By Corruption I Fall

Chapter Forty-Eight

Xiomara

From the instant, I saw her, I didn't stop and think that she could have been an innocent victim. A helpless woman that like me, could not help but love the same man that I did. I acted. I laid my hands on her and dragged her out, not stopping to hold in the bitter truth that Oryon does not love anyone but himself.

"I can't do this, Kiovanna" I sobbed, crying into her arms.

She brushed my hair away with her hand, "You can do anything you want, sweetheart but it has to be what brings you peace," She touched my chest, "In here"

Dulor kneeled before me, holding me to her. We huddled in the bathroom I ran into after throwing Irina out. I had this stabbing rage, a jealousy that made me see red and I couldn't stop it. I felt pathetic, in the middle of the landslide fighting over a man I had to weasel out an milligram of affection. My body screamed at me to leave, that I didn't deserve this and I did my best but my best could never be enough for him.

"He told me that this space that was safe had only been touched by me. He told me I was the only one. If he would have told me the truth, that I was one of many to stroll in and out of here than that's fine. I wouldn't be upset but he -he-he"
Dulor nodded, "He lied and honestly he was giving her too many explanations for my liking,why didn't he just kick her ass to the curb and asked questions later?!"
Kiovanna tensed. We were talking about her son, I understood her need to be neutral and not throw her son under the bus.
"I need to be alone, I want to think. Alone..." I looked at them, holding their hands.
Kiovanna sighed, "We will be right outside, sugar"
Dulor kissed my forehead and whispered in Italian that everything would be alright.
"Honey, one thing I want to tell you before I go," Kiovanna said.
"Yes?"
"I love my kid but I know him too. I know what he's capable of, he's like Delin or worse. They're monsters and they know what they are. My boy though wasn't always this arrogant and kick-ass. He used to be small, a boy with nothing, absolutely nothing. He was robbed of a natural life far too early, before he could have properly defended himself so, please, I know you're mad at him. As a woman, I understand you, I'd be the same way. As a mother, I ask you, love him even when you're angry at him. He needs to know that there's still love and he's not being punished forever. I-I-i...please, Xiomara?"
My head turned into a nod, i was confused, disgruntled but i understood what she said between the lines.
"He's stepped on me far too many times, Kiovanna. I love him not no more. No more." I gave her a small smile. She returned it, nodding and hugging me tightly.

Hugging me to say goodbye forever.

