Untangle Me

Chapter 15

Giada

"What's going on? Luce, where is everyone?" This time, my voice is nothing above a whisper. I'm starting to shake now, my fear crippling me even as the man takes a step closer to me.

"Where is everyone, she asks," Luciano repeats mockingly, he sounds just as foreign as the rest of his demeanor is. He laughs humourlessly before fixing me with a strange look. "Where is everyone!" he roars.

I take a few hasty steps back which only evokes another laugh from the man in front of me.

"Please tell me what's going on, Luce. You're scaring me," I say softly, trying to calm the horrible nausea building inside of me. This is still Luciano, I think to myself. He won't hurt me, it's just the adrenaline.

"Oh, Princess, I would never want to scare you," he insists, sounding a bit more like himself. I release a shaky breath and nod to myself. There we go, he's back. It was just a momentary lapse.

The man slowly walks up to me and I search his features for the person that scared me only a minute ago. I can't find him. This looks like my Luce again. Gentle, thoughtful Luciano Dante.

When he's close enough to touch, I slowly reach out for him all the while asking, "Where is your family?"  I want the confirmation. To feel this is him and I'm just overreacting.

But halfway on its way to the man's cheek, he catches my hand. I gasp when he tightens his grip painfully and cry out in pain when he goes even further. So far I'm sure he'll break my fingers if he goes on.

"Luce?" I rasp as tears spring to my eyes. I can hardly see him now, my vision too blurry. "Ouch! Luce, you're hurting me!" I exclaim when he gives my hand another squeeze. "What's wrong. Talk to me, please!"

"You know what hurt? Having had to let you touch me," he seethes slowly, shuddering once. "I tried to give you hints but you, you desperate, filthy whore just wouldn't give up. God and when you kissed me. I threw up every night after I left, you know. Scrubbed at my lips so long they were raw the next morning."

I try to pull away but it's no use. He's strong enough to easily overpower me and I'm barely able to breathe right now. The pain is too excessive, the shock too fresh.

"Your siblings? Was everything a lie?" I whisper between two heaving breaths.

What's happening? Why is he doing this? What is he saying?

He twists my hand so suddenly I scream out loud and fall to my knees. Then he lets go and I cradle the limp fingers to my chest trying to blink away the white spots on my vision.

"You do not speak of them!" he roars from where he's standing above me. "How dare you mention them!"

"What?" I sob softly. This is so wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Where's Luce. Where's the man I trusted so easily? The one I spent hours talking to each night and who brought me thoughtful gifts on each visit.

He kicks me in the stomach once, right below the ribcage and it knocks the wind right out of me. I cough and gasp for breaths, kneeling on all fours on the dusty floor.

"Help!" I protest weakly. It's a pathetic attempt. It's the middle of the night and my exclamation was not even loud enough to be carried outside of this warehouse. Not to mention all the way to another building.

"Oh, no. No one's helping you now. You're mine, Sofia. Or should I say Giada?" he asks slowly. And there it is, the final thing I needed to be ripped apart completely.

"What did you say?" I ask, struggling to get to my feet. This stranger in a familiar shell has the audacity to look smug as I step closer to him. "How do you know my name?" I yell, shoving my uninjured fist against his chest.

That's all the satisfaction I get. One shove before Luciano takes back control. He grabs my wrist and pulls me into the far corner of the room. It's darker here but my eyes have adjusted enough to make out the silhouette of a chair even before I'm thrown onto it.

"It's storytime. Have a seat, Princess. This will be rather fun," he tells me while he picks something up from the floor.

I try to get to my feet and run away but before I can make a single step, Luce's arm wraps around my middle like a steel band. He shoves me back onto the chair, keeping me in place with his own body while he ties my arms to the chair.

I scream my protests, cry for help again and attempt to wiggle away from him but it's all to no avail. No, the only thing it gains me is a fist to the cheek that momentarily makes my head swim enough for him to tie my legs down.

I'm completely immobilized, seeing as this old chair is locked into the ground.

I'm panicking. Panicking so hard I can't seem to focus my eyes on a thing for longer than a beat, can't breathe, and can't use my voice.

I'll die here. Die at the hands of the first person I chose to trust since my accident. My chest is aching at the betrayal.

"Finally. Oh, I've imagined this so many times and never has it felt this good," Luciano starts muttering to himself. Through blurry eyes, I see him pick something up from the floor and my heart starts racing painfully.

"Do you remember how you asked about my job once?" he muses as he steps as close to me as he can.

Suddenly, something cool is pressed up against the skin on my arm, right above the elbow. I still entirely, every muscle stiffening as he presses the blade a little deeper. He's not drawing blood yet, simply teasing and letting me feel the danger.

"Some might call me an artist," he goes on, letting the knife run harmlessly up to my shoulder.

"Please," I beg him again. He ignores me.

"Perhaps I'm a musician, considering the sweet melody of the screams and sobs my victims release." At that, he finally applies enough pressure to break the skin. I whimper, tugging uselessly at my restrains.

All I can do is endure his twisted version of a storytelling and hope I make it out alive.

He drags the blade all the way down to my wrist in one smooth line, grazing muscle as he goes. I'm already dizzy, not from the loss of blood but simply the pain. I'm not used to this. Hell, I work in the office, my life is boring. My heart can't take this. Neither can my mind.

Neither can my throat as I scream it raw.

"I prefer to call it what it is. In case you haven't guessed it, I'm Enzo's torturer," Luciano finishes.

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Ik the story might be a bit confusing rn but I promise everything will make sense:) bear with me<3

Hope y'all like it so far and have a great day<3