Desiderius Love

Chapter 3

(Slight change, luca's name who is the enforcer is now Alessandro so there aren't too many L names in the book)

I scrambled through the crowd trying to get to the back door but two hands clamped onto my arms.

"Busted little sis" Mattia's sadistic smiled plastered his face. Mattia and Francesco's grip on me was extremely tight and painful as they pushed me out of the gallery while everyone was watching. When we got to the car I was pushed inside in the middle seat, my father up in the front and my two siblings between me.

My mind was racing with all the punishments he could have lined up for me but this one would be huge and painful. The car ride home was silent and suffocating. I wanted to cry but I wouldn't do it front of them, I had to be stronger than that.

When we got home, my brothers still had a harsh grip on me as we headed towards the backyard. When I saw the small fire I was confused on why there was until I saw my canvas stacked neatly on a chair. Panic rose as I see all of them knowing he ransacked my room.

"You think you can disobey me?" My father grimaced, circling around me like a predator about to pounce on his prey.

"Father I'm sorry, I won't ever do it again" I begged watching him pick up a canvas.

"Elio" he called out as Elio emerged with a knife. I tried getting out of my brothers hold but they were stronger than me "father please don't, I'll be good I swear. I'll never sneak out" tears ran down my cheeks as he slashed my paintings and threw them in the fire with no remorse. I watched him go through all of my paintings, all of my hard work was gone and up in flames. I could always repaint them but they aren't going to be the same.

I thought my father was done tormenting me until he snapped his fingers and two guards replace my brothers and shoved me to my knees. One of the guards forcefully gripped my left hand and placed it on the chair that once held my paintings. Fear rose again as I look at my father and my brothers not knowing what they were gonna do. I don't know if they were gonna cut my hand off or burn it or anything. A minute later my father held what looks metal mallet but it was lined with something sharp to puncture.

"Father wait I'm sorry please don't do this. I promise I will be good, I will be good to Nicola and be a good wife. Please" I thrashed in the guards arm and continued to beg for my father's mercy but his sadistic smile said something else.

"Hold her tight"

The mallet smashed into my hand as I let out an ear piercing scream from the pain and pain radiated through my whole hand and felt like it was on fire. I look down at my hand to see it bloody and my fingers crooked knowing it's definitely broken. I thought it was over until this time my brother swung at my hand and I let out another scream and my throat feeling very raw. My ears started ringing and I was becoming dizzy the pain was going to get me. At the third swing, I finally let the pain consume me and hope I wouldn't feel it while I was out.

I woke up in my room and on the floor. My hand was in unbearable pain and I was afraid to look at it. All my dreams were crushed, literally. I had one thing left to myself, one thing that no one could take from me but I was wrong. I finally gained the courage to look down at my hand and when I did I immediately shut my eyes.

The image of the broken fingers, the swelling and the blood would haunt me forever. A sob wracked through my body seeing the only thing I love is gone. My father was determined to never let me paint again and he got his wish.

Art was the only thing that kept me sane, it portrayed my feelings, it calmed me down, it was always there for me when no one was. Art is the only thing that I look forward to and especially with this marriage with Nicola I would be somewhat okay because I had art, but now I don't think I'll ever be okay again. Art is what kept me floating but now I would only be drowning for the rest of my life.