Luciano Fierri [Book #3]

Chapter 22

I smiled, feeling him comb his fingers through my entangled hair as my head lay comfortably on his lap.

I think Diana knew what we had been up to for the last several hours, because when she came out to check up on us she was blushing profusely.

She avoided making eye contact with us, only speaking when spoken to. I felt kind of bad for putting her in such an uncomfortable situation. But Luciano assured me that she was used to it being as Cesare's brought several companions onto the plane.

"Do you know why he's like that?"

"Not really. He doesn't tell me much. All I know is that he has his reasons. He's been through a lot of shit."

"Like what?" I asked.

He grew silent, causing me to lift my head to look up at him. "It's not really my place to say," he finally said. "I just hope he gets the help he needs."

"I understand." I laid back down, Luciano continuing to play with a lock of my hair. I ended up falling alseep shortly after, nightmares I wish hadn't been reality clouding my mind.

"Dove sono i miei soldi(Where's my money, Romanos)?" The man who looked to be about in his late twenties snarled, holding my father at gunpoint.

My father was on his knees, trembling with fear. His eyes flickered to me, my two younger sisters, and my mother. We were huddled up close to one another, sobbing.

He turned his attention back to the man, holding his furious, sinister gaze. "Non ho i soldi(I don't have the money)," my father confessed, defeated. "Per favore, ti supplico(Please, I'm begging you)," he pleaded, teary-eyed. "Dammi solo un altro mese e ti prometto che avrò i tuoi soldi(Just give me one more month and I promise I'll have your money)."

The man scoffed, angrily striking my father in the face with the butt of his gun. My father dropped to the floor, blood smeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Ti ho dato una possibilità dopo l'altra Romanos. Ed è così che mi ripaghi(I gave you chance after chance Romanos. And this is how you repay me)!?"

"I-I'm sorry."

"Vorrei davvero poterti credere Romanos. Ma hai fallito. Mi hai deluso. e hai deluso la tua famiglia(I really wish I could believe you Romanos. But you failed. You failed me. And you failed your family." He aimed his gun at my father's head, his finger on the trigger.

I noticed the single tear rolling down my father's cheek. He knew he was going to die. "I love you," he mouthed to the four of us before the man pulled the trigger, killing my father.

I let out a ear-splitting shriek, sobbing uncontrollably. There was nothing we could do. We had no father. No money. And our debt still had to be paid.

"You're coming with me," the man said, snapping his head in my direction.

Two of his men grabbed me, before I could react, ripping me from the arms of my family as I screamed, kicked, and cried.

I could hear my sisters crying, a petrified look on their face as they watched their older sister being taken away.

My eyes met my mother's. "Mama..." I cried out, holding my hand out for her to grab. She rushed towards me, grabbing me. She pulled and pulled, only to be violently shoved to the ground by one of the men. "Mama!" I shouted.

"Mama!"

"Val! Wake up!" I was shaken awake, my eyes fluttering open to the worry and concern in Luciano's green eyes.

I sat up, gripping his shirt. My eyes watered, and I didn't fight back the tears as they streamed down my face.
"I miss them Luciano," I whispered, sniffling.

He kissed my hair, holding me in his arms. "I know you do, sweetheart." he murmured softly.

"Hey Luce?"

"Hm?"

"I think I'm ready to tell you what happened."

He sat up straighter, pausing mid twirl of my hair before continuing. "Are you sure?"

"Sì(yes)."

I was always afraid of how he would see me once I told him everything that had happened to me. But now I see that even after twelve years time has passed, the way he sees me hasn't changed.

So I told him everything. Every painful moment in my life- Luciano now knew it all. There wasn't a thing he didn't know about me. And it frightened me to my core.

There were times where he'd shake his head, bare his teeth, or clench his jaw in anger. There were also times where he'd cry or curse. And then there were times were he didn't react at all. He'd just listen. Times like that scared me the most because I didn't know what he was thinking.

When he noticed the panicked look on my face, he gave me a small closed-mouth smile. "I'm sorry. I'm just... really really pissed right now." My eyes shot down to his clenched fist, then back up at him. He stood up abruptly. "Mi scusi (Excuse me). I need a minute."

I didn't stop him as I watched him disappear into the back. He's never liked getting angry in front of people. It's how he's always been. Besides, I knew his anger had nothing to do with me. His anger was directed towards Pescatore and himself. Especially himself.

It didn't matter that I didn't blame him for not being there. He didn't know that my marriage wasn't a consensual one. In his mind, he thought I'd found the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

But little does he know, he's the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Always was and always will. I would confess right here and now if I wasn't so afraid of losing him again.

I just couldn't fathom the idea of being separated from him again. It makes me feel faint just thinking about it. I've already lost enough. And I don't think my heart could take losing someone else, especially Luciano.