: my dear]
"Emilia." Vincent said grabbing my chin and turning my face towards him. I flinched a bit and I met his eyes that were filled with worry as he looked at me. His hand caressed my cheek softly and I focused on the comfort in his touch as I stared at him to calm myself down. Slowly, my breathing returned to normal and I blinked away a few tears and smiled.
"I-I'm okay.." I told him quietly as I rested my head on his shoulder. Surprisingly, he didn't move away and just allowed me to lay my head on him. I continued to grope him and my gaze flickered to Carlos who now had his attention on the stripper in his lap.
Vincents gaze never left my face and I felt him grab my chin and bring my head back up. He narrowed his eyes at me like he was trying to read me like a book and I gulped. His eyes darted to my neck and they widened with fury as he reached his hand over to touch it.
"Emilia what the fuck happened to your neck?!" He shouted angrily, causing everyone in the room to stop what they were doing. My breathing cut off as I stared at the anger that was evident on his face and I could just feel Carlos staring at the back of my head. I realized that I had forgotten to reapply the concealer after my shower and I mentally slapped myself.
"You choked me in the room that night remember.." I told him as I recalled the day that I gave him a lap dance. His eyes flickered with rage as they stared into mine and I started becoming nervous.
"If I remember correctly Emilia, that was three fucking weeks ago. This looks like it happened recently." He fired at me and his voice was booming with anger but he held a calm composure.
I didn't know what to say or do. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out and I felt my eyes burning with tears. I quickly scooted off of him and I stood up from his lap as I began to leave. He grabbed my hand and my eyes locked with an angry Carlos before I slowly turned to look at Vincent.
"M-mr. Fontana...please just let me go.." My voice quivered and his head cocked to the side a bit as he released my hand. I quickly ran out of the room and Carlos' eyes followed me as I left.
I ran into the dressing room and grabbed my bag and keys and I ran out to my car. On my way out, I tripped from my heels and my face smacked hard against the floor.
"Stupid fucking heels!" I sobbed out as I pushed myself back up and unlocked the car. I got inside and looked through the rear view mirror to make sure that I wasn't being followed and I locked the doors.
Wiping away my tears, I pulled out of the driveway and began making my way back to the house.
-Vincent-
Staring at her retreating figure, I couldn't help but feel angry. There was no hiding the fact that it was a mans hand print around her neck and it sure as hell wasn't mine. Either she was fucking somebody other than me or someone fucking put their hands on her. I hoped it was the second option because if I find out it was the first option, all hell is going to break loose and I'll start by showing her what being mine exactly means.
My eyes fell on Carlos who had been staring at her before she even left the room and I leaned forward, resting on my knees. Narrowing my eyes at him, he didn't notice and he just turned his attention to the half naked whore sitting down on his lap.
"Why are you staring at her Carlos? Is the whore sitting on top of you not good enough?" I spat angrily at him. He turned his attention to me and jolted nervously.
"No Mr. Fontana..." He told me and I clenched my jaw together. My eyes twitched as I thought back to the visible bruise of a hand print around her neck. I stood up from the couch and everyone's gaze fell on me as I stared down at all of them like they were fucking scum.
"I'm going to start putting bullets in people's fucking heads if you puttanas don't get out of this fucking room within the next five seconds!" I yelled at them and they quickly scrambled to get off of their laps as they whimpered and ran out the door, closing it behind them.
"I thought I made it very clear that nobody goes near Emilia except for me... so who the FUCK put their hands on her?! Hm?!" I yelled at every single man in the room as my fist clenched at my side. I was burning with rage.
They all stared at each other quietly and looked around the room as they waited for someone to speak. My patience only lasted so long so I pulled out my gun from my slacks and aimed it at the first person I seen.
"One of you better start fucking talking or else that pretty little walls going to become painted with Gio's blood." I growled at them and Gio put his hands in the air like he was so innocent. Nobody in this room is innocent.
"C-chill man..I-I didn't do shit!" He yelled and I fired the gun at the wall behind him to show him that I wasn't playing around.
