Illicit Love (BWWM)

Chapter 21

"I've fallen for lie, you were never on my side. Fool me once, fool me twice. Are you death or paradise?" 

                                                                     (Listen to the song peeps.)

Valentina's POV

"Ciao, Russo."

The voice sounded familiar but somehow different. The gun was nudged from my hands and I was told to turn around. A gasp got stuck in my throat as soon as I saw who the culprit was. What? How?

"Hello, baby," Giovanni said, a twisted smile on his face. The gun was being pointed at my shoulder instead, and he gestured for me to sit on the wooden chair at the centre of the room. I was beyond shocked, but complied anyway. 

As I glanced up at him a series of emotions ran through my body. 

Betrayal. Pain. Disbelief. Hurt. 

"Giovanni? Why are you doing this?" I croaked, not being able to control the emotions that poured into my voice. He sat there for a second, then leaned forward, "Family is family, as you said. To be honest, it was my father's idea." 

"Your father?"

He chuckled sinisterly, his eyes holding a cold emotion I've never seen before. "Let me properly introduce myself. Giovanni DeLuca, does the name ring a bell?"

DeLuca? As in our rivals, DeLuca?  

My eyes widened, realizing what was going on. "Was this just a game to you?" I whispered, not even having the energy to shout. My hands were tied before me by one of his goons, which I didn't even realize. 

He drew closer, taking my chin between his fingers. The grey eyes that I once adored so much were almost emotionless, villainous even. "No, not entirely. But I have to commend you, though. This was harder than I thought it would be," he laughed, "hell, you didn't even tell me the address of your real house." 

I couldn't help it. The tears that brimmed my eyes fell, and they didn't stop. My vision blurred, and I couldn't even control the crack in my voice as I spoke. "Are you fucking serious? So the dates, everything you said? Did you even mean it when you said you loved me?"

He stood up abruptly, his face masked with detachment, without feeling. "None of that matters, now get upstairs. I want you to open your father's safe." And without warning, he tugged at the ropes on my wrists, and lead me upstairs. 

He closed the door shut behind him, before pushing me towards the safe. "Open it, Valentina."

Trying to buy time, I turned to him. "How did you find here? Barely anyone knows about this."
Stepping closer, he ran a finger across my neck and tapped the diamond that hung from my necklace. "I put a tracking device in the necklace and trailed you here."

"So that's why you gave it to me?"

He scoffed softly, "Yes, should there be another reason? Now open the safe."

I was hurt, but I still couldn't open the safe. So I stood there silently. He sighed, exasperated. 
With a tilt of his head he brought his face closer to mine, "Valentina, I will have everyone you love murdered and make it look like an accident. Open the fucking safe."

With him being stupidly close enough, I was able to twist the gun out of his hand and turn it on him instead. I stepped back to create some distance between us as he threw his hands up. "I don't want to do this, Giovanni."

Unfazed, he walked closer, pressing the gun directly to his forehead. "Do it, shoot me."

My hands trembled, and the tears came back. "Giovanni, I don't want to hurt you," I sobbed, "please don't make me do this. Don't make me have to hurt you."

He just chuckled, looking me in my eyes, waiting. "You won't shoot, and you know why?" he asked, effortlessly taking the gun from my hand and sliding it onto the desk,"you won't because you love me, don't you?"

And as I stood there with a tear-streaked face, I didn't reply. I couldn't reply.

Because it was true.

I did love him. All the adrenaline and strength that was pumping before left my body, and I felt weakened, helpless both physically ad emotionally. I wasn't even aware that I stood before the safe until his voice brought me back, "Please open the safe, Valentina. I don't want to have to hurt you."

So I gave up. I entered the numbers as he watched and then stepped back. "You already did."
The noises around me dulled away as he gave orders to the men, retrieving documents from the iron box. Documents that could make my father's entire empire, everything he's built, crumble. And I didn't even care.

I was lead to a black van, and a blindfold was tied around my face. 

"What should we do, boss?" a man asked.

"Burn it," Giovanni replied coldly, "burn it all."

Before I could protest a cloth was pressed to my nose, but I held my breath. My lungs burned, reminding me of their need for air. As drew in a huge breath, I detected chloroform on the cloth. I tried not to give in, but the drug was already taking its effect. 

And as I succumbed to the darkness, he was the only thing on my mind. 

                                                                           ~~~~~                                                                               So, how are we feeling?👀