An hour later, He walked into the room. Demanding and hollering for my attention, ordering the others to get out. I heard his mother defend me, I continued crying into these ashen tiles. I knew the kind of woman I am and I comprehend the magnitude of my cold reality but, even so, there is so much despair in loving him.
I wish I could turn back the clocks, ignore his advances and continue on with what was being forced upon my sister and I. That would've scrapped this anguish, that prison wouldn't have painted an ideal world with me than lie to me in the next sentence.
I should have known and not have listened to my body, ignoring its scream to live underneath him. To part myself in half for him.
I caressed my secrets without realizing that secrets have a price, this is mine.
This is what I have to deal with now. My anger was justified, I had no doubt and I wouldn't back down without a fight. It's time that he'd met with a strong version of me, not one that licks his hand and rolls over, waiting for his next order.
"Xiomara, I will kick open this door. Open it, now"
"Fuck off!" I snarled.
Woosh!
Golden brown skin melted into my peripheral vision, the man of this house was arriving like the rummage of a beautiful disaster.
"Take a hint, Oryon!"
He shrugged and stalked towards me, "Bad at social cues. Always have been"
He began to crouch down, reaching out to touch me. I stuck my leg out, pushing him away with my feet, "Don't even think about it. Go touch Irina"
He groaned, "You're going to make this really difficult for me, aren't you?"
I huffed, turning my head. The silent treatment would be his punishment even if it was childish.
"Xiomara, I do not beg"
I rolled my eyes, drilling my glare into the wall and ignoring Oryon.
He kneeled before me, "I won't touch you, not if don't want too. I know you're upset, I'm not going to pretend like I don't know why. There's a million things I should have done correctly with Irina's-"
"Save the speech, Oryon. You've fucked up than saved yourself with your pretty words time and time again. I'm through with it, honestly" I pushed up from my haunches and side-stepped him.
He moved annoyingly fast and faced me as I was about to touch the doorknob, "I'm not letting you leave, not until you hear me out"
"Who do you think you are? You can't tell me what to do, no one can. I do as I damn well please and I'm aching to not look at you for a second longer"
I pushed him out of my way but he shook his head, pressing his arm against the doorframe, "Try it. Try to leave me"
"I know this game, Oryon and I am not falling for it. You better move"
He pressed his lips in a firm line, his chest rising and falling, "I'll let you do whatever you want-"
"Perfect, so, move!" I tried ducking underneath him but he gripped me and pushed me against the countertop. I winced at his roughness and glared up at him, "Don't touch me"
Oryon released me but stayed glued to his spot. I rubbed my forehead and groaned, "Why do you want me close to you, Oryon?"
"You know why, don't play coy" He spat out.
"Uhuh, yeah, Forgive me but I am finding it really hard to believe anything you have told me in the past twenty-four hours"
"I've never lied about the way I feel towards you" He said matter-of-factly.
"Irina is perfect proof of your poor portrayal on honesty. You told me, to my face, that I'd been the only woman to touch these sheets. To smell your gardens and sleep beside you! That's not true, is it? What has been? Has anything? Are you?"
"Am I what?" He snarled.
"Real! Are you fucking real?"
"You can't be serious.." He exclaimed in shock.
Oryon grabbed my hand and pressed it against his neck, "Feel it"
"Feel what?" I scowled.
He moved my index fingers to his pulse point, "My heart, Xiomara. Is it alive? Does it beat?"
Rapidly but with a patience, like it was waiting to explode at the proper temperature. Radio silence, that's how it felt.
"Yes" I hissed.
"It was slow a minute ago, you touched me and I came up in flames. You are and will be the only woman to sleep with me. Irina was sent by the Bratva, a play from them to fuck me over with what i care about the most. Believe me, she would have never been someone worthy enough for me"
I closed my eyes, recoiling my hand back and hitting my chest. I didn't want him so close to me, it fogged up my senses and made it unclear, made it all so dreary and with doubt.
"That doesn't make sense"
He slammed his hand against the wall beside, inching closer, "What part? Why would I lie to you?"
"Why wouldn't the Bratva just send their army out to attack you? What the hell was Irina supposed to do besides a fight between us? That doesn't exactly scream Lethal"
"Some strategies do not need a gun to bring down an empire. They thought I gave a fuck about this wealth I have now until they saw what you and I have...it's my fault. Completely mine"
I crossed my arms, "What do you mean?"
He shrugged, "I showed too much"
"Of what?"
"Emotion. Weakness. I've told you before, this dead heart of mine was asleep before you arrived into my life. I should have reigned in my feelings but I couldn't. It's impossible with you" He sneered, raking his hands through his hair.
I turned my head, "You're not going to let me go?"
He growled, "You're not my prisoner, Xiomara"
"Hmph, it's starting to feel like I am"
Oryon retracted his arm, giving me space and walking over to the door, "I am not your family. I don't chain anyone down to my side. You are free to leave whenever you want"
I gritted my teeth, "Than Goodbye, Oryon"
It hurt me like nothing ever had before to leave him. I just couldn't get my feet to stop, I wanted to stay with him but I knew to protect myself and my overwhelming love for him, I had to go.
This was a dream that I had to destroy before it killed me and my sister. What I saw in Oryon's eyes was not meant for a woman in my predicament.
Even so, I came into this ready to be devastated by him.
Accepting that I had been broken beautifully by love from a man that could never shove his ego to one side and say those three little words I so ached to feel.
"Te amo" I love you.
He nodded, not as sure as other days. There was apprehension in the bow of his head.
I touched the doorknob, grazing his hand on accident. I stood still, looking up at him while he slinked his around his broken arm.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked out, running down the stairs.
"Where are you going, gorgeous?" Torn asked, standing at the door with another soldier, frowning at me.
"Can you call a taxi? I'd like to go home" 
"No need, I'll take you myself" Torn smiled graciously, offering me a sincere grin.
"Thanks"
"For a rose like you, there's very little I wouldn't do" he win, playful as ever. I chuckled, easing back a smidge at his relentless charm.
"I'll take both of them home, Torn"