"Vincent you're fucking crazy man! It wasn't us!" Amo called out from the left side of the room and I just stared at him. I tucked the gun back in my slacks and I decided that if they weren't going to say anything—I bet Emilia would.
"Maybe it was that crazy boyfriend of hers..what's his face? Ryan?" Carlos suggested and I punched him across the face because I felt like it. He groaned in pain and I walked out of the room.
Ryan hasn't been anywhere near her ever since she left his apartment and I know that for a fact because I've been watching him. He sulks in his own misery as he drinks away his feelings every night, just praying that he finds another girl to take his anger out on.
I hate people like him. People who abuse their significant other. There's a difference between being dominant and just being straight out fucking abusive. I can guarantee that Emilia is still traumatized by Ryan and lives in fear because of what she went through. That's why I'm so pissed off about this whole thing because knowing her, she'd try to protect whoever did it to her because she's scared of them. She's a fucking angel and doesn't deserve all the terrible things that happen to her which is why I'll make sure that no matter what happens, I'll always be there to protect her.
And god help anyone who lays a fucking scratch on her.
-
I arrived at the house and seen Emilia's car parked out front. I stepped outside and closed the car door behind me as I made my way up to the front doors. Pushing them open, I walked inside the house and immediately headed for her room. I knocked on the door and I listened in so that I could hear what was going on inside. It was dead silent.
"Emilia.." I called out and I reached my hand for her door knob. She was wise to leave it unlocked otherwise I would've kicked the door down just to check on her.
I pushed open the door and looked around at the empty dark room. She was nowhere in sight and I started wondering if she was even home or not. That is until I heard sniffling coming from the room.
"Cucciola." I called out for her and the crying stopped. I slowly followed the noise of her suppressed sobs and I furrowed my eyebrows as I opened the closet. I looked down at her as she sat alone in the dark with her knees pulled to her chest.
[translation: puppy]
"Bambolina, what are you doing in the closet?" I asked her with a soft chuckle and she looked up at me with tear stained cheeks. Her eyes were red and I felt a tightening sensation in my chest. She was already in her pajamas and looked like she had just stepped out of the shower. [translation: dolly]
"What's wrong with my baby Emilia? Hm?" I asked her softly as I pulled the bottom of my slacks up and crouched down next to her. She hid her face from me and I stroked the back of her hair as she cried.
I didn't like seeing people cry. I never knew how to comfort them. Telling them it was going to be okay when it wasn't obviously wasn't the brightest option so I eventually stopped caring for others. But not Emilia. Her, I will always care about.
"Emilia come here." I told her as I held my arms out to embrace her. She wiped her eyes and she moved closer towards me as she threw her arms around my neck.
"I hate myself..." she cried into my shoulder and I could feel the warmth of her tears seeping through my shirt. I rubbed her back and placed a kiss on her head.
"I feel so worthless and weak...I don't even have enough guts to stand up for myself!" She said with desperation in her voice and I could hear the pain laced between her words.
"People are always taking advantage of me and I'm sick of it...I'm tired of it Vincent. I'm tired of being pushed around and treated like I'm nothing...I just want it to stop." She said softly and I pulled her away and looked her directly in the eyes.
"Emilia you are the strongest person I know." I told her and she looked at me like I was crazy.
"We must be talking about two different Emilia's." She giggled softly but then it started to turn into a cry. I sighed and stood up as I pulled her with me over to the bed. Laying down, I pulled her on top of my chest and stroked her hair.
"Do you want to know why I think that you're so strong mia cara?" I asked her quietly and she nodded her head. I stared at the ceiling and sighed as I played with her hair. [translation: my dear]
"Because you're damaged." I told her flatly and she looked at me again and furrowed her eyebrows. She began to cry again and a chuckle slipped past my lips.
"You didn't let me finish." I told her as I wiped away her tears. She closed her eyes as she allowed my fingers to graze her skin.
"You're damaged and that's what makes you strong. You are strong because no matter what obstacles were thrown at you in your life, you found a way to overcome them. Not once have I met a girl as tough as you mia cara. You've been abandoned, wronged and abused your whole life that it would only make sense for you to think that you're weak. But no matter how weak you think you are, you are a fighter and damn everybody else who thinks otherwise." I explained to her and she rested her chin on my chest as she looked at me. [translation: my dear]
"Are you going to leave me?" She asked quietly, her voice cracking between a few words and I felt a wave of sadness rush through me. I've seen that look in her eyes before. She was broken and was slowly trying to be put back together but the pieces were being glued in the wrong places. I know that look because I see it everyday when I look inside of the mirror.
"Now why on earth would I ever leave you?" I asked her softly as a small grin pulled across my mouth. She placed her cheek on my chest and stared out of the window and sighed to herself.
"Because everybody always ends up leaving me and if they don't leave me, they get tired of me. It's what always happens. My father left me before he could even get to know me and eventually my mother got tired of me...same with Ryan.." she said softly and I seen a tear pool at the corner of her eye.
"But I've gotten quite used to people leaving me. It's sort of a common thing in my life but I understand because if I met me—I'd leave me too." She chuckled softly through a sob that escaped her throat.
"Emilia-" I started to say but she looked at me with a quivering lip and tears filling her eyes as she forced a smile through the sad expression engulfing her face.
"But it's okay though because I know why now. I'm just not worth fighting for. Hell, sometimes I don't even want to fight for myself." She laughed but there was no amusement in her face. It was all just straight pain and suffering as her lip quivered and her tears fell from her eyes.
"Emilia I'll fight for you even if it's the last thing I do. I'll fight for you every second of the day until I take my last breath because you, my darling, are worth fighting for." I placed my palm on her cheek.
"A girl like you deserves to be fought for. To know that she's worth fighting for and to know that there's at least someone in the world who cares for her even if she doesn't know it. Ti meriti un lieto fine amore mio." I whispered softly as I looked into her brown orbs. [translation: you deserve a happy ending my love]
She just stared at me like she was trying to figure something out and I just smiled at her. Tucking the hair away from her face, I cupped her cheeks and leaned forward.
"Dammi un bacio." I chuckled and she furrowed her eyebrows before kissing my lips. I kissed her lips then her chin and then her forehead before pulling away. [translation: give me a kiss]
"Thank you Vincent.." she thanked me quietly as a slight blush crept upon her cheeks. Snapping out of my daze, I finally remembered why I came in here in the first place.
"I didn't forget about your neck Emilia now tell me what happened." I told her sternly and she groaned and rolled off of me and onto the spot next to me.
"I don't want to talk about it." She sighed and I just stared at it as she looked at the ceiling. You could see the fingerprints embedded into her skin as if the person were trying to kill her.
"Emilia I really don't want to get angry with you right now but if you refuse, I won't be so nice." I told her and she swallowed hard as she continued to gaze at the ceiling.
"Cucciola." I told her sternly and she looked over at me as her brown hair fanned out behind her head and she furrowed her eyebrows. [translation: puppy]
"Carlos did it...but you can't tell him that I told you!" She shot up from the bed as she looked at me with pure terror in her eyes. Of course it was Carlos. It's always fucking Carlos.
"And why the hell not?!" I fired back at her and she tapped her fingers together nervously.
"B-because..." She stuttered out and I raised my eyebrows at her. "He-he said he'd k-kill me." She finished her sentence and I was more than pissed off.
"Did he now?" I asked her calmly and she nodded her head.
"And why would he say such a thing like that Emilia?" I asked her as my eyes flickered with anger and she looked down at the bed, avoiding my eyes.
"Emilia, sweetheart, I can assure you that the only person you have to be afraid of right now is me." I snapped at her as my patience wavered.
"Because...because the day that I f-first met you, he had seen me in the kitchen standing while eating and then he..he said that he had a seat for me and patted his lap..." she said quietly and my fist clenched slightly as I stared at her.
"And?" I asked her because she bit her bottom lip nervously like she had something more to say.
"And...when I declined his offer politely..he-he got angry at me and he pulled my hair and kissed me and told me that he would punish me if I didn't do what he said.." She said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper but I heard every single bit of it and my face became stone cold.