I turned and looked at Pietro with my best friend walking down the stairs, my bags in hand.
I let the floodgates wash over at my seeing my soul sister so worried for me that she shuddered back tears of her own.
"Are you sure, Pietro?"
"I am sure, Xiomara. It's on the way home, anyway" He took my bags from his girlfriend, "I'll see you ladies in the car"
Dulor opened her arms and I ran into them. I sobbed miserably, that's the only way I can describe it.
"Calmati, Bambina. This pain won't be forever..."
I wanted to remain calm but everything in my body was throbbing and scolding at me for leaving my love's side. I told Kiovanna i wouldn't leave him but i just couldn't handle the wicked turntables Oryon kept throwing at me.
"Take me away from here, please. Anywhere but here" She pressed a kiss to my hair and guided us to the door.
"You will get through this. You are strong, amica and you are not alone"
I nodded, immobile in my steps to leave. I chanced one last look up at his bedroom, it was opened but he was not there.
I cowered back and walked with Dulor outside of his castle. Oryon's soldiers appeared rigid, uneasy at my presence. They didn't trust me anymore, they completely took his side. I smiled at them, anyway. Hoping they'd give me some mercy and forgive me for breaking my promise so soon after making it.
"Close the fucking gates"
"Which ones?"
"Every one of them! Now! This isn't an amusement park for anyone to be able to enter and exit as they please"
Torn and Wren walked past me and tore the walk-in-talkie from the soldiers palm, glaring at the thing.
Dulor turned to me, "Is there trouble?"
I shrugged, perplexed at the sudden threatening movements from the men.
"Let's stay here in the meantime. I don't want Oryon thinking I'm running away from this"
Pietro walked over to my friend and gripped her shoulders, "Move behind me, right now"
Dulor widened her eyes, touching his chest, "Are we under attack? Are we going to die?"
Pietro shook his head and shoved her behind him, "Both of you, I want silence. No one speaks but us"
I gasped. Looking over at Wren and Torn, others had joined including Nikos, Leo and Tar with easily thirty more creating a barrier between us and whatever intruders were driving up the circular driveway.
Dulor pulled me to her and held me my hand. I didn't look at her, only ahead at the foreigners with badges on their chests. Brooding and arrogant, they stepped face to face to Oryon's right hand, displaying an open envelope.
Wren scanned the paper, "Beautiful handwriting, officer Montoya. Is that cursive?"
Officer?
Who were they with?
And why the bloody hell was Wren pushing his buttons? If that was a warrant, didn't he have complete authority and authorization to come in and raid the estate?
"Don't fuck with me. Where is your patron? I need to have a serious word with him"
Torn scoffed, "Sure! Right away, would you like some ice cream with that too?"
The men laughed at his sarcasm but honestly, I felt they were playing with fires way too close to burn them.
Officer Montoya snapped his fingers and a female in sunglasses came up, her hand on her pistol at her waistband. She chewed gum annoyingly loud and looked over Leo's shoulder, "New meat. Who are the lovely escorts joining you gentlemen this afternoon?"
I kept my composure, scowling at her. She grinned at us, enjoying her stupid joke.
"That, hot stuff, is none of your business" Leo took a step forward, forcing her to lean back.
"I don't get the issue, Gabriel. Haven't the millions we stuff your pockets with every month been enough to keep you from being such a pain in the ass?" Torn asked as rubbed his temples.
"It is enough. Right until, you leave a blood bath at a popular brothel that has caused my chief to push a dagger against my neck to get to the bottom of it"
Wren flayed his hands up, "Montoya, you could have started from there instead of pissing us off. You want him off your back? No problem, we'll silence him"
The woman parted her lips, "You can't kill him!"
"Why not? We can do whatever we want. We could kill you too, want to know why I don't put a bullet between your eyes after invading my property at this very moment?"
The woman swallowed. Wren leaned in to the back of her ear and inhaled her scent in, "You have a nice ass, Natalia. I'm eager to feel it in my hands"
The men chuckled, I grimaced and turned around.
Bad move.
Really bad move.
There came the devil arisen.
He looked straight ahead, I lowered my head and turned back around.
"Gabriel, I've had a hell of a day and it's not even five. Do me a favor and leave" Oryon said
The officer shook his head angrily, "I'm being cornered! I can't leave, my boss will strip me of the promotion and fire me if I don't give him what he wants"
Oryon stopped walking and stood beside me, "And I am going to skin you alive if you don't give me what I want. Which one do you think is ultimately worse for you?"
"I'm sorry to have bothered you but, help me out here, give me something. Someone. Her!" He pointed at me. I inched closer to Oryon, instinctively. Craving his protection.
"Who?"
"Her! She was there when this went down. I'll interrogate her and send her back to you in a few days, what do you say?"
Oryon grabbed me by my arm and pushed me behind him, I touched his abdomen, "Don't let him take me"
"I say, that you have finished signing your death sentence by assuming I'd ever give up my woman to you" Oryon whipped out his beretta and aimed at the Montoya.
"Oryon, wait!"
Oryon mumbled something in Greek and pulled the trigger on his gun. The officer was shot and fell immediately to the ground without even grazing the rest of his men.
"Any one else want to get creative today? I'm in a rather good mood, as you can see"
The female, Natalia, kept her mouth shut and took Gabriel into their car with the help of another male officer.
Frankly, I didn't care about his life. I had enough on my own but I was worried about my man. I turned and stepped in front of him, touching his outstretched hand. He brought it down and I, slowly, took the gun from his grasp and passed it along to Pietro.
Oryon tensed as I touched his neck. I stroked it once, a small caress, "Look at me"
He didn't. He looked straight above me as he watched the patrol cars drive away.
"Oryon...I need you to look at me"
He growled and gave into my wish, shooting his gaze down to me, "I brought you into this mess, didn't I?"
"You did not. I came into this not as a victim but as an adult woman that could have said no and instead, said yes. I said yes to everything"
"That's why you want to leave?" He gripped my wrist, I shook my head.
"I have to clear my head. I need time"
"I wish I could say I am sorry"
I whimpered and looked away.
"I'm sorry I am not enough for you. I am sorry but I can't handle any more lies from you"
He tensed and let go of my hand, shoving his hand into his pocket.