"Where exactly did he kiss you?" I asked her calmly and she moved her hand and placed it on her neck, over where one of her bruises were at.
"Is that all?" I asked her and she shook her head.
"That day, he asked me what my name was and when I told him, he freaked out and then yesterday night I had come home from work and that's when he did this..." She moved her hand to show me her neck and anger clouded my thoughts. I told everybody in the god damn house that she wasn't their fucking whore to touch and he still had the audacity to disobey my rules. Now, there was only one thought in my head.
Carlos was a dead man.
"You're going to kill him aren't you?" She asked me quietly and I turned my direction towards her as she pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Don't worry about what happens to him Emilia. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you ever again." I told her as I grabbed her hand.
"I don't want anyone to die because of me though..." she said quietly and I bit down on my bottom lip.
"He deliberately put his hands on you so now he has to face the consequences." I told her flatly as I pulled my hand away from hers, her warmth leaving my skin cold as it faded.
"Can't he just apologize or something?" She asked me and I chuckled at her. Apologize? Sparing his life would be like he hadn't gotten a punishment at all.
"He threatened you kill you and you want him to apologize? Emilia you need to stop caring about the people who hurt you, otherwise you're just going to end up getting taken advantage of again." I told her and she sighed.
"Just don't kill him okay?" She asked me and I didn't answer her. I just stared at the wall as I imagined the many ways I'd punish him.
"Vinnie look at me." Her sweet voice called out and I quickly turned my attention to her.
"What did you just call me?" I asked her and she widened her eyes in fear and scooted back. I realized I may have been a little too rough but I haven't heard someone call me that in a long time. The last person to say that to me was my mother before she died.
"S-sorry I-I didn't—" She apologized but I cut her off with a kiss. She sat there in shock as she processed what just happened. Clearing her throat, she looked at me and grabbed my hand as I started to get up.
"Promise me." She stated and I rolled my eyes.
"I won't kill him okay? But if he touches you again I swear to god I'll fucking-" She squeezed my hand and I calmed down as I unclenched my other fist. She has way too much power over me but I can't help it. The feeling of her touch burns out the raging fires burning within me and everything just feels at peace.
I looked down at our hands that were intertwined with one another. I found my heart beat beating faster than usual as I looked at how perfect her hand fit into mine. It was like we were custom made for each other.
I noticed she was also staring too and I trailed my eyes up to meet hers and she gulped. There was a moment between us where we just stared at each other and then she let go, discarding all of the warmth that I had left inside of me, kicking me out into the cold.
"I have to go now. Goodnight." I told her as I began to walk away. She called out my name and the world stopped as I turned to look at her.
"C-can you stay with me.." she asked quietly and I felt my stomach turn. Debating on whether I should find Carlos and kick his ass or stay with her when she needed me the most, I walked back over to her.
"Of course." I told her as I kicked off my dress shoes and she scooted up in the bed as she pulled me with her. She wrapped her arms around me and I became tense. I just laid there as I stared down at her small frame hugging mine.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked her seeing as I didn't know where to place my hands. It's been a while since I've hugged or cuddled someone. I was touch starved at its finest.
"I just want you to hold me..it's been a while since I've been held." She told me quietly as a small smile appeared on her face.
Looking down at her as she closed her eyes, I just watched her. Watched everything about her. The way that the few wisps of her hair covered her cheeks as she rested her other on my chest. Watched the way that her plump lips parted as she dozed off into her sleep. My favorite thing about her was her.
There were too many things about her that I liked which made it hard for me to pick one. But all those things that I liked about her made her into who she is—which is why she is my favorite thing in the world.
To me, she is the epitome of beauty and serenity—no matter the amount of darkness that's concealed within her. She mellows out the chaos that's trapped inside of me, just begging to be released.
And so laying down with her as I admired her, I simply did what she asked of me.
And I just held her.
♠
Chapter 9! Done! Wooh!
If you're seeing this, thank you so much for reading chapter 9 of Emilia <3
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'm so sorry for the long wait. I'm curious; what's your guys' favorite chapter so far?
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Make sure to go check out my other book Loving Amara if you're a fan of papi Salvatore ;)
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